The Bishop Diego Cardinals will take on the Simi Valley Pioneers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
Bishop Diego is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 43 points two weeks ago, they were much more limited against Oaks Christian on Friday. They were just a hair shy of victory and fell 14-13 to the Lions. The contest marked the Cardinals' lowest-scoring matchup so far this season.
Although Bishop Diego took the loss, they still got scores from Tua Puailoa Rojas and Samuel Crawford.
Bishop Diego didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Remi Boykin and Nathan Hernandez. Bishop Diego received some extra help from Crawford, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Simi Valley, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Friday. They breezed past Camarillo to the tune of 54-0 on Friday. That 54 point margin sets a new team best for the Pioneers this season.
Simi Valley found their leader in sophomore Jayden Clarke, who made four total tackles and defended four passes in addition to snagging three interceptionstwo of which were returned for touchdowns. The team also got some help courtesy of Dawson Armstrong, who rushed for 28 yards and one TD.
Simi Valley's run defense was locked in: Camarillo could only muster 1.5 yards per carry. While four picked up at least four total tackles, Clarke stood above the rest. He made four total tackles and defended four passes in addition to snagging three interceptionstwo of which were returned for touchdowns. Simi Valley didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 8.6.
Simi Valley's defense also made the game a nightmare for Brad Barlow, racking up eight sacks. The heavy lifting was done by Izak Simpson and Ryan Schlundt Bodien, who racked up five sacks between them. Schlundt Bodien is becoming a predictor of Simi Valley's success: when he posts at least two sacks the team is 2-1 (and 1-3 when he doesn't). The Pioneers got some further help from Clarke: he made four total tackles and defended four passes in addition to snagging three interceptionstwo of which were returned for touchdowns.
Simi Valley pushed their record up to 3-4 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.7 points over those games. As for Bishop Diego, their loss was their first of the season and makes their record 6-1.
Bishop Diego couldn't quite get it done against Simi Valley when the teams last played back in October of 2024 as they fell 35-28. Thankfully for the Cardinals, Brice Hawkins (who rushed for 172 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 8.2 yards per carry) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
