Top-ranked St. Bonaventure played like the offensive juggernaut it is, and Righetti said adieu to a fine football season Friday night.

"We just couldn't stop them," Righetti coach Greg Dickinson said after the Seraphs defeated the seventh-ranked Warriors 48-19 in a Division IV quarterfinal at Warrior Stadium.

The Seraphs (12-0) got four touchdown runs from Matt Lee and 313 yards passing, including two touchdowns, from quarterback Brian Stevens. Righetti wound up 8-3-1.

St. Bonaventure mowed through its Channel League competition and will take on Agoura next. The Chargers beat San Luis Obispo 38-12 in another quarterfinal. The Seraphs last lost to Division II Hart of Newhall in a non-league game last year.

Righetti, which finished third in the PAC-5 League, got 158 yards, and a touchdown, from Ryan Mole but it wasn't nearly enough.

It was not nearly enough because the Seraphs offense performed like the unit that had rolled up 458 points going into Friday night.

"Whoa," Dickinson said afterward of the Seraphs offense, "pretty impressive."

Advertisement

Stevens took apart the Warriors' zone pass defense, and Righetti could not get consistent pressure against him. Stevens went 24-for-38. He was never sacked, although Josh Thornton and Danny Lauer did knock him down a few times, forcing him into incompletions. They also forced him into an intentional grounding call.

"My offensive line did a great job," Stevens said. "When they protect like that, it makes it a lot easier on me."

The left-handed Stevenson also said that, judging from the film the Seraphs had seen on the Warriors, he expected to see a zone from them.

Righetti came within striking distance twice. After Lee scampered 78 yards for a touchdown, Chris Diaz put the Seraphs ahead 14-0 with a conversion kick 16 seconds into the second quarter.

The Warriors countered with a 64-yard scoring drive. A roughing the passer penalty put the ball at the Seraphs 20, Mole made it to inside the 1, and quarterback Jon Dally scored on a sneak two plays later.

The score was 24-7 at halftime. After Mole's 32-yard return of the second half kickoff put Righetti at its own 42, the Warriors ran through the Seraphs defense behind good blocking from Righetti's offensive line. Mole broke a tackle at the 14 and scored from 22 yards away.

But the Seraphs, leading 34-19 going into the fourth quarter, salted the game away then with touchdown runs of 1 and 3 yards by Lee, who rushed 28 times and gained 184 yards. St. Bonaventure's other ballcarriers had six carries for a total of 13 yards.

"Take away those two turnovers, when we were trying some trick plays, and it's a much more respectable final score," Dickinson said.

Actually, the Seraphs had one score off a turnover in the last quarter. Before that, the Seraphs forced the Warriors to punt from their 26 and then set up shop at Righetti's 46.

Lee accounted for all but seven yards as the Seraphs drove for a score, and he went in from the 1.

On Righetti's next series, Dally's backward pass behind the line of scrimmage bounced to Ben Grover. Grover couldn't come up with it and, as others stood around, Seraphs lineman Dwight Roberson alertly recovered the ball on Righetti's 15 with 6:56 to play.

Lee scored from the 3 five plays later.

Prior to that, Stevens put on a show passing. Righetti had the Seraphs in third-and-long conversions several times, and Stevens usually converted.

St. Bonaventure punted once, with 2:19 left to play. The Seraphs did lose the ball twice at Righetti's 10 yard line in the first half.

"Brian Stevens did a wonderful job for us tonight," said St. Bonaventure coach Jon Mack. "He is a fantastic football player.

"I was very pleased with the ball distribution."

That figured, since Stevens completed passes to seven different receivers. Luis Sanchez had 11 receptions for 122 yards, including touchdown catches of 10 and 3 yards. Lee caught six passes for 91 yards, and Andrez Morales made three catches, worth 53 yards.

Agoura 38, SLO 12

AGOURA - The Tigers (8-3) trailed 17-6 at halftime and never could get into contention afterward.

Dane Hodgson pulled San Luis Obispo within 14-6 by connecting with Evan O'Reilly on a 25-yard pass play that went for a touchdown. But Mark Lawrence kicked a 22-yard field goal for the Chargers, and then they scored first after halftime.

Bryan Walker hooked up with Braden Lepisto for a 26-yard touchdown pass for the first second-half score. Walker's 50-yarder to Lepisto gave the Chargers their second touchdown.

The score was 24-12 going into the fourth quarter. Then Agoura pulled away on Joey LaRocque's 16-yard run and Walker's 28-yard pass to Lepisto.

LaRocque scored Agoura's first touchdown, on a 4-yard run in the first quarter.

Hodgson, who scored on a 27-yard run in the third quarter, led the PAC-5 runners-up with 102 yards running and 168 yards passing. Phil Garza gained a total of 89 yards on seven carries for San Luis Obispo.

November 29, 2003