Video: Joachim Bangda high school football highlightsThe St. John's running back was the hero on Saturday.Joachim Bangda barely got over the goal line, but that's all he needed.
The
St. John's (Washington, D.C.) running back broke the plane of the goal line on fourth down with 30 seconds remaining to give his team a mammoth 21-17 victory over 11th-ranked
Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) on Saturday afternoon.
Maurice Bellan and Daniel Jeffrey celebrated a huge upset victory for St. John's Saturday over Gonzaga.
Photo by Michael Smith
St. John's (7-3) needed just four plays to take a 7-0 lead on a 5-yard run by Bangda, but Gonzaga, with a rugged defense and special teams, seemed to take control.
The Eagles tied the game at 7-7 on a 5-yard touchdown run by
Tyree Randolph midway through the second quarter, then took a 14-7 lead following a punt block by
Maguire Dilenge that was recovered in the end zone with 3:08 left in the third.
St. John's tied it at 14-14 on a fake field goal and seven yard run by
D.J. Brown with 11:05 to play.
Gonzaga (9-1) grabbed the lead back on a 30-yard field goal by
Brian Johnson with 5:43 to play, but St. John's drove it methodically down the field before Bangda scored on fourth down.
A win would have given Gonzaga the
undisputed Washington Catholic Athletic Conference regular season
crown.
The Eagles joined the Xcellent 25 rankings, presented by the Army National Guard, after upsetting then-No. 3 DeMatha on Oct. 16. The Eagles
didn't let down in their next two games, beating Good Counsel and
Archbishop Carroll by a combined score of 73-32.
St. John's had won three straight — including two shutouts — before a head-scratching 42-35
loss to Bishop McNamara last week. The Cadets have now won 10 of their last 14 games against
Gonzaga.
St. John's has three of 247Sports' top five prospects in Washington D.C.
for the Class of 2016. However, four-star defensive end
Terrell Hall and Tennessee-bound tight end
Devante Brooks were injured. That left four-star linebacker
Aaron Hansford, a two-way talent who leads the team in receptions.
The game, featured this week in the
MaxPreps Rivalry Series presented by the Army National Guard, was the 98th meeting between the two teams. The rivalry started in 1893, making it the oldest rivalry game between two Catholic schools.
Maurice Bellan lets loose with a pass.
Photo by Michael Smith
DJ Brown celebrates a touchdown for St. John's.
Photo by Michael Smith
The St. John's defense held Luke McCaleb and Gonzaga in check enough to get the win.
Photo by Michael Smith
Tyree Randolph scored in the second quarter for Gonzaga.
Photo by Michael Smith
