Riordan-Palma football

Friday's game
Central Coast Section Open Division III semifinals
Riordan (8-3) vs. Palma (10-1) at Rabobank, 7 p.m.
 The Crusaders have proven to be a better road team this year, having gone 6-1. Palma, meanwhile, is 6-0 at Rabobank.
 Riordan, a member of the West Catholic Athletic League, opened the season with five straight wins, putting 48 points up on Sacred Heart Prep and 66 against Serra.
 Raymone Sanders has rushed for over 1,000 yards this season for Riordan while Jacky Luavas has thrown for nearly 1,800 yards.
 Emilio Martinez made the most of his five carries in his return last week after missing four games with a hamstring, rushing for 148 yards -- 93 on one carry -- and two touchdowns.
 Kevin Telford has filled in nicely the last two weeks with a pair of 100 plus yard rushing efforts for the Chieftains.
 That has kept teams from adding a nickle back on defense. Quarterback Jack Richardson averaged nearly 27 yards a completion last week on 10-13 attempts, tossing three touchdowns.
 While teams have focused on stopping tight end Liam McMillin, Isaiah Blanco has quietly caught eight touchdown passes for Palma.
 Palma's offense has scored 33 or more points in seven straight games. During its current nine game winning streak, it has come from behind three times and won another in overtime.
 The last time the Chieftains won 10 straight games, they captured the Division I title in 2003.
 Palma will be trying to snap a four-game playoff losing streak against teams from the WCAL.
 Riordan's last loss came from St. Francis. Palma's only loss was to St. Francis