The Gardena Serra Cavaliers pulled out a thrilling 26-23 road victory over the Notre Dame (CA) Knights in front of a raucous crowd in Sherman Oaks Friday night.
The first half was dominated by the defensive side of the ball as both teams struggled to produce. Notre Dame led 3-0 at the intermission.
The second half got off to a dramatic start when Serra forced a fumble on the opening kickoff after a crushing hit by the Cavaliers defender Malik Roberson.
The Cavaliers immediately capitalized on the turnover when running back Marques Rodgers hit pay dirt for the go-ahead score on a 28 yard run. Serra missed the PAT.
Game Highlights
Notre Dame regained the lead on a touchdown pass by quarterback Kelly Hilinski to take a 10-6 lead. The Knights benefited from a few questionable penalties that extended the drive.
The back and forth battle continued as Serra quickly retook the lead 13-10. The key play on the drive was a 74 yard run by Cavaliers quarterback Jalen Greene down the Notre Dame sideline.
Not to be outdone, Notre Dame marched down the field to take a 17-13 lead. Serra responded with a touchdown score of their own to go up 19-17 but missed the PAT again.
A key turning point in the fourth came when standout Serra defensive back Adoree Jackson muffed a punt that was recovered by Notre Dame in Serra territory. The Knights cashed in on the blunder with an incredible diving touchdown catch to take a 23-19 lead.
Play of the Game
Despite the setback, Serra retained their composure and marched down the field, culminating with an exciting catch and run by Marques Rodgers, whose third touchdown of the night proved to be the game winner. Rodgers prime performance earned him the Team CLA Player of the Game.
Adoree' Jackson (DB/2014) Highlights
Both teams played their hearts out and provided those in attendance with an exciting display of athleticism and laid the foundation for what will surely be a memorable high school football season.
