Archbishop Riordan and Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory are an even 5-5 against one another since October of 2016, but not for long. The Crusaders are taking a road trip to take on the Fightin' Irish at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Archbishop Riordan knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 31 points or more in their past four contests -- so hopefully Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory likes a good challenge.
Archbishop Riordan will bounce into Friday's game after beating Saint Francis, who they had gone 1-8 against in their nine prior meetings. The Crusaders strolled past the Lancers with points to spare on Friday, taking the game 47-28. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Crusaders' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 15th, while the Lancers are ranked 78th).
Michael Mitchell Jr.
| 09/26/25 @ Saint Francis | 147.3 |
| 09/13/25 vs Pittsburg | 121.8 |
| 09/05/25 @ Monte Vista | 140 |
| 08/30/25 vs McClymonds | 142.2 |
| 11/23/24 vs Los Gatos | 84.4 |
| + 4 more games |
Archbishop Riordan's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Michael Mitchell Jr., who threw for 376 yards and four TDs while picking up 13.4 yards per attempt. What's more, Mitchell Jr. racked up 147.3 passer rating, the most he's had since back in October of 2024. Adonyae Brown was in the mix as well, providing Archbishop Riordan with three touchdowns.
Archbishop Riordan's run defense was locked in: Saint Francis could only muster one yards per carry. The team can thank Isaiah Grant for the heroic effort on defense: he. Archbishop Riordan hasn't allowed more than 4.9 yards per carry in three consecutive matchups.
Archbishop Riordan's defense didn't let the opposing QB, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for four sacks. Grant was particularly dangerous to the passing game, picking up two himself. He also set a new season-high mark in total tackles with nine.
Meanwhile, after only seven points in their last contest, Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory made sure to put some points up on the board against Bellarmine College Prep on Friday. The Fightin' Irish really took it to the Bells for the full four quarters, racking up a 71-14 victory. The game marked the Fightin' Irish's most dominant win of the season so far.
Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory's win came from a few key players Archbishop Riordan will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jayden Crane, who threw for 257 yards and five TDs while completing 82.4% of his passes. Zion Secrease did his part for the team as well, scoring a TD off of 150 receiving yards.
Archbishop Riordan's record is now 4-0. As for Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, their record now sits at 3-1.
The upcoming matchup will be a clash of competing strengths. Archbishop Riordan has deployed a run-first offense that has averaged 187.2 rushing yards a game. Meanwhile, Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory has preferred to attack from the air: they average 269 passing yards per game. So which strategy will prevail on Friday? There's only one way to find out.
Everything came up roses for Archbishop Riordan against Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory when the teams last played back in September of 2024, as the squad secured a 63-34 victory. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was the Fightin' Irish's Michael Sargent, who threw for 233 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and also punched in two scores on the ground. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will the Crusaders still be able to contain Sargent? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
