Torreahno Sweet helps carry Bishop Amat past Oaks Christian

There’s no place like home for the Bishop Amat football team, and that is especially true for Torreahno Sweet.

The senior running back rushed for 257 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone as the Lancers built a big lead en route to a 61-40 victory over previously undefeated Oaks Christian on Friday night in a CIF Pac-5 Division quarterfinal game at La Puente.

Sweet finished with 371 yards in 34 carries as Bishop Amat (10-2) won for the 14th consecutive time on its home field. Bishop Amat will play Bellflower St. John Bosco in the semifinals next Friday at Cerritos College.

Damian Garcia completed 15 of 24 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns and scored Bishop Amat’s final touchdown on a 55-yard run with six minutes left.

Oaks Christian receiver Michael Pittman caught 18 passes for 386 yards and five touchdowns, including a 99-yard touchdown pass play in the second quarter. Quarterback Matt Corral completed 26 of 42 passes for 437 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions.

Sweet opened the scoring with an 11-yard run to cap a six-play, 76-yard drive, and after Oaks Christian failed to convert a fake punt, Sweet ran for a five-yard touchdown on the Lancers’ ensuing drive and added the two-point conversion to make it 15-0.

Tyler Vaughns had seven receptions for 75 yards and intercepted a pass in the end zone to all but seal the victory midway through the fourth quarter. Vaughns’ 10-yard scoring catch from Garcia gave Bishop Amat a 21-0 lead late in the first quarter.

Oaks Christian wide receiver Michael Pittman catches the first of his five touchdown passes against Bishop Amat on Nov. 21.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Pittman got the Lions (11-1) on the scoreboard with an eight-yard touchdown catch from Corral on the first play of the second quarter, set up by Gil’Scott Jackson’s 53-yard run. Jackson finished with 86 yards in 17 carries.

After Pittman’s 29-yard touchdown catch pulled Oaks Christian to withing five points with 10:55 left, Bishop Amat responded with three consecutive touchdowns.

Xavier Chavez caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Garcia, and Trevon Sidney caught a 13-yard scoring pass from Garcia on the Lancers’ next drive to increase the lead to 54-33 before Garcia’s final touchdown.

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