Football: Eagles Break Away From Bishop Amat With Replacement Back

Johnny Stanton did his thing. He ran, he passed and he scored touchdowns. But the talk of the sidelines Friday was reserve running back Alex Suchesk.

Santa Margarita Catholic starter Ryan Wolpin, a touchdown machine this season, injured his shoulder in the third quarter and, with Bishop Amat riding momentum and only a three-point deficit, Suchesk stepped in and stepped up.

He gained 114 of his 133 yards after Wolpin's injury to lead the Eagles to a 45-21 victory over Bishop Amat in the first round of the Southern Section Pac-5 Division playoffs.

Santa Margarita's task doesn't get any easier even though the Orange County Register reported that Wolpin will return next week when the Eagles play third-seeded Long Beach Poly at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach.

Bishop Amat, which tied for third place in the Serra League, finished 6-5.

Suchesk rushed for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter in the most meaningful game in which he has had a meaningful role. The scores came on runs of one and five yards.

Santa Margarita's 24-7 lead had been cut to 24-21 with 4:32 left in the third quarter after Rio Ruiz threw his third touchdown pass But paced by Suchesk's performance, the Eagles outscored Bishop Amat 21-0 in the fourth quarter.

Wolpin had helped stake Santa Margarita to a 24-7 halftime lead by rushing for two touchdowns. He left the game in the third quarter with 110 yards.

But in stepped the sophomore Suchesk, and out went Bishop Amat from the playoffs.

Stanton passed for 188 yards and ran for 75. He threw one touchdown pass, to Corey Mendoza, for a 31-21 lead a little more than two minutes into the fourth quarter. Stanton also scored on a run from one yard for a 6-0 lead.

John McGrory, who entered the game having made 106 consecutive point-after kicks, had his streak snapped. He set the Southern Section record and had been within nine of tying the state record. McGrory is tied for third all-time with Jacob Noe of Nashville Hillsboro.

Stanton moved past the 1,000 yard mark for the season and, with Wolpin, gave the Eagles two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season for the first time.