St. Francis’ Greg Dulcich (center) celebrates with Isaac Cordova (right) near El Toro’s Jake Landry (2) after Cordova scored a touchdown during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Canada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
LA CANADA — After a 53-year hiatus, the St. Francis football team is back in the CIF Southern Section Final.
And they can thank junior quarterback Darius Perrantes. The transfer from Crespi was 21 of 25 for 273 yards and four touchdowns as the Golden Knights (12-1) defeated El Toro 52-17 in a CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal. The Golden Knights will play Rancho Verde next Friday night at a site to be announced.
“It was an unbelievable performance by our whole team tonight,” St Francis coach Jim Bonds said. “We scored on every one of our possessions in the first half. Darius was hot, our running backs were hot and our defense did a sensational job.”
St. Francis celebrates its 52-17 win over El Toro in the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Cañada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
St. Francis’ Greg Dulcich reaches for the ball before making a catch and scoring against El Toro during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Cañada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
El Toro’s Dylan Herrera (left) embraces Sam Whipple after El Toro lost to St. Francis 52-17 in the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
El Toro’s Austin Derrico (13) walks off the field after losing to St. Francis, 52-17, in the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
St. Francis’ Greg Dulcich (center) celebrates with Isaac Cordova (right) near El Toro’s Jake Landry (2) after Cordova scored a touchdown during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Canada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
St. Francis’ Kevin Armstead (21) leaves El Toro’s Sam Whipple (22) on the turf during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
El Toro’s cheer squad celebrates after its team scores a touchdown against St. Francis during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
El Toro’s Shane McLaughlin (5) races across the field towards the end zone against St. Francis during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
El Toro’s Shane McLaughlin (left) is in position to make a catch as St. Francis’ Bobby Gazmarian (10) tries to break up the play during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
El Toro’s Cooper Jones (7) launches a pass against St. Francis during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
El Toro’s Shane McLaughlin (5) tries to stay on his feet as he’s tripped up on a kickoff return during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
El Toro’s Austin Derrico (13) fights for yards as he’s swallowed up by St. Francis’ defense during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
El Toro’s Austin Derrico (13) tries to get past St. Francis’ Bobby Gazmarian (10) during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
El Toro’s Noah Aguilar reaches for a high pass during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
St. Francis’ Darius Perrantes (7) tries to scoot past El Toro during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
St. Francis’ Greg Dulcich (left) tries to hang onto the ball as El Toro’s Jake Landry (2) tries to pull him down during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
St. Francis’ Bobby Gazmarian (10) charges ahead of El Toro’s John Betts (1) during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
St. Francis’ Isaac Cordova (11) dives towards the turf after coming up wit ha catch against El Toro during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
St. Francis’ Darius Perrantes (7) scrambles as he scans the field for an open teammate during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs against El Toro at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
El Toro’s Sam Whipple (22) takes down St. Francis’ Elijah Washington (25) during the first half of CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
St. Francis’ Darius Perrantes (7) races ahead of El Toro’s Zach Raigosa (21) during the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
Referees line up in the center of the field for the National Anthem before a CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
St. Francis’ Will Stewart (47) looks towards the sky as he kneels with his teammates before taking on El Toro in the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
St. Francis charges onto the field before taking on El Toro in the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
El Toro waits to charge onto the field to face St. Francis in the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinal football playoffs at St. Francis High School in La Caada Flintridge on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. (Correspondent photo by Trevor Stamp)
“This is absolutely crazy,” he said. “We definitely did a great job; our offensive line was great. We ran the ball really well and that opened our passing game a lot.”
Senior tight end Greg Dulcich proved too much for the El Toro (8-5) defense to handle. He caught seven passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns.
“It was a full-team effort on offense, defense and special teams,” Dulcich said. “The energy we got from our fans, students, alumni were huge and played a huge role in this victory.”
Perrantes was sensational in the first half as he threw for 214 yards and four touchdowns. His first rushing touchdown started the scoring when he went in from five yards out to give St. Francis a 7-0 lead.
After recovering an El Toro fumble at the Chargers 49-yard line, Perrantes connected with Dulcich on the next play to lengthen the Golden Knights lead to 14-0.
El Toro responded when quarterback Cooper Jones hit Shane McLaughlin on a 75-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 14-7. St. Francis scored on its next possession when Perrantes scored his second rushing touchdown on the night, on a one yard run.
Senior wide receiver Isaac Cordova caught his first touchdown of the night midway through the second quarter on a 21-yard pass to pad the Golden Knights lead to 28-10. El Toro quickly responded when the combination of Jones and McLaughlin connected again on a 66-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 28-17.
Perrantes, for the second time in the evening, found Cordova in the end zone on a 16-yard pass. Late in the second quarter, St. Francis junior defensive back Malcolm Wallace intercepted a Jones pass and returned it to the El Toro 11-yard line. Two plays later Perrantes threw his fourth touchdown, connecting with Dulcich for a two-yard score and a 42-17 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, the Golden Knights put the game away when Perrantes completed a 42-yard touchdown to Dulcich that gave St. Francis a 49-17 lead.
“I’m excited for the all the coaches, the players and the alumni,” Bonds said. “We’ve been chasing this goal of making the finals for the past 16 years.”
