If the game between the Paso Robles High School varsity football team and the St. Joseph Knights were a card game, the Bearcats dealt themselves a royal flush in the first half to take a 21-0 lead.

Despite a strong comeback by the Knights in the second half, the Bearcats held on for the 28-21 win to improve to 2-1.

Turnovers were the story of the first half. The Knights committed four turnovers in the first half alone, with the second fumble by the Knights resulting in the Bearcats’ first touchdown.

“Defense had a star performance in the first half,” said Paso Robles coach Rich Schimke.

Cheston Holguin caught a five-yard pass for the Bearcats’ first touchdown. Then Andy Bridge rushed for two more. The first was a one-yard run, and the second a 10-yard run. Bridge scored a third touchdown in the third quarter. In all, Bridge rushed 30 times for 175 yards and three scores.

“Their defense was tough, on the goal line they were stopping us, but our [offensive] line and our backs just kept pushing,” Bridge said. “We knew they had a big line and it was going to be tough to block them, but I think we did good.”

For the Knights, turnovers put them in too big a hole early.

“You can’t turn the football over four times against a good football team in a half and expect to win a game,” said St. Joseph coach Mike Hartman.

But after being shut down in the first half, the Knights roared back to life in the third and fourth quarters. St. Joseph altered its game plan and scored three touchdowns.

“I think we let our guard down just a little bit, but once the score started getting close we started to bring our game back up and played Bearcat football,” Bridge said.

But it looked more like the Knights playing Knights football, especially in the fourth quarter as they scored two touchdowns and held the Bearcats scoreless.

“I am proud of how we came back in the second half,” Hartman said. “I’m proud of our guys, they didn’t give up and that showed their character.”

Just like the Bearcats, who used a fumble recovery to score their first touchdown, the Knights scored their first touchdown following a turnover, a Bearcat interception. That interception led to the Knights scoring on a five-yard run from Anthony Gallegos that put them on the board, 21-7.

The Bearcats immediately matched the Knights with a touchdown of their own off a five-yard run from Bridge, 28-7.

From there, the Knights rode the momentum to score two more touchdowns and draw within one score. To start the fourth quarter, Knights quarterback Gavin Kelly threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to Jason Buchanan. Then Kelly followed that up with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Travis Biegel to cut the Bearcats lead to 28-21 with six minutes left in the game.

“They weren’t going to quit on a night like tonight –– look at this place, it’s something to be really proud of,” Schimke said. “The lighting is great, the field turf is awesome and it’s a great environment.”

It was a special night for the Knights, who held a special dedication to the new synthetic turf field prior to the game. The re-modeled field includes a new track and an enclosed second story press box.

“It’s gorgeous,” Hartman said of the new field. “The generosity of Will family, and the alumni of this school. We talk about being a family, and being a part of a family, and just because you graduate doesn’t mean you graduate from the family, which is evident in this beautiful facility.”

Though it was a special night for St. Joseph, the Bearcats were happy to leave the stadium with one in the win column.

“We hung on, we persevered and like I told everyone, if we learn a lesson and still win, how valuable is that?” Schimke said.

Kelly went 11-for-24 for 226 yards passing, but fumbled the ball three times, losing two. Kelly carried the ball 26 times for 124 yards. In comparison, the Bearcats rushed 42 times for 191 yards and Bernal went 12-for-24 for 153 yards and one interception.

The Bearcats are now 2-1. They play on the road against Soquel on Friday, Sept. 26.





Share on Facebook