Now, they wait.

They figure the news will be good.

Daniel Rudolph started the St. Joseph Knights on their way to win the game they needed to by returning the opening kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown Friday night. St. Joseph went on to a 34-16 win over Santa Maria at Santa Maria's Dave Boyd Field and a probable wildcard berth in the CIF Southern Division X Playoffs.

The Knights wound up the regular season 3-3 in the Los Padres League and 5-5 overall. Santa Maria finished 1-5, 2-8. St. Joseph finds out Sunday morning whether or not it will play any more football this year.

So, Zach Clayton, how good do you think your team's chances are of getting a wild card?

“I think our chances are good because the Los Padres League is a strong league,” said Clayton after the center and his fellow linemen blocked well enough for their backs to roll up 227 yards rushing. “Coach (Mike) Hartman said that the other team with a chance is from a league that's not very good.”

Hartman said, “Azusa High School is the other team with a wildcard chance and their league, the Montview League, isn't very good.”

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Running back Thomas Sua helped the Knights earn playoff consideration by bulling his way for 103 yards on 27 carries and scoring on three tough runs. He scored from the Saints' 3, 4 and 1.

With Cabrillo's 28-18 upset of Lompoc Friday night, the Conquistadores will get the top league playoff seed and the Braves will get the second one. The two tied for the LPL title at 5-1.

Morro Bay, St. Joseph and Santa Ynez wound up tied for third place. Morro Bay gets the league's third, and last, automatic seed because the Pirates beat Cabrillo, which defeated St. Joseph and Santa Ynez. The Knights are eligible for the league's wildcard spot because they beat Santa Ynez.

Before the game, “We were flat,” Knights linebacker Jason Acquistapace acknowledged after he was all over the place making tackles.

“That kickoff return picked us right up.”

Clayton and his line mates usually opened up small holes against Santa Maria's front line. Sua didn't need much of a hole.

“He hits the hole so quick. That's what makes him so good to block for,” Clayton said.

“This was one of our best blocking games all year. Their defensive line is pretty big, and we knew we had to get off the ball.”

The Saints actually outgained the Knights 341-299 in total offense, but Santa Maria couldn't finish off enough drives. The home team scored their touchdowns on Daniel Gauna's 42-yard pass to Jason Balewa and backup Ben Smith's 51-yard run against the Knights reserves in the fourth quarter.

The Saints' other points came on a fourth quarter safety.

The Knights usually had a shorter field to work with than the Saints did, and the visitors took advantage by scoring on their four possessions after Rudolph's touchdown return. St. Joseph led 34-7 in the third quarter.

The Saints cut their deficit to 20-7 thanks to Balewa's touchdown pass, but the Knights then drove 87 yards. Quarterback Brian McConkey finished the drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to David Wolfe who got open in the front of the end zone near the sideline.

“We'd been telling the kids that we needed to prove we're a playoff team, and tonight we did that,” said Hartman.

“We didn't make any mistakes. We didn't have any turnovers. After last week, we were due.”

Late miscues help cause the Knights' downfall in a 31-30 loss to Cabrillo last week. St. Joseph led by 10 points late in the game.

Acquistapace and linebacker Sheldon Lechuga helped St. Joseph's defense make enough stops to keep their team comfortably ahead.

“It's hard without Philip Adam,” said Acquistapace. Adam played despite a broken arm last week but sat out Friday night.

“The kids did what they had to do,” Hartman said.

He chuckled. “Now, CIF willing, they'll be in the playoffs.”

Nov. 12, 2005