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Cardinal Ohara Stun Monsignor Bonner in 4A PCL Championship Game

Tagged under: District 12, Game Photos-Videos, News, pfn, Playoffs

| November 8, 2025

Cardinal O’Hara puts on a defensive clinic in win over Bonner

The Cardinal O’Hara Lions took down the Monsignor Bonner Friars on Saturday afternoon by a final score of 24-3.

Here were my thoughts before the game kicked off.

The ball game kicked off, and Monsignor Bonner started with the first possession. The Friars got out rolling with the run game, involving back Salem Frank on the majority of plays on the first drive. Frink and the Friars drove deep into O’Hara territory but were stopped and had to kick an early field goal on their first drive. 3-0 Friars lead with 5 minutes left in the first quarter.

Cardinal O’Hara and Monsignor Bonner punted on their next drives, and Cardinal Ohara had the ball down 3 to start the second quarter.

The Lions started the second quarter strong, with a huge reception to Braylon Harris, but the Lions did not capitalize on their red-hot start to the drive and had to punt the ball away once again.

Cardinal O’Hara played one of the best defensive games of the entire season, and they started the defensive festivities with a forced fumble and recovery, allowing the Lions to take over in Bonner territory.

Amahj Gowans broke free for a huge rush that kick-started the Lion drive after the forced fumble. Gowans took it all the way down to the 1-yard line and set up a scoring chance for the Lions. John Welde took the snap and ran the ball into the endzone for an O’Hara touchdown. 7-3 Cardinal O’Hara leads with 3:07 left in the first half.

Cardinal O’Hara continued to put on a defensive masterclass in the first half, stopping the Friars’ drive before it even got started. Another forced fumble and recovery for the Lions, who take over with 59 seconds left in the half and great field position.

The Lions were not able to find the endzone before the halftime break, but they did tack on 3 points with a field goal. The Lions dominated the first half and led 10-3 over the Friars at the break.

Here were my thoughts at the halftime break. The score is 10-3 in favor of the Cardinal O’Hara Lions

Cardinal Ohara came out of the halftime break firing, with multiple deep bombs downfield and a variety of rushes from Amahj Gowans that set up the Lions in scoring position. Amahj Gowans finished off the drive with a rushing touchdown that put the Lions up by two scores. 17-3 O’Hara leads with 7:12 left in the third quarter.

The Friars had no answers for the Cardinal O’Hara defense, and the Lions got a huge stop on fourth down and sent the offense back out onto the field for another drive.

O’Hara ended up electing to Punt after the fourth down stop, but the special teams unit came up huge. The Lion punt was muffed and recovered by O’Hara deep in Bonner territory.

Cardinal O’Hara found the endzone once again with yet another rushing touchdown from Amahj Gowans. The Lions expanded their lead to three touchdowns with 7:22 left in the fourth quarter.

The Friars continue to be shut down by the O’Hara defense, and Noel Campbell’s pass is intercepted for the first time of the game, giving the Lions the ball back with 4 minutes left in the game.

Cardinal O’Hara did not get anything rolling themselves and had to punt it away. The Friars needed 21 points in two minutes, a near-impossible feat.

Campbell and the Friars did start to roll on the last drive of the game, but it came too little too late, and with less than 30 seconds left on the clock, Campbell’s pass was intercepted by Bobby Bower and the O’Hara defense, putting the lid on the game they call the “Holy War.”

Cardinal O’Hara knelt out the remainder of the clock, and they took home a 24-3 victory over the Friars of Monsignor Bonner. The Lions will be back in action next against the West Philly Speedboys.

After the game, I caught up with O’Hara running back Amahj Gowans. Gowans scored 2 TDs and rushed the entire field en route to a huge victory over the rival Friars.

 

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