San Francisco high school football roundup: Week 6

Week 6 marked the opening of Academic Athletic Association (AAA) play for the 2022 season, while San Francisco’s three West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL) teams battled opponents from Santa Clara County. The Standard has coverage of high school football, as well as other prep sports around the city and the Bay Area as a whole.

Riordan’s defense managed to keep the visiting Bells out of the end zone, but the Crusader offense struggled mightily in a 3-0 loss. Riordan (3-2, 1-1 WCAL) only made two real threats to score; Bellarmine safety Christian Farias’ tackle on Zion Wells in the first quarter at the 15-yard line kept the game scoreless, as did offensive lineman Tom Reilly’s chasedown tackle on Je’Mon Brown to close the first half. Brown intercepted Parker Threatt in the end zone as Bellarmine (3-2, 2-0) looked to score before halftime. The Bells got the game’s only points on Connor Tripp’s 39-yard field goal, which doinked in off the left upright with 7:23 remaining.

The Mustangs are once again the team to beat in the AAA after holding Balboa (1-4, 0-1 AAA) to just 56 yards in a 21-7 home victory. Xavier Solares starred for Lincoln (2-3, 1-0), intercepting two passes and hauling in an 83-yard touchdown pass from freshman Latu Manumua for the game’s first score. Manumua and Jamelle Newman each ran for touchdowns in the second half, with Manumua’s 1-yard sneak putting the game away after the Buccaneers scored on Dontae Allen-Wilson’s 15-yard scamper.

Sophomore Angelo Ornelas ran for two touchdowns to get Lowell (1-3, 1-0 AAA) into the win column for the first time in 2022. The Cardinals held Mission (0-4, 0-1) scoreless until Taevon Mitchell’s 87-yard kick return touchdown with 1:25 left. The Bears had reached the end zone on two prior kick returns, but both were called back on holding penalties. Mission had three touchdowns called back, and the Cardinals stunted two Bear drives with interceptions by Anthony Irias and Jason Gao. Tomas La Sala’s 1-yard sneak and a two-point conversion by Gavin Barry-Smith (16 carries-86 yards) gave Lowell an 8-0 halftime lead.

The Fightin’ Irish beat the Warriors for the first time since 2008, spoiling homecoming at Valley Christian in the process. Sacred Heart Cathedral (3-2, 1-1 WCAL) scored three touchdowns of 60 yards or longer, finding the end zone on Kendric Sanders’ 67-yard run and two long Aidan McGrath passes. McGrath, who didn’t start a week earlier in a loss to Mitty, completed 12 of 18 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns. He hit Jerry Mixon Jr. for a 60-yard score in the fourth, and found Mikey Calonico on an ensuing two-point conversion to put SHC up by nine. His 61-yard pass to RL Miller closed the scoring. Miller finished the night with eight catches for 156 yards and two touchdowns, while Sanders ran 10 times for 109 yards. Mixon scored the game’s opening touchdown; he finished with 35 rushing yards and 75 receiving yards. Miller also recorded an interception, while Uchenna Eke (20 carries-206 yards) scored all three touchdowns for Valley Christian (1-4, 0-2), including runs of 60 and 75 yards.

Despite a shaky start in their lone home night game of the season, the Padres rode their defense to win a battle of unbeatens. Sophomore Teddy Chung had two interceptions to lead Serra (5-0, 2-0 WCAL) as the Padre defense allowed just seven points for a second straight week. Maealiuaki Smith threw touchdowns to Grant McGovern and Joey Villaroman, while Malachi Gastrock, Jabari Mann and Danny Niu each ran for scores. Mitty (4-1, 1-1) broke the shutout midway through the fourth quarter on a 3-yard AJ Cenizal run.

With Dan Fouts in attendance, backup quarterback Soren Hummel threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns in his first varsity start, but St. Ignatius (1-4, 0-2 WCAL) struggled on defense, dropping a fourth consecutive game. Keala Keanaaina ran 29 times for 231 yards and two touchdowns for St. Francis (2-3, 1-1) as the Lancers snapped a three-game skid. Matt Dougherty Jr. threw for 231 yards, connecting with Riley Long, Andrew Adkison and Ned Righellis for third-quarter touchdowns. The Lancers outscored the Wildcats 28-20 in a madcap third quarter as Hummel, only a sophomore, threw touchdowns to Cameron Jones, Moe Barnum and Pierce St. Geme. Gus Parker had five catches for 131 yards, but the host Wildcats lost Jones (heel) and two-way lineman Santino Franco (shin) to injuries during that third quarter.

With quarterback James Mertz nursing a knee injury, Washington (4-1, 1-0 AAA) turned to the ground game to post a running-clock win over Galileo (0-5, 0-1). The Eagles ran for 498 yards, with Dhiraj Gurung finding the end zone five times in the first half. Gurung ran 14 times for 272 yards, while Kismot Rakkat (12 carries-132 yards) ran for a 50-yard score in the second half. Defensive end Elyjah Qasevakatini was also sidelined with an injury, but the Eagles allowed Galileo to reach the end zone just once.

Joey Nawrocki’s halfback pass to Lukas Habelt with eight seconds left capped off an improbable game-winning drive for Burlingame (3-2, 1-0 Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division) as the Panthers won 14-10 at rival Aragon (3-2, 0-1) on Thursday night. The visiting Panthers traveled 86 yards in 82 seconds with no timeouts, with the final 29 yards coming on the trick play. The Dons had taken a 10-7 lead on Amaziah Tanielu’s 1-yard run with 7:27 left.

Half Moon Bay (5-0, 1-0 PAL Bay) beat Menlo-Atherton 22-21, handing the Bears their first league loss since Nov. 9, 2017. Liam Harrington’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Owen Miller with 7:50 left served as the go-ahead score after Menlo-Atherton (2-3, 0-1) had rattled off 21 straight points to go up by six. The Bears played without Oregon commit Jurrion Dickey, who missed the game with an unspecified injury.

Sophomore Elijah Bow ran 33 times for 185 yards as Pittsburg (4-1) closed out non-league play with a 39-21 win over Oakland power McClymonds (3-1). Nevada commit Khai Taylor caught two touchdowns for the host Pirates, while Jaivian Thomas ran 16 times for 167 yards and two touchdowns in defeat for the Warriors.

Sacred Heart Cathedral and St. Ignatius will reconvene for their second volleyball match of WCAL play on Thursday, a 6 p.m. tilt at SHC. Sacred Heart Cathedral (10-7, 1-3) lost in straight sets at Mitty (19-4, 4-0) last Wednesday before non-league wins over Riordan and Justin-Siena, both in straight sets. St. Ignatius (11-10, 2-2) swept last-place Presentation (3-16, 0-4) on Wednesday and will round out the first half of league play at home against Valley Christian (9-5, 1-3). Mitty will visit St. Francis (18-0, 5-0) with first place up for grabs. The Lancers dropped a set for the first time all season on Saturday, but still beat San Clemente in four sets to win the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions.

University still sits atop the Bay Counties League West Division after Wednesday’s sweep of Urban (25-22, 25-8, 25-9) and Friday’s sweep of rival Lick-Wilmerding (25-15, 25-8, 25-20). The Red Devils, who boast an 18-5 overall record and a perfect 8-0 mark in league play, beat Riordan in four sets in a non-league contest last Tuesday.