‘Not like us’: O’Dowd, inspired by doubters, upsets Monte Vista on road

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Bishop O'Dowd celebrates their victory over Monte Vista in a high school football game at Monte Vista High School in Danville, California on Sept. 6, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman for the Bay Area News Group)

DANVILLE – Moments after Bishop O’Dowd secured one of its biggest wins in recent memory, head coach Hardy Nickerson Sr. celebrated with his team by dancing to Kendrick Lamar’s hit song “Not Like Us.”

The song is a symbol of the attitude Nickerson hopes to instill into his scrappy O’Dowd team.

“Not like us means we’re different, we’re not the same O’Dowd,” Nickerson said. “We proved that today. We’re a Division IV team and we just beat a Division I team at their place.”

Bishop O'Dowd head coach Hardy Nickerson celebrates their victory over Monte Vista in a high school football game at Monte Vista High School in Danville, California on Sept. 6, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman for the Bay Area News Group) — Bishop O’Dowd head coach Hardy Nickerson celebrates their victory over Monte Vista in a high school football game at Monte Vista High School in Danville, California on Sept. 6, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman for the Bay Area News Group)

In thrilling fashion, O’Dowd upset Monte Vista – one of the most talented teams in the Bay Area – as the Dragons defeated the Mustangs 24-20 on Friday night.

Monte Vista was clearly the bigger, more athletic team with multiple players holding Division I college offers. But that didn’t matter to O’Dowd because they played with something to prove.

“Yeah they had Division I players, but my guys who had no offers moved them all over the place,” Nickerson said. “I’m so proud of my guys. It’s a big win. It’s probably one of the biggest wins O’Dowd has had the last four or five years.”

O’Dowd Wide receiver Deji Ajose caught eight passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Devin Wilson completed 11 of 22 passes for 154 yards and two scores. Running back Saliou Sow rushed for 151 yards on 33 carries.

Deji Ajose (1) of Bishop O'Dowd holds off Ian Ondricek (1) of Monte Vista for a gain in a high school football game at Monte Vista High School in Danville, California on Sept. 6, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman for the Bay Area News Group) — Deji Ajose (1) of Bishop O’Dowd holds off Ian Ondricek (1) of Monte Vista for a gain in a high school football game at Monte Vista High School in Danville, California on Sept. 6, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman for the Bay Area News Group)

Monte Vista got into a rhythm early, going up 13-0 to start the game.

The Mustangs scored on their first possession when Fresno State-bound quarterback Brayden Turner found Torin Dunphy for a 10-yard touchdown pass.

Their second score came when Washington commit Julian McMahan rushed in from one yard out to put the Mustangs up two scores with just over eight minutes left in the second quarter.

But O’Dowd’s offense came alive once Ajose started getting more involved. Wilson found the Washington-bound wide receiver on a 30-yard touchdown pass midway through the second quarter to put O’Dowd on the board.

With just under a minute to go in the first half, Wilson found Ajose one-on-one in the left corner of the end zone. Ajose hauled in a spectacular catch, giving the Dragons a 14-13 lead at halftime.

“When we got off to a slow start, I went up to Deji and I said, ‘Hey man we’re going to need you,’” Sow said. “He came out and caught two touchdowns back-to-back. He’s an amazing athlete and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him.”

O’Dowd kept the momentum rolling into the second half, but Ajose was sidelined early in the third quarter with cramps.

With O’Dowd’s offense struggling without its star receiver, Monte Vista went back to what worked in the first half: Giving the ball to McMahan.

McMahan’s 54-yard burst on the Mustangs’ first possession of the second half set up his eventual 29-yard touchdown run, which put Monte Vista back on top 20-17.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior ended Friday’s game with 210 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 22 attempts. He averaged a whopping 9.5 yards per carry.

Julian McMahan (29) of Monte Vista attempts to evade the tackle of Gio Joaquin (33) of Bishop O'Dowd in a high school football game at Monte Vista High School in Danville, California on Sept. 6, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman for the Bay Area News Group) — Julian McMahan (29) of Monte Vista attempts to evade the tackle of Gio Joaquin (33) of Bishop O’Dowd in a high school football game at Monte Vista High School in Danville, California on Sept. 6, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman for the Bay Area News Group)

With Ajose at less than 100%, Nickerson and the O’Dowd offense went back to its running game.

The Dragons chewed clock and eventually scored with just under eight minutes left in the fourth quarter on a one-yard rush from fullback Oliver Lehner that put O’Dowd up 24-20.

After O’Dowd’s defense forced a crucial three-and-out, the offense held the ball for over six minutes and ran 12 plays on its last drive to end the game. Sow iced the win for O’Dowd, picking up two yards on a crucial fourth and one with 45 seconds left.

Sow was a workhorse for O’Dowd’s offense in the second half, carrying the ball 26 times for 123 yards.

Saliou Sow (5) of Bishop O'Dowd attempts to evade the tackle of Grant Maina (14) of Monte Vista in a high school football game at Monte Vista High School in Danville, California on Sept. 6, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman for the Bay Area News Group) — Saliou Sow (5) of Bishop O’Dowd attempts to evade the tackle of Grant Maina (14) of Monte Vista in a high school football game at Monte Vista High School in Danville, California on Sept. 6, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman for the Bay Area News Group)

“We like to air the ball out, but we like to get dirty and really run the ball,” Wilson said of the team’s mindset in the second half.

Despite Monte Vista having explosive players on its offense, they didn’t see the field much as the Mustangs only had the ball for a minute and thirty two seconds in the second half.

Monte Vista coach Johnny Milliard said fatigue played a factor for his defense toward the end of the game.

“We gotta learn how to fight through that,” Milliard said. “There’s going to be games like that where we have to be able to finish. They’re a great football team and they did a great job, but we have to be able to come out on top of those.”