{"id":80444,"date":"2026-09-04T05:51:07","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T05:51:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/80444\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T05:51:07","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T05:51:07","slug":"bishop-amat-off-to-its-best-start-in-16-years-after-routing-valencia-san-gabriel-valley-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/80444\/","title":{"rendered":"Bishop Amat off to its best start in 16 years after routing Valencia \u2013 San Gabriel Valley Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat quarterback Domenico Doran (16) runs on a keeper against Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat running back Justin Clinton (6) gets tripped up on a run against Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat\u2019s Bobby Puente (56) sacks Valencia quarterback Evan McCalister (2) in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat\u2019s Ezekiel Pula (43) sacks Valencia quarterback Evan McCalister (2) in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat plays Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat quarterback Domenico Doran (16) runs on a keeper against Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat safety Brandon Billups (1) runs to the end zone after intercepting a pass against Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat defensive end Kj Paea (2) rushes Valencia quarterback Evan McCalister (2) in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat quarterback Domenico Doran (16) throws a pass against Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat head coach Kory Minor as they play Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat quarterback Domenico Doran (16) reacts after scoring against Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat plays Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat safety Brandon Billups (1) runs to the end zone after intercepting a pass against Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat wide receiver Kanan Khansarinia (9) darts for the end zone as they play Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat\u2019s Brandon Billups (1) is congratulated after scoring against Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat\u2019s Ezekiel Pula (43) sacks Valencia quarterback Evan McCalister (2) in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat wide receiver Kanan Khansarinia (9) reacts after running into the end zone as they play Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat wide receiver Jaiden Combal (13) catches a pass under pressure from Valencia\u2019s Michael Wilder (13) in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat quarterback Domenico Doran (16) reacts after scoring against Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat safety Brandon Billups (1) runs to the end zone after intercepting a pass against Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat\u2019s Bobby Puente (56) reacts after sacking Valencia quarterback Evan McCalister (2) in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Bishop<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat defensive end Kj Paea (2) sacks Valencia quarterback Evan McCalister (2) in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

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Bishop Amat quarterback Domenico Doran (16) runs on a keeper against Valencia in their non-league game at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente on Thursday September 3, 2026. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

LA PUENTE \u2014 You know things are going well at Bishop Amat when the only thing left to complain about is allowing its first touchdown of the season.<\/p>\n

Other than that, it was business as usual for Bishop Amat, who is off to its best start since 2010 following a 49-10 victory over Valencia on Thursday.<\/p>\n

\u201cLot of penalties, some sloppy football, but at the end of the day, we had to come out and play like Amat, and that\u2019s what we did,\u201d Bishop Amat coach Kory Minor said.<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat coach Kory Minor talks about the Lancers\u2019 3-0 start after a 49-10 victory over Valencia. pic.twitter.com\/frZFAmG34T<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Fred J. Robledo \ud83d\udc68\ud83c\udffb\u200d\ud83d\udcbb (@SGVNSports) September 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Sophomore defensive lineman KJ Paea, Siave Seti, Bobby Puente and Muaki Faanunu have been lights out youngsters who are part of a defense that has allowed just 13 points through three games.<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat opened the season with a 55-0 win over St. Paul and a 22-3 win over Oak Hills last week.<\/p>\n

And they just kept the party going in the home opener at Kiefer Stadium.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re very prepared, in practice all we talk about is stop the run, stop the run, stop the run,\u201d said Paea, who had one of the Lancers\u2019 four sacks. \u201cAnd we get in our bag with the pass rush. We were a little down about it (giving up their first touchdown of the season), but we\u2019ll just go back to the drawing board and clean it up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat sophomore KJ Paea had one of the Lancers four sacks and Justin Clinton rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown in their 49-10 rout of Valencia.<\/p>\n

They talked about it afterward pic.twitter.com\/4DtNBDZHxJ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Fred J. Robledo \ud83d\udc68\ud83c\udffb\u200d\ud83d\udcbb (@SGVNSports) September 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Well, there\u2019s not much to clean up. The Lancers held Valencia running back Nico Funez to 85 yards and a touchdown, and quarterback Evan McCalister under 100 yards passing.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur guys understand defense wins championships,\u201d Minor said. \u201cI\u201dm a Lou Holtz guy. You gotta play defense. At the end of the day we\u2019re doing that. We work hard every single day at it. We\u2019re doing the little things and it shows, but we still got a long ways to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bishop Amat improved to 3-0 while dropping Valencia to 1-2.<\/p>\n

While the defensive was solid, Amat piled up 318 yards on the ground with senior Justin Clinton leading the way with 116 yards and a touchdown. Freshman Ayden Bias scored on a 42-yard run and Noah Ojeda slammed the door with a 55-yard run late.<\/p>\n

And then there was senior quarterback Domenico Doran, who is getting better each week. Doran completed 9-of-10 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown. But he was just as impressive with his legs, rushing eight times for 89 yards and two scores.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re just gelling together and being back home, there is just something magical about this stadium,\u201d Clinton said. \u201cEven having a short week and not much time to prepare, we came out here in front of this amazing crowd and got it done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not only is Amat\u2019s defense been lights out, but they\u2019re averaging 42 points a game. They haven\u2019t looked this good since starting 9-0 16 years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cSkies the limit,\u201d Clinton said. \u201cThe score throughout these games is a testament to how hard we work, and how hard our (offensive) line works.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amat\u2019s scoring started with its defense.<\/p>\n

Valencia tried to sneak a short pass on fourth down with a yard to go, but it was picked off by Amat\u2019s Brandon Billups and returned 81 yards for a touchdown and 7-0 Lancers lead.<\/p>\n

Amat doubled its lead on the first play of the second quarter. Doran fooled the Vikings defense on a keeper, and went untouched 13 yards for a touchdown.<\/p>\n

Doran continued to punish the Vikings with his legs. After a 16-yard run left them two yards shy of a first down, Doran took care of business again. He made a nice cut inside and went 37-yards for a touchdown and 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter.<\/p>\n

The Vikings cut the Lancers lead to 21-3 on Tyler Thornton 45-yard field goal as time expired to end the half.<\/p>\n

Amat kept the pressure on to open the third quarter. On the first play, Doran hit Devin Roberts over the middle and he went 80 yards for a touchdown and 28-3 lead.<\/p>\n

The Lancers finally gave up their first touchdown of the season. Funez scored on a 13-yard run with 6:39 left in the third quarter to cut the Lancers\u2019 lead to 28-10.<\/p>\n

After a touchdown pass was called back on holding, the Lancers turned to Clinton and he bounced outside and broke free for a 69-yard touchdown to extend their lead to 25 points.<\/p>\n

Bias and Ojeda provided the finishing touches with touchdown runs in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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