Prep football: Without starting QB, Bishop O’Dowd uses defense, run game to beat James Logan
Bishop O'Dowd didn't allow a single point and limited James Logan to fewer than 100 total yards in a 20-0 win that clinched O'Dowd at least a share of the Foothill title in the newly combined WACC/MVAL's top division.
OAKLAND — Without starting quarterback Jesse Madden, Bishop O’Dowd had to change up its offensive attack Friday night to knock off previously undefeated James Logan. But one thing remained the same, first-year coach David Perry said: standard.
The Dragons’ defense didn’t allow a single point and limited James Logan to fewer than 100 total yards in a 20-0 win that clinched O’Dowd at least a share of the Foothill title, in the newly combined West Alameda County Conference/Mission Valley Athletic League’s top division.
“It’s ridiculous the way these kids fight,” Perry said. “It was ringing in the back of my head that we were picked to finish last. They said we wouldn’t do it. … We say the standard is the standard — nothing changes for us. There’s just a certain standard I want to set here as a first-year head coach.”
Junior running back Matt White scored both of Bishop O’Dowd’s touchdowns and rushed for a game-high 174 yards.
With the absence of the Dragons’ starting quarterback, who had thrown for more than 700 yards in three games this season, White said he knew he’d be getting the ball Friday night.
“Jesse going down definitely hit us with some adversity, but I knew we’d overcome it,” White said.
He credited his offensive linemen and receivers for providing the running lanes.
“Once they opened the holes, I saw them and hit ’em,” White said. “Without them, I’m nothing.”
Madden separated his throwing shoulder late in O’Dowd’s win over San Leandro last week and participated in the pregame senior night ceremonies dressed in sweats with his right arm in a sling. During the game, as Harrison Jenkins filled in behind center, Madden paced the sidelines with a sheet of plays. Jenkins completed 11 of 16 passes for 50 yards in his stead.
Ultimately, O’Dowd’s defense played the starring role.
The Dragons intercepted James Logan quarterback Marcus Sanders on each of his first two pass attempts, the second of which fell into the hands of senior defensive lineman Sipili Fonua after junior Alijah Brown pressured and hit Sanders while he threw.
“I was getting double-teamed. I was kind of stuck,” Fonua said of his interception, which came just over three minutes into the game. “Then I saw my friend Alijah get the sack and I saw the ball get thrown up in the air. I tried to play it like it wasn’t coming down, then at the last second I got it.”
Leading by a field goal midway through the second quarter, a voice on the O’Dowd sideline said the Dragons could win this one 3-0. Turns out, that was right.
The closest James Logan came to the end zone was in the final seconds of the first half, when the Colts took over in O’Dowd territory and drove to the 5-yard line. Although O’Dowd was flagged for two pass interference penalties in the red zone, the threat was vanquished by a pair of incomplete passes and the horn for halftime.
The Dragons allowed 44 total yards on defense while totaling nearly 200 on offense.
“Part of the reason I was super fired up to become the head coach here was playing with this defense,” Perry said. “It’s a dream come true for an offensive coordinator. … We have the ability to eliminate a lot of stuff. It’s a pressure-style defense, and we try to just take stuff away.”
Of O’Dowd’s defense, the running back White said: “They go out and ball out every game. Goose eggs today.”