patriots

Birmingham 48, Oakwood 41: Mandell Anthony had 22 points in the Patriots’ season opener.

It’s championship or bust, and the Gauchos earned the right to play on with a dominating 27-7 semifinal victory over defending champion Birmingham on Friday night, ending the Patriots’ 48-game win streak against City Section opponents.

The Patriots had virtually no passing game, so it was pretty much game over once they went down by two touchdowns.

The last team to beat the Patriots was Narbonne in a 2018 playoff game, but the Gauchos forfeited the victory because of an ineligible player.

The Rams’ victory over the New England Patriots last Sunday put them back at .500 and kept alive their playoff chances.