Gaels fall, get up, pound Cheyenne

Bishop Gorman's football team started Friday's Sunset Region semifinal game in an unfamiliar place, and it didn't take long before the Gaels found themselves in an unfamiliar predicament.

Gorman, playing for the first time on its brand new field, fell behind by 16 points before rallying to beat Cheyenne, 43-16.

Keola Antolin rushed 10 times for 129 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Gaels (12-0), who will play Palo Verde (12-0) for the championship Friday at a site to be determined.

"I was very concerned at halftime," said Gorman coach Bob Altshuler, whose squad appeared flat in the first half. "I don't think Gorman has ever beaten Cheyenne. I was concerned that all of a sudden the kids were starting to believe they were repeating the past."

Indeed, the Desert Shields (8-3) grabbed momentum in the second quarter, when a Gorman penalty on a fourth-down play extended a 76-yard drive that resulted in a 15-yard TD run by Ronnie Green.

Cheyenne's Jacorey Lefear intercepted a Dylan Barrera pass minutes later, returning the ball 63 yards to set up a 4-yard TD plunge by teammate V'son Milton with 2:08 left in the half to make the score 16-0.

But the Gaels wasted no time in stealing the momentum in the second half, capping an eight-play, 64-yard opening drive with an 18-yard run up the middle by Antolin.

"At halftime, we went into the locker room and talked about what was going on," Antolin said. "And everyone came out swinging in the second half."

Antolin, who scored again two minutes later after a botched punt by Cheyenne, said he remained confident at halftime.

"I wasn't worried," he said. "Losing was the last thing on my mind."

He acknowledged the Gaels had pregame nerves, however.

"I think everyone just came out a little nervous," said Antolin, who sat out last week's victory over Cimarron-Memorial with an injury. "It was our first time playing on this field."

Brendan Dolby gave the Gaels their third touchdown in a four-minute span to put Gorman ahead 22-16 with 5:12 remaining in the third quarter.

Cheyenne's offense didn't answer, as the Desert Shields logged just four second-half first downs while turning the ball over three times.

Antolin capped his night with a 53-yard scoring sprint late in the third. Barrera followed by connecting with Trey Mays for a touchdown pass, and Kawika Antolin found the end zone on a 9-yard run to seal the victory.

Gorman, which gained only 8 yards of offense in the first half, finished with 271 yards.

Barrera completed 6 of 9 passes for 40 yards, and teammate Kamana Kaimikaua caught two passes for 23 yards.

Terence Brison led Cheyenne's ground game with 59 yards on 10 carries, and Milton and Green each rushed for 57 yards.