California gets revenge, routs Bishop Canevin
California’s Colin Phillips runs the ball in for a touchdown against Bishop Canevin
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
California’s Braden Collins carries the ball after picking up a fumble Friday night against Bishop Canevin.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
California’s Cochise Ryan catches a pass in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs against Bishop Canevin.
California’s Jelani Stafford celebrates a touchdown against Bishop Canevin.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
California’s Dustin Mock is congratulated by teammate Ben Martin after scoring a touchdown Friday night against Bishop Canevin.
California’s Colin Phillips runs in the ball for a touchdown against Bishop Canevin
COAL CENTER – Jelani Stafford made sure the first home playoff game in California High School history was an impressive one.
The bruising junior tailback rushed for 116 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, and California avenged a 2016 playoff defeat by routing Bishop Canevin, 51-7, Friday night in a Class A WPIAL first-round game.
Head coach Darrin Dillow said the coaches didn’t think about last season’s loss, but the players evidently did.
“It’s funny. The kids said, ‘Coach, if we get Bishop, you better schedule whoever’s in the next round’ because that’s what they did to us,” said Dillow with a laugh. “But that’s last year. They hold grudges, I guess.”
California faces Union, 30-21 winners over Fort Cherry, next week at a site to be determined.
The Trojans (11-0) wasted no time, taking the opening kickoff 79 yards in eight plays, using their trademark rushing attack to march downfield. Cochise Ryan ran the first play 12 yards and Stafford took the next one 20 yards to give the Crusaders (3-7) a taste of what was to come.
Stafford capped off the drive with a 14-yard run for the game’s opening score.
“We’ve been doing it every week,” said Dillow. “It was important for us to start off good.”
Canevin went three-and-out and only mustered an 18-yard punt on its first possession, and California drove 38 yards, aided by another 20-yard Stafford carry, to go up 14-0 as Stafford pounded it home from 5 yards.
Attempting to keep the pedal down, Dillow called for an onside kick, but the Crusaders were able to pounce on the loose ball. However, that drive, as most of Canevin’s possessions, went nowhere and another punt resulted.
California made it three touchdowns in three possessions and scored even quicker this time by bringing out the passing game. On second and 2, Colin Phillips fired a pass straight down the seam to Ryan, who easily got behind the defense to go 45 yards.
The Trojans’ defense held Canevin to two first-half first downs, 16 total yards and forced two second-quarter turnovers. A fumbled snap and subsequent return led to Dustin Mock kicking a 29-yard field goal, and then a curious decision by Canevin to throw a pass in the waning seconds of the half, deep in its own territory, backfired when Josh Altman intercepted it.
“The defense has been playing well all year,” said Dillow. “That’s OK if the defense gets overlooked. We have a pretty sound team. It’s nice to coach.”
A personal foul penalty on the Trojans backed them up to the Canevin 34 following the interception, but it ended up not mattering, as Phillips found a hole to scamper 34 yards with just 19 seconds left in the half to push the score to 38-0 and trigger the mercy rule. The score gave California 14 points in 20 seconds after Stafford, who finished with 135 yards on just 13 carries, had scored from 22 yards out.
Phillips gained 80 yards on 11 attempts and scored twice.