Bishop Amat Makes It a Perfect Season : Prep football: Top-ranked team stops Loyola, 7-3, to take Division I title and finish undefeated.

Loyola High quarterback Clelio Boccato looked as if he might realize his dream of leading his team to the winning touchdown in a Southern Section football championship game.

But the ending turned into a nightmare for him Friday night against La Puente Bishop Amat in the Division I final.

Boccato fumbled away a snap deep in Bishop Amat territory with a minute remaining, allowing the Lancers to hold on for a 7-3 victory before 13,000 at Cerritos College.

The loose ball was recovered by Bishop Amat’s George Guzman, a senior inside linebacker.

“I knew they were going to run the ball because I watched game film this week,� Guzman said. “I was all over (their lineman) so when the ball came loose, I was in a position to get it. It was a dogfight in that pile, but I’m very happy I won it.�

Said Boccato, who threw for only 56 yards and was sacked four times: “The ball just slipped off of my fingertips. It was great being in a position to lead your team to victory, so this really hurts right now.�

Bishop Amat (14-0), which defeated Loyola, 28-14, four weeks ago in a Del Rey League showdown, appeared in a position to run the clock out. But quarterback Mike Smith fumbled on his 40-yard line with 3:21 remaining.

Loyola (12-2) quickly moved the ball downfield, with the bulk of its yards coming on a 17-yard pass from Boccato to Michael Ratkovic. But on third and four play from the 22, Boccato lost the snap.

The Lancers’ defense, which held Loyola to 168 yards, also held the Cubs earlier in the fourth quarter when they were driving for a touchdown. On fourth and one at the Bishop Amat 14, Boccato was sacked on a play-action pass play.

“The game should never have come down to one play,� said Steve Grady, Loyola’s coach.

Earlier in the day, the decision was to move the game from Anaheim Stadium because of rain, in order to protect the field for Sunday’s Ram game.

Bishop Amat, top-ranked by The Times for most of the season, won its first section title since 1971 when it beat Anaheim Western, 37-12. The Lancers advance to next Friday’s new CIF/Reebok Bowl at Anaheim Stadium against the winner of today’s City Division 4-A title game between Carson and Sylmar.

Trailing 3-0 in the second quarter, Bishop Amat scored its only points on a 10-play drive that covered 97 yards. The winning touchdown came on a nifty one-handed catch by sophomore fullback Randy Guanko from Smith.

Fourth-ranked Loyola had taken a 3-0 lead with 10 seconds remaining in the first quarter on a 42-yard field goal by sophomore Mark McDonald.

Bishop Amat was held to 160 yards total offense, with most of those coming from Rodney Sermons, who rushed for 95 yards in 18 carries.