Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Kyle Sweet plays a huge role in the Santa Margarita offense.
File photo by David Hood
Bishop Gorman's killer lineup of out-of-state games carries on when unbeaten Santa Margarita pays a visit to Fertitta Field. The sixth-ranked Gaels are eying a third win against a California team this season and ninth in a row overall. Their biggest challenge Friday night might be resisting the urge to look ahead one week when another Golden State opponent -- No. 5 St. John Bosco (Bellflower) – comes to town. If that happens, watch out Gaels. Santa Margarita was only 4-6 last season, but still pushed Bishop Gorman to the wall in a 34-31 September loss. This year, the Eagles are off to a 3-0 start behind standout quarterback
KJ Costello. The 6-5, 213-pound junior – rated a four-star prospect by 247Sports – has completed over 66 percent of his passes for 1,030 yards and eight touchdowns. Bishop Gorman is 4-0, but its last two wins were very much in doubt until the end. UCLA-bound tight end
Alize Jones caught eight passes for 163 yards, two touchdowns and a game-deciding 2-point conversion in a 43-42 come-from-behind win at Centennial (Corona, Calif.) last week. The Gaels needed overtime the week before that to survive No. 23 Bingham (South Jordan, Utah), 23-20.
Just the facts: Bishop Gorman has completely dominated the most popular Nevada Class 4A boys sports in recent years, winning six football state titles and four in basketball since 2007. … Santa Margarita's career records for passing yardage and touchdowns belong to former Heisman Trophy winner and current Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer. He threw for 4,692 yards and 55 scores in three seasons with the Eagles.
Mitch Stephens: Bishop Gorman 28, Santa Margarita 27
Kevin Askeland: Santa Margarita 38, Bishop Gorman 28
Jamie DeMoney: Bishop Gorman 38, Santa Margarita 28
Stephen Spiewak: Bishop Gorman 35, Santa Margarita 21
Leland Gordon: Bishop Gorman 49, Santa Margarita 24
Colin Ward-Henninger: Bishop Gorman 44, Santa Margarita 35
