LA PUENTE — Bishop Amat football coach Kory Minor has been preaching his desire to get back to the storied Amat tradition of running the ball, running the ball again, and running it some more. It’s easy to accomplish with a running back like Ryan Salcedo. The senior carried the ball 34 times for a whopping 371 yards and five touchdowns, including the game-winner, in a thrilling 36-29 win over Sherman Oaks Notre Dame in Mission League action on Friday night.
With the win, Bishop Amat (4-3, 1-1) takes a big step in trying to secure a CIF-Southern Section playoff bid.
As for Salcedo, his single-game rushing performance is the second-best in school history. The record is 382 yards by Torreahno Sweet in 2015 against Oaks Christian.
“It’s really just a testament to our whole season,” Salcedo said. “We’ve gone through adversity the whole season and this is really just a testament to how we respond.”
“(Salcedo) could’ve gone anywhere,” Minor said. “He could’ve left, he could’ve transferred. I said, ‘Ryan, I need you to believe in me. Just stay with me and I promise you I’ll make it right for you.’ And he’s having a heck of a season.”
Salcedo was aptly nicknamed The Ryan Express this game by the Amat PA announcer. Like any train, he picked up steam as he kept going. Salcedo led the Lancers 89 yards down the field in the fourth quarter for the game-winning drive.
Amat took over at its 11 with 11:43 left in the quarter with the game tied at 29-29 following a Knights punt. The first play resulted in a 9-yard loss when running back Justin Clinton got stuffed. However, Salcedo picked up 14 yards on the next play, then caught a pass from quarterback Domenico Doran for a 5-yard gain on third-and-5 that gave the Lancers a first down.
He carried the ball four of the next five plays for 18 yards. Two plays later, Amat faced a third-and-10 at its own 47. Doran dropped back and hit Isaac Ash over the middle for a 10-yard completion and first down. Salcedo took it from there.
He grabbed the next handoff and raced down the left side for 30 yards. He then took the ball again and raced 13 yards down the left side, diving and hitting the front pylon with the ball for a touchdown. That gave Amat a 36-29 lead with just 3:49 remaining.
“Just when you think he’s not getting any better, he gets better and better and better and better,” Doran said of Salcedo. “He’s something else. He’s a different breed. He really is. In my opinion, he’s the best running back in California.”
Salcedo gave credit to his offensive line.
“Can’t thank them enough,” he said. “It’s all the work that we put in and they know the work they put in as well.”
Notre Dame had one last chance to try to tie the game. The Knights drove down to the Lancers 34 and faced a fourth-and-3 with 34 seconds left. A heave deep by quarterback Wyatt Brown was intercepted by Brandon Billups in the end zone to secure the win for Amat.
Salcedo’s big night started early. He had 158 rushing yards in the first quarter. He had touchdown runs of 30 yards and 1 yard. He also busted through the middle for a 77-yard run in the quarter that ended with a 15-7 Lancers lead.
Notre Dame took a 22-15 lead in the second quarter before Salcedo tied it with another 1-yard touchdown with 4:39 left in the quarter.
The Knights got one last touchdown before halftime, though, to take a 29-22 lead into the locker room when Brown hit Luc Weaver for a 32-yard touchdown. It was Weaver’s second touchdown of the game. He caught a 45-yard touchdown earlier in the quarter. Weaver caught four passes for 106 yards but was shut out in the second half. The Lancers defense tightened up and not only stopped Weaver, but shut out the entire Notre Dame offense.
That was something Minor was proud of.
“Those guys fight,” Minor said of his defense. “Our coaching staff did a heck of a job getting a game plan together.”
Bishop Amat also got strong play from Doran, who entered the game early in the second quarter to replace starting quarterback Daniel Reyes who left the game due to a possible concussion. Minor said Reyes will be evaluated before determining his status next week.
Doran missed his first three pass attempts but finished completing his last six for 88 yards total, including that key third-down pass to Ash on the game-winning drive.
“I love (Reyes),” Doran said. “That’s my guy. I was really sad to see him go out.”
Reyes gave Doran some words of encouragement.
“He said, ‘Go get this win for me,’” Doran said. “I said, ‘Absolutely. I got you. I’ll get this win for you.’”
Bishop Amat will take on Loyola next Friday in what used to be a key Del Rey League rivalry in the 1990s. Loyola is also 1-1 in the Mission League after defeating Serra 13-10 on Thursday.