NORWALK – Servite hung with Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas for the first half Friday night but the Friars couldn’t stick close enough with the top-ranked team in the nation in the second half.
The sophomore connection of quarterback Tate Martell and wide receiver Tyjon Lindsey – transfers from Poway of San Diego – helped power Bishop Gorman past Orange County’s No. 1-ranked team, 48-27, at Cerritos College.
Martell threw touchdown passes of 10 and 29 yards to Lindsey in the second half while running back Russell Booze added touchdowns runs of 1 and 45 yards as the Gaels (2-0), ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today, beat the Friars for fourth consecutive season.
Servite (0-1) played Bishop Gorman closer than the past two seasons, which the Gaels won by scores of, 41-17, and, 42-0. The Friars trailed, 14-6, at halftime but the second half became a duel of offenses and Bishop Gorman had too much firepower. Martell also tossed a 28-yard TD pass to Cordell Broadus and rushed for 115 yards.
“For him to come in and make those type of plays was a turning point for sure,” Servite coach A.J. Gass said of Martell, who entered the game late in the first half.
“It’s a learning experience. We know what we can do when we execute at our level. We just got to be a little more consistent.”
Servite quarterback Travis Waller passed for 285 yards and rushed for 140, including a spectacular 54-yard TD in the third quarter.
But the Friars’ defense couldn’t slow down Bishop Gorman enough in the second. Both teams struggled with penalties. Servite finished with 10 for 100 while Bishop Gorman racked up 13 for 132.
The first quarter ended scoreless as both defenses made key stops deep in their territory.
Bishop Gorman used a 48-yard punt return by Brandon Gahagan to the Servite 18 just minutes into the first quarter to threaten but Friars’ linebacker James Hussey recovered a fumble two plays later at his 16.
Servite responded by driving inside the Gaels’ 10 but Waller was dropped for a loss on a fourth-and-goal from the 2.
Linebacker Justin Parcells produced a second turnover for the Servite defense with an interception at his 41 later in the first quarter but the Friars couldn’t capitalize.
But on the first play of the second quarter, Bishop Gorman’s punt return team struck again. Lindsey returned a punt 92 yards for the game’s first touchdown with 11:39 left in the second quarter.
After mostly relying on its ground game of Tate Beachley and Waller in the first quarter, Servite turned to Waller’s arm. A 28-yard connection along the sideline with sophomore Osiris St. Brown to the Gaels’ 4 delivered a touchdown chance but Bishop Gorman forced Servite to settle for a 20-yard field goal by Andrew Acosta with 6:19 left in the half.
The Friars also drove inside the Bishop Gorman 10 late in the second quarter but again settled for a 24-yard field goal by Acosta with 1:39 left in the half.
Bishop Gorman inserted Martell at quarterback to close the half and he drove the Gaels for a 5-yard touchdown run by Booze for a 14-6 lead with 42 seconds left.
Bishop Gorman plays host to Bingham of Utah next Friday before taking on three consecutive Southern California opponents: Centennial of Corona (Sept. 12 in Corona), Santa Margarita (Sept. 19 in Las Vegas) and St. John Bosco (Sept. 26 in Las Vegas).
The Friars play at Corona next Friday.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com