Carroll 6, Zahm 0
Carroll (2-0-1) outlasted Zahm 6-0 Sunday by playing solid defense, making fewer mistakes and capitalizing on one game-deciding play.
Early in the third quarter, sophomore running back Nick Tammerine received a pitch from junior quarterback Brian Vaio and scampered 45 yards down the sideline for the only touchdown of the game.
"It was just a total team effort," Tammerine said. "The play was option right. I received some great downfield blocking, and was lucky enough to score."
Tammerine's run was the only big offensive play of the game. Both defenses dominated the opposing offenses, forced turnovers and induced mistakes. Carroll's defense led the charge for the Vermin, recovering two fumbles and securing the game after Tammerine's touchdown.
"Our defense played very well today," injured junior captain Nick Ruof said. "They've been the strength of our team all year and today, it showed."
The Zahmbies (0-2) were never able to mount a real comeback against the Vermin's defense. The closest they came to tying Carroll was on a play that did not count from its beginning.
On third-and-10, Zahm freshman quarterback Gabe Alvare scrambled outside the pocket to evade the Vermin defensive line. About to go down, he completed a pass to the nearest Zahmbie - the starting offensive tackle. The lineman rumbled down the field for a 60-yard score, only for the play to be called back due to a penalty. Zahm's frustration boiled over after the call, as both the coach and sophomore running back Greg Bennett received unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
"It was just a tough game today," senior captain Jarred Carter said. "We made a lot of mistakes that really hurt us."
The call-back ensured the Zahmbies would continue their winless streak. The Vermin, however, seem to be going in the opposite direction.
"This is the largest amount of wins we've had since I've been here," Ruof said.
Carroll's win sets up a battle of two undefeated squads Sunday against Sorin.
Stanford 12, Dillon 7
Stanford defeated Dillon in a thrilling contest that was not decided until the end of a wild fourth quarter.
The game opened with a defensive struggle, with neither team able to put points on the board in the first quarter. At the beginning of the second quarter, however, Stanford began connecting through the air and was able to reach the end zone on a touchdown pass from junior quarterback Tony Rizzo to junior receiver Brian Cash. The Griffins missed the ensuing extra-point attempt. Dillon could muster no offense in the first half and the teams went to halftime with Stanford leading 6-0.
The third quarter was also a defensive struggle, as well as the beginning of the fourth quarter. With less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter, however, Stanford had the ball and was looking to run out the clock and escape with a victory.
Dillon junior captain Jordan Smith then stripped the ball from Rizzo and ran the ball back for a touchdown. The Big Red were able to convert the extra point and take a one-point lead with just two minutes to go in the game.
The Griffins then used quick, methodical passes to move the ball to the Dillon 42-yard-line in merely 50 seconds. On the next play, Rizzo again connected with Cash for a 42-yard touchdown pass to give Stanford a 12-7 lead. Dillon tried to quickly score in the waning seconds but the comeback attempt fell short, allowing the Griffins to leave with victory.
"Both teams played hard, I thought we were going to steal one," Smith said. "I wasn't thinking they were going to drive down the field."
He also credited Stanford's defense for stopping the Big Red rushing attack just as they intended to do.
"Dillon played a great game," Stanford senior captain Chris Gill said. "Both defenses played well, and we just got lucky with Cash being open twice."
He was also proud of Rizzo's resiliency, as well as the execution of the Griffin offense on the game-deciding drive. As usual, the Stanford-Dillon matchup had playoff implications.
"It's good to know that we're sitting on top of the division right now," Gill said. Meanwhile, Dillon looks to win out and make the playoffs again, where they will most likely face Stanford again.
"I would love to face Stanford again," Smith said. "I hope they win enough games so that we can play them."
For now, both teams will have to continue their defensive prowess for the rest of the regular season.
Dillon faces Keough next week as Stanford meets O'Neill.
Keenan 3, O'Neill 2
It may have been ugly, but for Keenan it marks the first victory of the season, keeping them in playoff contention.
The lone score of the game came on a second quarter field goal of 41 yards by junior kicker Pablo Martinez. It was his second made field goal this season.
The Knight's defense, led by senior defensive end Tony Clausing who stopped many O'Neill running plays and sophomore defensive back PJ McHugh, has now given up three points or less in two of their games this season.
The Mob offense was on the field for most of the second half, but was unable to come away with any points. The only O'Neill score came on a safety forced by the defense.
"The defense was great," Keenan sophomore quarterback Terry Mahoney said. "Usually it's the offense that milks the clock. I guess that's the epitome of bend-but-don't-break defense. It was a great goal-line stand, but unfortunately they got the safety. We really like the play of the defense."
The Mob defense kept the team in the game, allowing only the second quarter field goal by Martinez. It was a vast improvement over the squad's opening game.
"I thought we did really well on defense," senior captain Charles Johnson said. "We improved from last time. We had a safety, which was really good for us. The defense was great except for the field goal."
Keenan moves to 1-2 on the season and is idle next week. They will face Stanford the following week to conclude the regular season.
