No. 2 Bishop Gorman overcomes slow start, No. 13 DeMatha to win 55th straight

Photos: No. 13 DeMatha @ No. 2 Bishop Gorman
View images by photographer Jann Hendry of this showdown in Las Vegas.

The quarterback position at Bishop Gorman is just fine.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson, making his first start after the graduation of reigning National Player of the Year Tate Martell, threw for 284 yards and accounted for five touchdowns as No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) won its 55th consecutive game with a 35-23 season-opening victory over fast-starting and 13th-ranked DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) Friday in Las Vegas.

Thompson-Robinson completed 18 of 23 passes for 284 yards and three scores and added two short first-half TD runs as the Gaels overcame an early 10-0 deficit.

DeMatha took a 10-0 lead on via a 36-yard field goal by Joey Hood and a 30-yard touchdown run by Marshawn Lloyd. But Thompson-Robinson, a UCLA commit, scored on a 2-yard run before the end of the first quarter and added a 1-yard TD plunge to give Gorman a 13-10 halftime lead. 

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The Stags took the second half kickoff, traveled 80 yards capped by a 10-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Lenhart to DeMarcco Hellams to take a 17-13 lead. A 60-yard bomb to Hellams set up the touchdown. But Thompson-Robinson responded with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Falcon Kaumatule with 30 seconds left in the third to give Gorman back the lead for good, 20-17.

After holding on downs, Thompson-Robinson put it away with a beautiful 68-yard touchdown strike to Jalen Nailor to give the Gaels a 27-17 lead with 8:14 left. The teams traded touchdown passes late. DeMatha, which had its 17-game win streak snapped, showed great resolve all night but couldn't contain Thompson-Robinson.

DeMatha hosts Avalon (Gaithersburg, Md.) next week while Bishop Gorman plays at top-ranked Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.).