Gorman offensive line dominant in playoff win over Centennial

By Jesse Granger

Friday, Nov. 13, 2015 | 11:30 p.m.

Bishop Gorman rolled over Centennial 63-13 Friday night to set up a matchup with rival Arbor View next week.

It’s the third straight year the sides have faced each other in the playoffs, and it has become one of the best rivalries in the valley, but no one needs to remind Gaels coach Kenny Sanchez.

“I just hope that this time they don’t spend a whole lot of time getting bag pipes and putting up signs that say they’ve been doing it the right way, and they actually practice so we can get a good game going,” Sanchez said.

Bishop Gorman won the previous two playoff games against Arbor View by a combined 108-13.

Friday night it was a different opponent, but a similar result, as the Gaels cruised past the Centennial Bulldogs for their 30th straight playoff victory.

Bishop Gorman outgained Centennial 509-184 in a game that was out of hand from the beginning. The Gaels raced out to a 28-7 lead in the first quarter thanks to three first-quarter touchdowns by junior running back Biaggio Ali Walsh.

Ali Walsh carried the ball nine times for 89 yards and three touchdowns before leaving the game midway through the second quarter. He limped off the field after receiving a hard hit by a Bulldog defender.

“I got hit in the hip and it really stung me,” Ali Walsh said. “I went to the sideline and shook it off and iced it a little and now I feel fine.”

Sanchez said that Ali Walsh’s absence from the game was more about getting his star running back some rest than it was because of the injury. Ali Walsh has been nursing a toe injury on his left foot for a few weeks.

“We don’t have a bye week this year, so we have to find some time to get our guys some rest,” Sanchez said.

Troy Wilewski stepped into Ali Walsh’s place and ran for 117 yards and two touchdowns. As a team Bishop Gorman rushed for 286 yards and averaged 10.2 yards per carry.

It didn’t matter who got the ball, the Gaels’ dominant offensive line paved the way for massive runs.

“Here’s the deal — our offensive line is the real deal,” Sanchez said. “The big boys don’t ever get any of the credit they deserve, but I think that it’s evident tonight when the best running back in the state goes out, and the other guys rush for 150 yards or so.”

Junior wide receiver Tyjon Lindsey, who has scholarship offers from Ohio State, Oregon, USC and Texas A&M, showed why he has garnered so much attention.

Lindsey caught six passes for 155 yards and a touchdown, and also returned a punt 56 yards for a score in the second quarter.

“He’s a great football player,” Sanchez said. “It’s great because you guys think I’m a great coach, but we have guys like him where we just give him the ball and he makes you look smart.”

Lindsey had a spectacular play in the first quarter, dancing around multiple defenders and actually causing two Centennial defenders to tackle each other. The crowd loved the show. Sanchez did not.

“Obviously he likes to dance a lot,” Sanchez said. “I think he would get a lot more scores if he didn’t like to do the jiggy-jiggy and shake.”

Centennial’s points came from two touchdown runs by quarterback Jamaal Evans, including a 66-yard touchdown scamper to start the second half.

“They have some good football players on that side,” Sanchez said. “We may have won by 50, but it didn’t really feel like that when you were out here because the boys over there were running around, competing and smacking heads, too.”

Next Friday Bishop Gorman will host Arbor View in a highly anticipated matchup for the right to play Northern Nevada’s best on Nov. 28.

Jesse Granger can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Jesse on Twitter at twitter.com/JesseGranger_.