No. 1 Bishop Gorman wins instant classic over No. 7 St. Thomas Aquinas

No. 7 St. Thomas Aquinas @ No. 1 Bishop Gorman 9,100 views 0:38

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View images by photographer Jann Hendry of this instant classic in Las Vegas.

The much-anticipated game between high-powered national programs St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and host Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) lived up to all its billing.

And that was just in three crazy, gut-wrenching overtime periods.

Following 48 minutes of hard-hitting, tenacious, rock 'em, sock 'em defense, the two evenly matched, blue chip recruit-filled rosters put on a nerve-racking show for the packed Fertitta Field crowd and national television audience.

In the end, a Biaggio Ali Walsh 2-point conversion in the third overtime gave No. 1-ranked Gorman its 45th-consecutive win with a heart-stopping 25-24 victory over the seventh-ranked Raiders.

"We've played in some great games over the years but that was probably the best," Gorman coach Kenny Sanchez said. "That was so much fun. Win or lose, it would have been fun. But I'm definitely glad we pulled it out."

Aquinas (3-2), which began the season No. 1 in the country, went up 24-17 in the third overtime on a 2-yard run by Mike Epstein. But Ohio State-bound quarterback Tate Martell hit Jalen Nailor on a 5-yard TD to cut the lead to 24-23. Gorman (6-0) was going to attempt the extra point but Aquinas jumped offside and Gaels coach Kenny Sanchez immediately put up two fingers to go for the win.

This is Las Vegas after all, and the Gaels didn't win 44 straight playing it safe.

"I wanted to go for two the first time, but ultimately it didn't make much sense," Sanchez said. "This time it made sense."

Martell pitched the ball to Walsh, who sprinted left, was hit at the goal line and barely fell in. It was that close. Just like it had been all night. Gorman had defeated its fourth nationally ranked opponent this season. Barely.

"Just win baby," Sanchez said. "Like the Raiders of old, 'just win.' (Offensive coordinator Craig) Canfield saw it all bunched up inside so we pitched it outside. It was a great play call. ... These guys just show so much heart and guts and resiliency. They just find a way." 

On the first play of the first overtime, Aquinas quarterback Jake Allen hit Jordan Merrell with a 10-yard touchdown to go up 17-10. Gorman took over at the 10 and on fourth down from the 8, Martell threaded the needle on a TD pass over the middle to a sliding Nailor. Martell, who threw three scoring passes, missed a wide open receiver in the end zone on the previous play.

That sent the game to a second overtime and when Aquinas held on downs, stopping middle linebacker Farrell Hester on fourth-and-inches, the Raiders seemed destined for victory. After two short runs, however, a 25-yard field goal attempt by Marco Salani was partially blocked by a leaping safety Bubba Bolden and hit the cross bar, forcing a third overtime.

Bolden was everywhere all night with two earlier interceptions.

Aquinas, which had allowed just six points over the previous three games, kept Gorman's high-powered offense out of the end zone for three quarters. But Martell completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brevin Jordan with 7:35 remaining in the fourth quarter to give his team a 10-7 lead.

After a pair of possessions, Aquinas drove 61 yards — its only sustained drive of the night — keyed by a 23-yard catch and run by Merrell and capped with a 24-yard field goal from Salani with no time remaining to send the game into overtime.

That's when the game really got interesting.

After struggling with 52 total yards and no touchdowns in the first half, St. Thomas Aquinas took a 7-3 lead on a beautifully designed trick play. Wide receiver Mike Harley took a reverse lateral then found five-star receiver Trevon Grimes on a beautiful 53-yard touchdown bomb on the first drive of the second half.

The play accounted for more yards than the Raiders totaled in the first half. Grimes broke free on deep routes three times in the first half but was overthrown. Not this time, as Harley hit him right in stride and suddenly, Aquinas was in the lead.

The score remained that way until the fourth quarter. Aquinas was threatening to make it a two-score game, but on another trick play try, Harley rolled right and threw in the end zone, where Bolden made his second interception on the first play of the fourth quarter. Even worse for the Raiders, Grimes was hurt on the play and didn't return.

Gorman then drove 80 yards on 10 plays, capped by a beautiful back-foot 16-yard pass from Martell to Jordan, giving the Gaels a 10-7 lead with 7:35 remaining.

The game's only score in the first half was a 24-yard field goal by Bishop Gorman's Derek Ng with 5:46 left in the second quarter. It finished off a 91-yard drive that was keyed by the legs of Martell, who scrambled for runs of 24 and 13 yards, the latter that was finished off with a personal foul by St. Thomas Aquinas.

Other than that, the half was dominated by both physical defenses, especially Gorman's secondary, which forced Allen to complete just eight of 22 passes for 37 yards, including an interception by Bolden. St. Thomas Aquinas had just 52 total yards in the half. Martell rushed eight times for 67 yards by halftime and the Gaels had just 120 total yards.

"(Aquinas) played a great defensive game — they have a great defense," Sanchez said. "It was just a great game overall and I let them know it."