"We still have a shot at the playoffs," Mahoney said. "We would just like to finish on the offensive side of the ball. We got close a couple times. We're going to tighten the screws offensively."
Meanwhile, O'Neill will prepare to face Stanford next Sunday.
"We're going to have to keep practicing hard," Johnson said. "Stanford's a tough team. We need to contain the big plays and make a couple plays ourselves."
Morrissey 15, Duncan 0
When Duncan and Morrissey squared off Sunday, both teams were hungry for a win, albeit for different reasons. Duncan was looking for their first win of the season, while Morrissey was looking to keep an undefeated season alive. The Manor came out on top with the shutout victory over the Highlanders.
"This game was pretty rough," Duncan sophomore lineman Paul Scheel said. "We went against a very solid Morrissey team."
The Manor scored on the first offensive possession of the game, marching the ball down the field on a 10-play, 65-yard drive that concluded with a touchdown pass in the back of the end zone.
The Highlanders were able to move the ball well on several possessions, but could not make a great offensive play when it mattered most, and they turned the ball over on downs twice and had time run out on them before the half.
"I think we made another step towards effective offensive production," Scheel said. "We were able to move the ball better than we have previously. We now just need to put it all together."
Credit the Morrissey defense, though, as they stepped up in crucial moments. They were able to pressure the Highlander quarterback all day. Eventually, the pressure became too much as they forced an interception caused by a hit on the quarterback as he threw. On the final possession of the game, the Manorites were able to put the final nail in the coffin by intercepting a long pass as time was winding down.
"Our defense really causes problems," senior linebacker Phil Yuhas said. "It all starts up front. [Defensive linemen] Tom Nield, Spencer White, Brandon Lewis, and Sean Baur do an excellent job of tying up the offensive line and creating havoc in the backfield."
Despite the slow start for the Highlanders, they maintain confident in their ability to win in the future.
"We know what we need to work on," Scheel said. "The entire team believes we can come out and win our next game."
Morrissey will look to continue the winning ways against perennial powerhouse Siegfried next weekend.
"This win just gives us more momentum heading into next week's matchup," Yuhas said. "Everyone played and contributed today, so as a team our experience level is going up, which is always a good thing."
Siegfried 34, Alumni 0
Siegfried's electric offense was too much for Alumni's defense to handle Sunday.
The defending champion Ramblers used three running touchdowns, including two scoring runs over 30-yards by junior quarterback Matt Meinert, to rout Alumni 34-0.
"I scored both of my touchdowns on option plays," Meinert said. "It's a play that we practice a lot. The line did its job and I did mine."
Alumni struggled early to amass any offense. They were hampered by tenacious defense and mental errors, including multiple false start infractions throughout the game. The Dawgs failed to get a first down in the first quarter, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
Siegfried's defense played just as well as its offense, swarming to every tackle and finishing every play. Junior defensive lineman Dan Scime had two sacks, and senior captain Dex Cure took a recovered fumble to the house in the second quarter. This touchdown was one of three scored in the second period for the Ramblers.
The halftime adjustments made by the Dawgs brought a spark to both the offense and defense. They methodically moved the ball down the field, but false start penalties killed their momentum once again. Defensively, they recovered a fumble and only allowed one touchdown in the second half.
However, Alumni encountered more of the same grinding offense from Siegfried. While Meinert connected for a 15-yard touchdown pass, their ability to run the ball at will managed the clock efficiently and kept the Rambler offense on the field for most of the half.
"The run game is our bread and butter," Meinert said.
After this game Siegfried moved to 1-0-1, and Alumni fell to 0-2-1. Next weekend, the Ramblers face a tough Morrissey team, while Knott is next up for the Dawgs.
St. Edward's 27, Fisher 6
Throughout the contest, St. Edward's flexed their offensive muscle and controlled the battle from start to finish on its way to a 27-6 win.
On the first play of the game, a Gentlemen running back broke free for a big gain putting the ball inside the 10-yard line. This play set the tone for the game as the Gentlemen never looked back for the rest of the game.
St. Edward's dominated the game, particularly at the line of scrimmage. The offensive line gave the quarterback enough time to make stellar passes throughout the game. Even the defensive line pressed the Fisher quarterback into making quick decisions that resulted in an untimely interception.
"We felt that we were a lot stronger today than before," St. Edward's senior lineman Rob Dillard said.
The Gentlemen offense dictated the game with their bruising running game and precision passing game. Senior wide receiver Joe DeMott caught four passes and one touchdown during the first half of the game alone.
Fisher struggled to gain ground during the first half; they could not establish a solid run or pass game.
However at the start of the second half, Fisher came out strong. The Green Wave pulled out some trickery with a halfback pass to a wide-open receiver down field.
St. Edward's turned the tide of the game again when a defensive lineman stripped the hand-off from the running back and took off running. The lineman fumbled the ball running to the end zone. Junior lineman Dominic Fanelli picked it up and scored for the Gentleman.
Despite the dreary outcome for Fisher, they continue to look towards the future.
"We are going to get the wind in our sails and get those gears turning," senior captain Jamie Ellis said.
