Statement win: Riordan holds off multiple Pittsburg rallies from 21-point deficits

SAN FRANCISCO Archbishop Riordan sure knows how to give its fans a scare The Crusaders are an exceptionally talented unit that can get out to huge leads against greater part opponents But if those opponents are challenge for a fight up-to-date history suggests there could be opportunities to rally Riordan built a three-touchdown lead on multiple occasions in its - win over Pittsburg on Saturday in San Francisco but the Pirates merely would not go away Pittsburg whittled deficits of - in the first half and - in the second to single scores and had a shot to tie with a Hail Mary But JaVale Jones final pass was batted down harmlessly at the goal line on the final play as Riordan survived with a narrow win Archbishop Riordan players celebrate after their - triumph at home in San Francisco over Pittsburg on Saturday Sept Christian Babcock Bay Area News Group Our mentality was We just have to keep pushing revealed Riordan running back Adonyae Brown who ran for three touchdowns including a -yard figure on the second play of the tournament The challenge s not over till it s over till there s zero seconds on the clock The Crusaders - certainly tested that theory on Saturday afternoon Brown s long rushing TD kicked off a prolific first half for Riordan one that saw the San Francisco school take a - lead on Michael Mitchell Jr s quick slant pass to Judge Nash who outraced Pittsburg s defense for a -yard tally Nash came through again with a -yard TD catch on the first play of the second quarter giving Riordan quite the early cushion to lean A lot of the things that happened a lot of it was mental errors or physical errors Pittsburg coach Charlie Ramirez disclosed For an inexperienced band that s how you end up with that type of first half Pittsburg varsity football head coach Charlie Ramirez shown in a file photo watches his company play during the Pittsburg Football Jamboree held at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg Calif on Friday Aug Jose Carlos Fajardo Bay Area News Group Pittsburg tried its hardest to bring back the ghosts of last season when St Ignatius overcame a - deficit to beat Riordan in the Sunset District Pitt first cut into the deficit when RJ Mosley snagged a one-handed -yard catch in the corner of the end zone to make it - Then just before the half Siotame Finau ran in a -yard TD that was set up by a -yard screen catch-and-run by Mosley Riordan exposed one more count before the break to keep Pitt at bay With seconds remaining Mitchell detected Kyle Welch for a -yard touchdown catch doubling the deficit and giving the Crusaders chosen breathing room at the half They re scared of our vertical contest Brown declared of the Pirates Adonyae Brown of Riordan shown in a file photo is congratulated by teammates Ozzy Wadsworth and Wesley Winn Jr of Riordan after scoring a touchdown in the third quarter against Los Gatos during a CCS Division I semifinal at Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco Calif on Nov Douglas Zimmerman for the Bay Area News Group But Pitt brought its passing match too Early in the third quarter the Pirates responded with another long screen pass this time a -yard number by Mosley Then Brown got back in gear to keep Riordan in front Touching the ball on four of the Crusaders final five plays of the drive Brown gained hard-fought yards and punctuated the sequence with a -yard TD run to put Riordan up - It threatened them because they were light in the box Brown announced of the Crusaders rushing attack So I had to show them our run match as well Brown pushed the lead back to with a personal -yard drive in the fourth quarter gaining all yards on three consecutive carries as Riordan punched in a -yard TD Adonyae Brown of Riordan shown in a file photo scores a touchdown in the first quarter against Los Gatos during a CCS Division I semifinal at Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco Calif on Nov Douglas Zimmerman for the Bay Area News Group Related Articles High school football in pictures Our staff s best photos of Week Bay Area high school football roundup Best of Week action Domination Menlo School silences Branham with a defensive gem Campolindo edges Vanden as Zach Tabibian kicks late winning field goal Overfelt holds off Saratoga in a battle that goes fully off script Pitt still wouldn t give in Kenneth Ward ran the ensuing kickoff back yards for a figure then caught a -yard TD pass from Jones to make it - Riordan with three minutes to play The Pirates forced a punt on their next defensive series and got the ball back with remaining Jones got Pitt down to the Riordan -yard line but the Pirates couldn t make one final play to send the challenge to overtime or perhaps win it with a two-point conversion That level of perseverance indicated itself in the second half Ramirez commented That s two weeks in a row that we saw that It s great to see That s what we re hanging our hat on Subscribe to our Bay Area Preps HQ newsletter for all our Bay Area high school sports coverage including meeting analysis scores and everything you want to know about your Bay Area high school teams