ANAHEIM – Servite’s football team hasn’t defeated national powerhouse Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas the past three seasons, and two of the games weren’t close.
And Bishop Gorman enters the teams’ clash Friday night at Cerritos College ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today.
Yes, a daunting task appears to be waiting for Orange County’s top-ranked team, but the Friars are excited about the challenge of playing a star-studded nemesis to open their season. The game is set for 7:30 p.m. and will air on Prime Ticket.
“Right after the season ended last year, we just said, ‘All right, next game, Bishop Gorman,’ ” Servite senior quarterback Travis Waller said this week. “Every single practice, every single hit, every single competition has been dedicated to them.”
Bishop Gorman (1-0) opened its season last week with a ground-oriented 44-0, victory against Brophy College Prep of Arizona, but the more pertinent history this week is the Gaels’ recent record against the Friars.
They have captured the teams’ three previous meetings by a combined score of 114-45.
Bishop Gorman won last season’s game in Las Vegas, 41-17, and claimed a 42-0 victory at Cerritos College in 2012, Coach Troy Thomas’ last season at Servite.
The teams’ game in 2011 was close. The Gaels won, 31-28, on a 39-yard field goal with 1:03 left in the fourth quarter.
“We know what we’re getting into,” said Servite coach A.J. Gass, whose team is ranked No. 32 in this week’s USA Today poll. “They got weapons up front. They got weapons at receiver. They have an all-around package but I’ll put our defense up against anybody.”
Bishop Gorman, a five-time defending Nevada state champion, features highly touted recruits, some of whom come from celebrity families.
UCLA commit Alize Jones (6-5, 220) is the No. 2-ranked tight end in the nation by Scout.com and scored on an 80-yard touchdown pass against Brophy College Prep. Wide receiver Cordell Broadus (6-3, 192), an offseason transfer, is the son of rapper Snoop Dogg, a Long Beach native whose real name is Calvin Broadus.
Cordell Broadus is Scout’s second-ranked recruit in Nevada for the class of 2015.
Sophomore running back Biaggio Walsh is the grandson of Muhammad Ali. The list of standouts goes on. And while Servite respects Bishop Gorman, the Friars also are confident.
“It’s a great team we’re going against,” Servite cornerback Maurice Davison said. “We’ve worked hard, too, and we’re also a great team. It’s going to be a good game.”
