Second-Half Lapses Hurt L.A. Baptist in 40-7 Loss

The first two minutes of the second half served as a microcosm of Bishop High’s 40-7 win over L.A. Baptist in a Southern Section Division X quarterfinal at Monroe High on Friday night.

With his team down, 12-0, Knight wide receiver Jim Romero took the kickoff and raced 94 yards for an apparent touchdown.

The score was nullified by a holding penalty, and L.A. Baptist running back Jeff Symington fumbled on the next play, giving Bishop possession on the Knight 18-yard line.

Bronco running back Tim Batchelder scored two plays later on a three-yard run to make the score 19-0.

On the next scrimmage play, Symington was hurt and left the game. He was later taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.

“Those three things turned it against us,” Coach Mark Bates said.

Those three things plus the seven L.A. Baptist turnovers--five in the second half.

Bishop (10-2) dominated the line of scrimmage throughout, racking up 377 rushing yards in 53 carries. Ten different players carried the ball for the Broncos.

“It seemed like they had 50 (running backs),” Bates said. “Every time it seemed like someone different.”

It was.

Rick Solebee led the way for Bishop with 105 yards and three touchdowns in 10 carries. Batchelder rushed for 85 yards and two scores in seven carries, and Hans Conder carried 14 times for 81 yards and one touchdown.

After Batchelder’s scoring run boosted the Bishop lead to 19-0, L.A. Baptist (6-6) capitalized on a little trickery. Tight end Dana Berg took a reverse handoff and threw to a wide-open Romero for a 33-yard touchdown, pulling the Knights to within 19-7.

But four plays later, Solebee raced 64 yards for a touchdown to erase any doubt.

Berg led L.A. Baptist with 60 yards in five carries, and Romero caught three passes for 46 yards.

The Broncos dominated the first half, taking a 12-0 lead on a 37-yard touchdown run by Batchelder in the first quarter, and a two-yard scoring run by Solebee with less than two minutes remaining in the second quarter.