LA VERNE - Covina High School quarterback Michael McDonough did to St. Joseph's defense in the second half what he had been doing to people all season.
He ran and passed the second-ranked Colts past the Knights 47-32 in a CIF Southern Section Northwest Division game at Bonita High School Friday night.
“There's a reason why he's the reigning San Gabriel Valley passing champion,” St. Joseph coach Mike Hartman said after McDonough threw for 240 of his 338 yards after the break.
John Wood's 27-yard field goal gave the Knights a 17-14 halftime lead. But McDonough hit Jamal James for two 25-yard touchdown passes in the third quarter.
In the fourth, he connected with Arieus Williams to put the Colts ahead for good at 38-32 with 6:13 left to play.
The loss didn't diminish what the Knights accomplished this year.
They finished 9-3, won eight straight and took their first-ever outright lead championship, winning the Los Padres League with a 7-0 run.
The Knights were game Friday night, but their pass defense simply couldn't slow down McDonough or his athletic receivers.
“They're a good football team, but we gave them all they could handle,” Hartman said.
Lineman John Sua, linebacker Tyler Kirchof and defensive back Patrick Cusack helped St. Joseph keep McDononough to 64 yards rushing and 98 yards passing in the first half.
“They're a great team, and they did a great job,” McDonough said. “They not only stopped me but all of our other players.
“Other teams keyed on stopping me, but it's not just me. It's all of our other guys.”
Patrick Cusack gave St. Joseph its last lead with a 96-yard kickoff return after the Colts had gone ahead 20-17 with 77-yard scoring drive that McDonough finished with a one-yard run. Cameron Sewell threw a springing block for Cusack.
Covina center Kenny Toms bailed out the Colts when he recovered Manny Esquivel's fumbled snap the play before McDonough's score. McDonough lined up at running back when Esquivel fumbled.
St. Joseph senior Thomas Sua finished an illustrious high school career with 171 yards on 20 carries.
He put the Knights ahead with a 15-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. He brought them within 32-30 with a 62-yard run early in the fourth.
Quarterback Shawn Winters, who hooked up with Scott Cathcart for a 67-yard scoring play to answer Covina's first touchdown, ran in the tying two-point conversion. McDonough found Williams for the winning touchdown three plays later.
McDonough's immediate future includes a semifinal game next week. After that, he's not sure.
“I'm not even close to choosing a college yet,” he said.
Nov. 25, 2006
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Jeff Nestler wrote on Nov 25, 2006 9:00 AM: