The Bishop’s School football team capped a brilliant 13-0 season with a 20-9 victory over Francis Parker in the Division V CIF Finals at Mesa College on Friday, Dec. 10. “We just played with a lot of heart. That’s all it came down to,” senior kicker and offensive lineman Kyle Gantz said. “We knew we could match up with them. The whole year we’ve been working really hard and it paid off out there.” Based on their dominating season, the Knights now have the opportunity to play for a state title. Bishop’s was selected to play in the Division IV State Bowl Friday, Dec. 17, at the Home Depot Center in Carson. Battling in its first close game in months, Bishop’s used several key plays to secure the win. Holding onto a 20-9 lead in the fourth quarter, Francis Parker marched down the field and had a first and goal on the three-yard line. After big stops on first and second down, Knights’ linebacker Micah Seau came flying in to make a tremendous play that sent Lancers running back Kenny Brookins head over heels and short of the goal line. “I saw the hole and I felt the play coming,” Seau said. “I knew I had to capitalize and make that play so we could get the win.” The Lancers attempted a fake field goal on fourth down but were stuffed again and Bishop’s was eventually able to run out the clock for the win. After a slow offensive start to the game, the Knights got on the scoreboard first when running back Alec Fisher scored on a nine-yard touchdown run with 1:02 left in the first quarter to make it 7-0. Parker answered with a Matt Wile 39-yard field goal halfway through the second quarter to cut the lead to 7-3. Bishop’s used some trickery on its next possession. Facing a fourth and three, quarterback Joey Moreno tossed a short pass to wide receiver Adam Malkiewicz, who was clearly short of the first down. But to everyone’s surprise Malkiewicz pitched the ball to Fisher before being dragged down and the speedster broke free for a 38-yard touchdown and 14-3 lead with 3:04 to go in the half. “We put that play in this week,” Malkiewicz said. Fisher added that he was surprised by the gutsy play call. “When it was fourth and three and my coach called it (the hook-and-ladder) I thought he was nuts, but that’s why I’m not the coach,” he said. The Lancers had a good chance to score just before halftime but junior defensive back Dominique Love blocked their attempted field goal with 14 seconds left. Fisher added his third touchdown of the game when he sauntered into the end zone for a 52-yard scoring run early in the third quarter to make it 20-3. Brookins scored for Parker on a 6-yard run with 4:54 left in the third to make 20-9, which turned out to be the final score. The Knights will face the Stockton Brookside Christian Knights (12-0) at 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 17, at the Home Depot Center for a chance to be crowned Division IV state champions.