No. 8-seed St. Edward's (3-2) will look for its second upset of the playoffs when it takes on No. 5-seed Morrissey (4-1) Sunday. Both teams used last-minute touchdowns to advance into the semifinals and are now one victory away from the Stadium.
Last weekend, the Gentlemen beat top-seeded Stanford 18-16 after senior wide receiver Joe DeMott pulled in a touchdown pass with less than a minute left in the game. St. Edward's hopes to continue its Cinderella run with a victory over Morrissey despite the slim odds, said senior captain Andy Nester.
"Believe," he said. "We can do this."
Nester also said certain signs of commitment to Gentlemen football have unified his team.
The recent work of freshman cornerback Zach Siefring highlights the strong St. Edward's defense that hopes to silence a strong Morrissey offense.
Morrissey junior captain Phil Yuhas said his squad is more than ready to respond to a strong Gentlemen defense with a strong defensive performance of its own.
"We've had great practices this week," he said. "We plan to switch our defense up to counteract their passing game. They said that they have the best three receivers in the league, and we rolled our eyes at that a little bit."
Morrissey plans on coming out strong and feeding off their close win last week. Morrissey scored a touchdown with slightly more than minute remaining, and instead of kicking the extra point to tie the game, the Manorites attempted a two-point conversion for the win.
The successful play gave Morrissey a 15-14 victory over the No. 4-seed Dillon.
"We didn't play our best, but we showed a lot of heart and never gave up," Yuhas said.
Morrissey will look to use its heart to end St. Edward's Cinderella run Sunday at 1 p.m. at LaBar Fields.
Siegfried vs. Knott
With a trip to the Stadium on the line, rival dorms Siegfried (3-1-1) and Knott (4-0-1) will meet head-to-head Sunday for the second time this season.
The two teams play in the same division, so they are already familiar with each other's style of play. They met in the second week of the season, finishing with a 6-6 tie in a game both teams thought they could have won.
"I guess it's a double-edged sword really," Knott senior captain Aidan Fitzgerald said. "We know that they're a really good team and what their strengths are, which makes it a little easier knowing what to expect on Sunday. But, they know what we have too."
Siegfried senior captain Dex Cure echoed Fitzgerald's thoughts.
"We have an idea what they will run against us," Cure said. "On the other hand, they have seen what we are going to give them too, so I think any advantage is basically evened out by that fact."
The fact that Siegfried and Knott are rivals adds yet another dimension to the game.
"We always want to beat Knott and they want to beat us," Cure said. "Add to that the fact that it is the semifinals, and I think both teams will come out very motivated."
Both teams are carrying momentum from big playoff wins a week ago. Siegfried upset
Sorin and scored the first points of the season on the Otters defense in a 10-6 victory. The Ramblers did not celebrate too long, and instead shifted their focus to the upcoming game.
"We are preparing with great intensity and focus," Cure said.
Knott, on the other hand, dominated Carroll in the quarterfinals, shutting them out 21-0.
However, the Juggerknotts know Siegfried presents a whole new challenge.
"In order to win, I think we have to stay focused, and continue to play hard-nosed, team football," Fitzgerald said.
Siegfried also isn't taking anything for granted. The defending champions are approaching this game with great caution.
"Knott has been a force this year, and it is certainly going to be a challenge," Cure said.
If Siegfried wins, it will give them a chance to defend their title from last year. Knott, on the other hand, is looking for its first title of the decade when the two meet Sunday at 2 p.m. at LaBar Fields.
