Serra with statement win in WCAL opener

The reason why Walsh insists on this methodology?

“To get ready for the WCAL because it’s a grinder,” Walsh said.

Serra (1-0 WCAL, 2-2 overall) hit the bull’s-eye in terms of readying for its West Catholic Athletic League opener Friday against Archbishop Mitty (0-1, 2-2) at Foothill College. After three non-league games in which the Padres gained a cumulative 178 ground yards, the offensive line paved the way for Nate Sanchez and company as Serra totaled 231 rushing yards en route to a 42-6 blowout of the Monarchs.

On a night when former offensive coordinator Steven Lo was in the house — he left Serra after last season’s state championship run to join another powerhouse in St. John Bosco-Bellflower, which had a bye week this week — the Padres very much looked like the team that marched to the Division 2-AA state title in 2017.

While senior quarterback Luke Bottari was a surgical 12-of-13 passing for 211 yards, Sanchez proved his favorite target, gaining 155 total yards — 78 yards receiving and 77 rushing with three touchdowns — while senior Malakai Rango ran for two TDs.

“Throughout the preseason we were slacking on the run game,” Serra offensive tackle Vince Campana said. “But for the bye week, [Walsh] put it in our heads that we need to run. And that’s what Serra Padres football is, is run, run, run. And I think today we ran a lot.”

The Padres have faced an identity crisis in the backfield since losing their No. 1 running back David Coker in Week 2 to a season-ending knee injury. Sanchez — after totaling just one carry all of last year; as a sophomore he played mostly cornerback — was expecting more of the same in his junior year at the season’s outset.

“I perceived my role to be defense mostly,” Sanchez said. “At practice I’m going to compete against Coker every day. In practice I’m going to make Coker better and it’s going to make myself better.”

Then, just like that, Coker’s injury thrust Sanchez into a heady two-way role.

“To lead the team both ways,” Sanchez said. “I feel like I’m a leader for the junior class.”

Sanchez arrived just in time for the impressive WCAL opener, leading a furious opening that saw Padres score on each of their first five drives to take a 35-0 lead into the half. By early in the third quarter, the game was played with a running clock.

Sanchez put Serra on the board less than three minutes in. The Padres overcame two penalties on their first four plays from scrimmage to march for an efficient six-play, 65-yards drive, highlighted by two sharp Bottari passes of 17 and 25 yards, and rushes to three different running backs, the last two to Sanchez for 12 and 4 yards, with the latter a dance through a wide-open B-gap opened by Campana and senior guard Lucas Ottobani.

The Padres continued their momentum, converting 15 first downs in the first half alone. They capped their next drive — an eight-play, 61-yard drive — with Rango high-stepping untouched for a 7-yard score. Sanchez added a 1-yard dive to start the second quarter to give Serra a 21-0 lead. After two ensuing Mitty three-and-outs, Rango scored on a 1-yard pitch and Sanchez scored on a 13-yard run, respectively.

“I think it became what we wanted to do after we got our run game going,” Walsh said. “We hadn’t had our run game going all year long. So, finally the offensive line working together, and working as a family, I think on that side of the ball that was the star of the night.”

On the other side of the ball, the Padres’ defense played spectacularly.

Serra outgained Mitty 442-173 in total yards. And when Serra rushers — highlighted by senior linebacker E.J. Lahlouh’s inspired play — weren’t in the backfield with abandon to contain fleet-footed Monarchs quarterback Shamir Bey, the Padres secondary was busy smothering his receivers, causing a flurry of forced passes that saw the junior QB finish 8-of-25 passing for 84 yards.

Bey got Mitty on the board at the end of the third quarter, converting a fourth-down run from the Padres 8, taking a bootleg around the left side and just managing to swipe the pylon for the score.

Serra junior Daylin McLemore spelled Bottari at quarterback in the fourth quarter — he rushed four times for 56 yards and Serra’s final score of the night, highlight-reel worthy 15-yard shake-and-bake to the house — he also featured prominently on defense by wearing out Mitty’s receivers at cornerback throughout.

“We were very concerned about keeping [Bey] in the pocket, not letting him run for a ton of yards,” Walsh said. “So, I thought we did a decent job of containing the running game. Then the back end — they had a couple drops; it could have been a difference maker in the game, but that’s part of the game too — I thought overall [the defensive backs coach] and the secondary had a good game plan against a potent Mitty attack.”