Cougars hang a 60 on Bishop’s board
- Updated: November 18, 2017
Steele Canyon's Perry Steele scores Friday night. / photo by Don De Mars Photography
Steele Canyon’s JORDAN ANDERSON scores a touchdown Friday night against Bishop’s. / Don De Mars Photography
EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL SDCIF DIVISION 2 QUARTERFINALS
STEELE CANYON 61, BISHOP’S 52
EastCountySports.com staff report
Steele Canyon senior DEONTAE MCKINNEY rushes through Bishop’s Friday night. / Don De Mars Photography
LA JOLLA – The seventh-seeded Steele Canyon Cougars upset the county sixth-ranked team – the previously unbeaten Bishop’s Knights – by putting up 61 points in a nine-point win here Friday night to advance to the San Diego CIF Division 2 semifinals.
By way of the 61-52 win over the second-seeded Knights, the Cougars get a road date next Friday night with a championship game berth on the line.
But that road is a familiar one traveled as Steele will face a rematch with the Granite Hills Eagles in El Cajon.
The Cougars and Eagles met in one of the wildest East County games in recent years back in week three when host Granite scored late to outlast Steele, 43-41.
The two teams will be league foes starting next season.
Steele Canyon senior tailback DEONTAE MCKINNEY scored three touchdowns in the first half and four for the game, as he rushed for 275 yards on 29 carries and the Cougars ate up the Bishop’s defensive crew on the ground.
Meanwhile, senior THOMAS FISHBURNE refused to see his career come to an end as he passed for three second-half scores, including two to senior big-play man JORDAN ANDERSON, who opened the second half with an 85-yard kickoff return for touchdown to set the tone.
Steele Canyon also got a 45-yard touchdown from Fishburne to NATHANIEL GORDEN in the second half.
The Knights got a 16-yard touchdown from Isaiah Dawson to open the score.
Steele Canyon’s Deontae McKinney rushes through Bishop’s Friday night. / Don De Mars Photography
The Cougars’ McKinney scored on a three-yard run to give the Cougars a 7-6 lead.
However, the Knights scored on a two-yard reception from star offensive big-play threat Mozes Mooney to regain the early lead.
The Cougars drove down the field and scored on a 28-yard run by McKinney to regain the lead.
Bishop’s would eventually take a 28-14 advantage, but the Cougars got the two TDs right back, including a 65-yard run down the left side by McKinney.
The Knights would retake the lead just before halftime as Jacob Jackson would catch a 6-yard TD to make it 34-28.
When Anderson returned the second half kickoff 85 yards for a score, he sent the visitors’ side into a frenzy.
Later, the Cougars sacked the Bishop’s quarterback for a loss to the 28-yard line, then two plays later, ROBERT WHITEHEAD stepped in front of a pass for an interception.
Steele Canyon head coach SCOTT LONGERBONE / Don De Mars Photography
Whitehead, proving to have a knack for key interceptions when the other team enters deep into Cougars’ territory had another pick in the fourth quarter, as well.
Fishburne then capped a five-play drive with a 28-yard score to Anderson to make it 42-34.
After the Cougars defense stopped Bishop’s again, PERRY STEELE caught a pass from Fishburne for a 31-yard touchdown, which eventually put the Cougars ahead 50-34 with 11:53 left in the fourth quarter following a successful two-point conversion.
KENNETH WATSON rushed for over 100 yards for Steele Canyon (8-4), as well, as it proved to be a big night for the Cougars’ offensive front.
Juniors JOSH CONSTANCIO and SOMMER AUDEH, along with seniors BILLY TELLOUS and SAMUEL CORTEZ, and sophomore DARRIN ROLDAN may have helped turned in one of the finest performances in the program’s history on the offensive front.
