< The Latest 2025-10-18T05:31:14+0000
The Pasadena Star-News | Fri 10/17 10:06pm PST | Fred Robledo
LOS ANGELES – Teams have figured out by now that the way to beat the Bishop Amat football team is to stop running back Ryan Salcedo.
Loyola did a good job of that on Friday night, but Amat quarterback Domenico Doran, a junior transfer from Servite who became eligible after the sit-out period, showed that Amat is more than a one-trick pony.
Doran threw for 141 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 122 yards, including a game-clinching 50-yard touchdown run in the final two minutes that lifted the Lancers to a 30-14 victory over Loyola.
Doran was opportunistic on throws, and had several big chunk runs that caught the Cubs off guard while focusing on Salcedo.
“They were just focused on Ryan, and when you face our offense now, you kind of have to face a dual threat quarterback too,” Doran said. “It means a lot. I’m blessed by the coaching staff and offensive line helping me through this and coming out of the sit-out period.”
Bishop Amat QB Domenico Doran threw for 141 yards and two TDs and ran for 122 yards and TD in Amat’s 30-14 win over Loyola. He talked an about it. pic.twitter.com/MsG4FtokOa
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) October 18, 2025
Bishop Amat coach Kory Minor was happy for Doran, who made his first start after coming in as a backup last week.
“He was at the lowest of the low in spring and in summer, and he didn’t waver, he didn’t cry, and he didn’t complain,” Minor said of Doran. “He stayed locked in, he got his turn and look what he did. I’m so proud of him.”
It was a huge win for Amat, which improves to 5-3 and 2-1 in the Mission League before taking on national power and undefeated Sierra Canyon at home next week.
The victory guarantees that the Lancers will finish at least .500 with two to play, an important marker for teams to make the playoffs as an at-large if they do not get one of the guaranteed playoff spots.
But first things first, it was Amat’s first back-to-back win of the season, and was it ever needed.
“It means everything, we couldn’t do it, we couldn’t put it together until tonight,” Minor said of getting back-to-back victories. “We said if guys stay focused, stay committed, we can get it done and we did.”
Salcedo, who rushed for 351 yards and five touchdowns in a 36-29 victory over Notre Dame last week, finished with just 41 yards on 12 carries against the Cubs’ tough defensive front. But he finished with 102 all-purpose yards and a touchdown catch.
Doran opened the game with a 58-yard keeper to set up the Lancers’ first score.
Doran finished with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Salcedo for a 6-0 lead after the missed extra point.
BIshop Amat coach Kory Minor talked about their 30-14 win over Loyola, and what it means to put back to back wins together. And also the QB play of Domenico Doran pic.twitter.com/83KlDHrNrQ
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) October 18, 2025
With Loyola making life hard on Saucedo most of the half, Amat’s defense doubled the lead.
Seth Tellez picked off Loyola quarterback Gavin Grabe and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown and 13-0 lead with 4:36 left until half.
Amat provided an exclamation point to end the half.
Doran threw a ball up for grabs on the final play as time expired and Jaiden Combal went up and got it between two Cubs defenders for a 35-yard touchdown and 20-0 lead at the break.
Loyola battled back in the second half, using a long drive to start the third quarter to get back in it.
Kane Casani, who finished with 128 yards and two touchdowns, scored on a 14-yard run after an 11-play, 72-yard drive that chewed up seven minutes to cut the Lancers’ lead to 20-7.
Things really turned bad for Amat after it got a big stop, but fumbled the punt, giving the Cubs life again.
The Cubs cashed it in on the next play as Casani ran 30 yards for a touchdown to cut Amat’s lead to 20-14 with six seconds left in the third quarter.
But Bishop Amat extended its lead to 23-14 with on Noah Guillen’s 27-yard field goal with 7:06 left, and then Doran closed the game with a 50-yard run in the final minutes to secure it.
“It feels fantastic,” Doran said of getting his chance. “There’s no other feeling like it.”
Loyola dropped to 4-4 and 1-2 in league play.