Shadow Ridge’s flag football team continued its march toward the top seed in the Class 5A playoffs, defeating Bishop Gorman 37-6 on Friday night at Bishop Gorman High School. The Mustangs (16-1, 6-0 Southern League) have now won 13 straight games, while the Gaels (9-6, 1-4) have dropped four in a row.

Senior Jaylani Palmer was a force on both sides of the ball. Offensively, she caught six passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone. She also intercepted a pass to open the second half, one of two interceptions by Shadow Ridge. The other, by junior Lily Christensen, set up a 1-yard touchdown run by sophomore Presley Walker that extended the lead to 24-6 early in the third quarter.

Quarterback Chloe Covington threw for 197 yards and five touchdowns, but her longest play came on a 37-yard reception from Palmer. Senior Mariah Stevens-Walden added four catches for 23 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Mustangs recorded six sacks, led by seniors Ashlyn Mitchell and junior Kendall Williams with two each. The unit held Bishop Gorman to just six points and forced multiple turnovers.

“Our defense was phenomenal,” Shadow Ridge head coach Matt Nighswonger said. “Our defense has been playing really great football. We shut them down.”

Despite the lopsided score, Nighswonger praised the Gaels. “The score doesn’t indicate Gorman’s level. They’re a good team and always tough to play against,” he said.

With two weeks left in the regular season, Shadow Ridge is closing in on the top seed in the 5A playoffs. Nighswonger remains focused on the short term. “We really do try not to take any team for granted, because in 5A, if we take someone for granted and we have a bad night, we lose.”