Bishop McGuinness BMCHS 3-0

Bishop Lynch BLHS 1-2

Bishop McGuinness BMCHS

3-0

Final

Sep. 13, 2025

Bishop Lynch BLHS

1-2

Score By Quarters
Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	F
BMCHS Bishop McGuinness	7	7	7	14	35
BLHS Bishop Lynch	7	7	0	14	28

Summary
Box Score

Game Recap: Football | 9/15/2025 3:24:00 PM | BLHS Sports Information

Fourth-Quarter Push Not Enough as Friars Fall to McGuinness

ARLINGTON, Texas – The Bishop Lynch football team (1-2) fell 35-28 to Bishop McGuinness (3-0) in the Catholic Bowl on Saturday afternoon at Choctaw Stadium, marking the second straight year the Friars dropped a one-score game to the Irish.

The Friars trailed by 14 in the fourth quarter but cut the deficit to one possession when quarterback Matias Leon powered in for a touchdown. With under three minutes to play, Bishop Lynch had a chance to get the ball back after stopping the Irish on fourth down. However, a controversial forward fumble was ruled a first down for McGuinness, allowing the Irish to run out the clock.

Leon turned in another stellar performance, completing 26-of-29 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for a score. His top target was freshman Zack Williams, who hauled in 11 catches for 90 yards. Junior Nick Payne scored both receiving touchdowns, finished with 42 yards, and nearly broke free on special teams with a long kickoff return that set up a late score.

On defense, linebackers Alex Finley and Willy Patterson led the Friars with 16 and 15 tackles, respectively. Senior defensive end Asher Wheatley added a career-high 2.0 sacks, bringing his season total to three.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Irish opened with a drive across midfield, but the Friar defense held strong, as Finley stuffed the McGuinness quarterback on fourth down. After Bishop Lynch's offense was forced to punt, McGuinness struck first with a 48-yard touchdown pass to lead 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The Friars answered in the second with a physical drive capped by Akani Cruz Berrios' 3-yard rushing touchdown, his sixth of the season, to tie it 7-7. Both teams traded scores before halftime, with Leon finding Payne on a 14-yard screen to even the game at 14-14.

McGuinness took control in the third quarter, building a 28-14 lead early in the fourth. But Bishop Lynch rallied again. Leon connected with Payne on a 19-yard touchdown to pull within 28-21, before the Irish immediately countered with a 76-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Still, the Friars refused to fold. Payne returned the ensuing kickoff 53 yards to set up a short drive capped by Leon's 1-yard keeper, making it 35-28 with 6:11 left. After a defensive stand, Bishop Lynch appeared to have forced a turnover on downs when Ethan Perkins tackled a McGuinness receiver short of the line to gain. The ball was fumbled forward past the marker, and despite rules prohibiting advancement of a fourth-down fumble, the officials awarded the Irish a first down. With no timeouts left, the Friars never got the ball back.

UP NEXT
Bishop Lynch's game against Rice on Friday, Sept. 19, has been canceled, giving the Friars an unexpected bye. They will return to action Thursday, Sept. 25, when they host the Home School Athletic Association at 7 p.m. in Roffino Stadium.

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