Bishop O’Dowd defeated Bullard 27-21 Friday night in the first of Northern California’s Boys DII quarterfinals, setting up a semifinal clash with De La Salle.

O’Dowd will be eager to avenge a 20-19 loss to De La Salle earlier in the season - a game lost on the final play of the game - but it looked as if they might not get to that rematch Saturday, as Bullard raced out to a commanding lead. Bullard scored a converted try 25 minutes in, and another just on the stroke of halftime. Two minutes into the second half, Bullard led 21-0 after another converted try, and the O’Dowd Dragons needed a little fire in their breath to change the momentum.

They found it. Just a minute after giving up that third try, O’Dowd found a little fire in the form of center Andrew Crudo, who raced in for a crucial try, converted by fullback Robert Crosby.

Moments later, No. 8 Tony Cardenas powered over to make it 21-12. O’Down started to work the ball well and Crosby inserted into the line to score his team’s third try and make it 21-17. Crosby then added a penalty goal, and with just over ten minutes to go, it was a one-point game. O’Dowd kept up the pressure, and for a while it seemed as if Bullard might escape the comeback. However, with a minute to go, scrumhalf Marco Bordessa scored to put his side ahead. Crosby converted, and O’Dowd won 27-21.

"I'm really proud of my team they played hard and never quit even when we were chasing the game,” said O’Dowd Director of Rugby Ray Lehner. "Bullard are a tough outfit they play with a lot of enterprise moving the ball from sideline to sideline."

O’Dowd is now set to play De La Salle, which earned a bye into the semifinals by being the top-seeded team in DII.

"De La Salle is a very good team, no breaks for us this season another road playoff game against tough opposition we will need to dig deep,” said Lehner.