Riordan’s football past is present

With his team down 14 points in the first quarter at perennial Central Coast Section power Palma-Salinas on Friday night, first-year Riordan head coach Kevin Fordon outlined the situation clearly for his players.

Surprising Riordan (9-3) held the high-powered Palma attack scoreless the rest of the way, got two touchdown runs from Jason Greene and a 30-yard field goal by Dylan Ennis just before the half to post a 17-14 Division 3 Open Division semifinal win.

Riordan, the fifth seed, now plays sixth-seed and defending Open champion Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton (9-3), in the title game at 7 p.m. Saturday at Westmont-Campbell.

Current assistant coaches Darius Bell, Danny Curtin and Ryan Jones were key contributors on that team and, according to Fordon, a De La Salle-Concord graduate, have paved the way for the current Crusaders to repeat the feat.

Over the same span, SHP went 78-14, winning 16 playoff games in the process.

Quarterback Jacky Luavasa threw for 150 and a score and Aidan Verba-Hamilton returned a kickoff for a score, one of his seven TD returns this season (five kickoffs, two punts).

The Gators feature one of CCS’s most polished quarterbacks in third-year starter Mason Randall (2,272 yards passing, 21 TDs, three interceptions).

Running backs Lapitu Mahoni and Isoa Moimoi have combined for 2,180 rushing yards and 37 TDs.

Tight end Andrew Daschbach and wide receiver Nick O’Donnell have combined for 90 catches, 1,801 yards and 17 TDs.

Bellarmine, winner of six CCS titles (last in 2011), is led by quarterback Troy Martig, CCS sprint champion Kyle Macauley and a defense that has allowed 13 points the past three weeks.

No. 1 St. Francis (11-1) at San Jose City College, 7 p.m. Saturday — Oak Grove has won 10 straight, including back-to-back games over WCAL foes Mitty (52-35) and Valley Christian (42-23).

Led by RB Rashaan Fontenette (2,277 rushing yards, 35 TDs overall), Oak Grove is averaging close to 400 yards per game.

Hillsdale is after its third crown, but first since 1991. …

Since a 22-7 loss to Saratoga to start the year, Hillsdale has won 11 straight and scored 434 points.

The Knights are led by Cameron Taylor (1,820 rushing yards, 28 total TDs) and QB Brett Wetteland (1,571 passing yards, 19 TDs). …

Half Moon Bay’s Matt Spigelman rushed 26 times for 201 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-14 semifinal win over Carmel.