ATHERTON — Talk about making the most of your opportunities.
Sacred Heart Prep struggled all game to put together anything in the way of the sustained drives the program was known for with its fly offense. But the Gators, playing on their home field, cashed in on a pair of fumble recoveries and two long touchdown runs Saturday afternoon to pull out a 22-19 nonleague win over The King’s Academy.
The final big play was the game-decider. Trailing 19-14 in the fourth quarter, Nico Pollioni completed a screen pass to the right to Sasha Bamdad, who took it all the way across the field, reversing the field and breaking tackles in a stunning display of open field running for a 52-yard touchdown.
“After I caught the screen pass I saw the corner come down,” Bamdad said. “He wrapped up my ankle and I realized the whole team was running in pursuit of me. I realized I needed to get him off my leg, find an open gap. They were cheating hard to my right so I ended up taking far left and kept going.”
Pollioni passed to Charlie Textor for the two-point conversion and the final margin.
The Sacred Heart Prep defense celebrates a fumble recovery against the visiting King’s Academy in the first half in Atherton, CA on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. Both teams were tied at 7 by the end of the half. (Don Feria for Bay Area News Group)
“That was a screen play we designed this week,” SHP coach Mark Grieb said. “Executed to perfection. (Bamdad) made a lot of it with his athleticism. He’s strong and shifty and sneaky. It looks like you’ve got him and he just slides away from you.”
It isn’t often a team wins a game with only three first downs and just over 130 yards of total offense, but that’s what Sacred Heart Prep (3-1) accomplished.
SHP got the scoring started when Albert Cesena Real recovered a fumble at the TKA 4-yard line. After a penalty moved the ball half the distance to the goal line, Maxime Morelle scored on a 2-yard run for the first points TKA has allowed this season.
Senior Maxime Morelle of Sacred Heart Prep celebrates after scoring the first touchdown against the visiting King’s Academy in the first half in Atherton, CA on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. The hosting Gators were tied with the Knights at 7 at the end of the half. (Don Feria for Bay Area News Group)
TKA responded late in the first quarter, utilizing the short pass to put together a 13-play, 74-yard drive. Sophomore quarterback Ricky Gutierrez was 6-of-7 on the drive that concluded with a 5-yard scoring pass to Adrian Barnett.
Sacred Heart Prep had 14 yards at halftime compared to 108 for TKA, but the score was even at 7-7.
SHP’s first possession of the second half ended on a sack by Junior Mendoza. But after a fumble recovery on its second possession Morelle ran for 9 yards on what turned out to be his last carry of the game. Then Cooper Karros made a sharp cut to break loose on the right sideline for a 46-yard scoring run.
Morelle, SHP’s standout fullback and middle linebacker, did not return to the game. But his teammates managed to pull out the win without him.
TKA put together another time-consuming scoring drive, going 60 yards in 10 plays with Drew Martinez scoring on a 3-yard run. After a defensive penalty moved the ball closer to the goal line TKA coach Dante Perez opted to go for two and the lead, but the run failed leaving SHP up 14-13.
Aaron Duncan of the visiting King’s Academy completes a pass for a touchdown against Sacred Heart Prep in the second half in Atherton, CA on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. The SHP Gators defeated the Kings 22-19. (Don Feria for Bay Area News Group)
The Knights took the lead on a 55-yard pass from Gutierrez to Aaron Duncan, but a pass on the two-point attempt was broken up by Nathan Fox, leaving the score at 19-14.
Once again a big play came to the rescue for the Gators.
The game was full of flags. Each team had more than 100 yards in penalties.
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Gutierrez completed 17 of 25 passes for 198 yards.
Jack Hansen applied plenty of pressure for SHP with three sacks.
“One thing about Jack Hansen, he’s got a motor and it never turns off,” Grieb said. “He’s just going to keep coming at you. When you have someone with that kind of energy, good things are going to happen.”
Barnett had six catches for 77 yards for TKA (2-1), Jaiden Flores six for 61 and Duncan five receptions for 60 yards.
“One thing about this game, the sport is supposed to teach us life lessons,” Perez said. “This is a great lesson for us. When someone punches us in the mouth, if I can teach these boys how to get up, the skills and the work it takes to become a champion, we need these moments. And that’s Ok. That the beautiful part, it’s only week three, we get back up and keep fighting.”
Aaron Duncan of the visiting King’s Academy completes a pass for a touchdown against Sacred Heart Prep in the second half in Atherton, CA on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. The SHP Gators defeated the Kings 22-19. (Don Feria for Bay Area News Group)
Drew Martinez of the visiting King’s Academy looks past the defense against Sacred Heart Prep in the second half in Atherton, CA on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. The SHP Gators defeated the Kings 22-19. (Don Feria for Bay Area News Group)
Senior kicker Nathan Fox of Sacred Heart Prep score the point after against the visiting King’s Academy in the first half in Atherton, CA on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. Both teams were tied at 7 at the end of the half. (Don Feria for Bay Area News Group)
Sophomore Jonathan Carrillo Contreras of visiting King’s Academy looks for room against the hosting Sacred Heart Prep defense in the first half in Atherton, CA on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. Both teams went into the half tied at 7. (Don Feria for Bay Area News Group)