Football | 9/28/2025 2:09:00 PM

Check out the Union Tribune story on the game HERE.
KUSI Week 6 Toyota Blue Hat Player of the Game Interview: Honor Fa'alave, Cathedral Catholic
KUSI Week 6 RAW: Cathedral 40, Granite Hills 30

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Cathedral Catholic football maintained its flawless season on Homecoming Friday night, beating Granite Hills 40-30 in front of a packed crowd at Manchester Stadium. The No. 2 ranked Dons (5-0) relied on explosive plays, a strong run game, and a career night from Honor Faalave '27 to defeat the No. 6 ranked Eagles.

Fa'alave-Johnson lived up to the hype on both sides of the ball, proving why he's one of the most dangerous players in San Diego. The junior racked up 110 rushing yards on just eight carries, including touchdown runs of 17 and 55 yards in the fourth quarter. He also caught seven passes for 97 yards and made a crucial fourth-quarter interception to stall a Granite Hills drive.

"I just want to do whatever it takes to help the team win," Fa'alave-Johnson said. "When the lights are on, that's when I have to step up."

Cathedral's offense set the tone early when QB Brady Palmer '26 connected with Isaac Cook '27 for a 70-yard touchdown on the opening drive. Later, Palmer added another score, hitting Evan Busalacchi '27 for a 22-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Palmer was sharp all night, completing 20 of 27 passes for 295 yards and two TDs.

The Dons' ground game was equally impressive, rushing for 272 yards on 38 attempts. William Flores '26 carried the load with 19 rushes for 120 yards and two touchdowns, running powerfully and consistently to keep Cathedral's offense balanced.

"Willie does all the tough work for us," said head coach Sean Doyle. "He gets the hard yards that don't always make the highlight reel, but they keep drives alive."

Despite the final score, Granite Hills kept the game close by capitalizing on Cathedral's mistakes, including short kickoffs and defensive miscues. Eagles quarterback Zac Benitez played well, throwing for 366 yards and two touchdowns, but the Dons' defense limited Granite Hills to just 18 rushing yards on 23 carries.

In the fourth quarter, the game turned into a shootout, with both teams trading touchdowns. Fa'alave-Johnson's two long scoring runs, along with Flores' second touchdown of the night, gave Cathedral the breathing room it needed to secure the victory.

"This was a big test," Doyle said. "Granite Hills is a good team, but we've been putting in the work at practice. That work showed tonight."

The Dons head into league play undefeated, aiming for another deep postseason run.

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Final Score: Cathedral Catholic 40, Granite Hills 30
Scoring Summary:

• CC – Cook 70 pass from Palmer (Bergman kick)
• GH – Benitez 2 run (kick failed)
• GH – Nunez 34 FG
• CC – Flores 1 run (Bergman kick)
• GH – Spalding 4 run (Nunez kick)
• CC – Busalacchi 22 pass from Palmer (kick failed)
• CC – Fa'alave-Johnson 17 run (Bergman kick)
• CC – Flores 5 run (pass failed)
• GH – Walker 50 pass from Benitez (Nunez kick)
• CC – Fa'alave-Johnson 55 run (Bergman kick)
• GH – Rodriguez 35 pass from Benitez (Nunez kick)