St. Bonaventure wins Marmonte League with 40-28 victory over Oaks Christian

VENTURA, Calif. — Joe Goyeneche remembers it vividly. Back in August at Marmonte League Media Day, one head coach called Oaks Christian the favorite to win the league title this season, despite the fact that St. Bonaventure had won the crown in 2021. 

"We felt a little bit disrespected," Goyeneche said. "You're the champ until you're beat."

As fate would have it, St. Bonaventure and Oaks Christian came into Thursday night's regular season finale tied atop the Marmonte League standings with 4-0 records — Goyeneche's group had the chance to show they're still No. 1.

And boy did they take it.

Seraphs senior running back Delton Thompson rushed for 230 yards and three touchdowns to lead host St. Bonaventure (7-3) to a 40-28 win over Oaks (7-3) in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated.

"That's the best game that we've played by far this year," Goyeneche said. "We played an inspired, inspired football game tonight."

HOW IT HAPPENED

St. Bonaventure's defense set the tone early. On Oaks Christian's first play from scrimmage, a group of Seraphs gang tackled Oaks running back Johnny Thompson for a loss of 11 yards back to the 1-yard line.

"I think that play put a little bit of doubt in their minds," Goyeneche said. "We knew it was going to be an emotional game. We wanted to come out and just stay even-keeled and play fast right away."

Three plays later, Oaks Christian punted setting up a 35-yard touchdown drive for St. Bonaventure capped off by a 5-yard TD run from sophomore Koen Glover.

After recovering a fumble on defense, St. Bonaventure scored again with 9:40 to play in the second quarter. Junior quarterback Anthony Wolter scrambled for a 25-yard gain before Delon Thompson scored a 1-yard touchdown to put the Seraphs ahead 14-0. 

Later in the second quarter, Oaks Christian turned the ball over again. Quarterback Nate Bennett threw a jump ball into the end zone that St. Bonaventure sophomore corner Drew Cofield brilliantly brought down and got a foot in bounds to secure the turnover. 

On the ensuing St. Bonaventure drive, Delon Thompson ripped off a 47-yard run and then scored from 1-yard out again making it 21-0 Seraphs with 6:23 left in the first half.

Johnny Thompson gave the Lions life with a 5-yard touchdown run on Oaks Christian's next drive with 2:30 left in the third quarter, but the momentum gained from the score was short lived. The Lions fumbled the opening second half kick off and St. Bonaventure cashed in with a 9-yard TD run from Glover putting the Seraphs ahead 28-7.

Johnny Thompson then scored a 2-yard TD on Oaks' next possession in the third quarter, but from there, St. Bonaventure delivered two knockout blows to squash any hope of a Lions comeback. 

First, Manny Rosales caught a 20-yard TD from Wolter with 3:30 left in the third quarter. After that, Delon Thompson ran over an Oaks Christian defender to score from the 9 in the fourth quarter making the score 40-14. The Lions would go on to score two late TDs but the damage was done.

"We had something to prove tonight," Goyeneche said.