Stanford def. Knott, 21-0
By Meagan Bens
With its quarterback and receivers in the spotlight at LaBar Practice Complex, Stanford (2-0) shut out Knott (0-1), 21-0.
Despite being well-matched defensively, Stanford junior captain Kevin Kohler said he believed the last couple minutes of the first half set the tone for the rest of the game.
“We were happy to get that fourth down stop right on the goal line during the last two minutes,” Kohler said. “If we didn’t stop them there, it could have been a much different game. But we did, keeping the score 7-0, and in the next half we got those two long touchdowns. We had a nice polished second half. I felt like it was the first time we were putting all the pieces together, starting to become that well-oiled machine we want to be.”
Knott’s senior coach Zach Heller also noted that the turning point came during the last two minutes of the first half.
“Getting stopped at the goal line was the key play,” Heller said. “If we scored there, it would have been a tied game at the half. It killed our momentum, but I thought we played well overall during the first half. Our backup quarterback, senior Cole Feldman, had to play. He jumped in without much practice but did great. Also junior Jackson Wrede, an offensive and defensive lineman, got hurt the second half, which hurt us because he played really well on both sides during the first half.”
After the momentum shifted in the Griffins’ favor, sophomore quarterback Chase Jennings added two more touchdowns to the board with his long passes.
“It started with our quarterback, and our receivers finished it,” Kohler said. “Peter Ryan, who is a transfer and junior here, and is also his first year playing [interhall] football, had two really nice long touchdowns. He probably had 100 yards receiving; it was a huge game for him.”
Moving on to avenge its two consecutive losses in the playoffs to Morrissey, Stanford will face the Manor (0-2) next weekend at 1 p.m., while Knott will face its rival dorm, Siegfried, also at 1 p.m. at LaBar Practice Complex.
Duncan def. Morrissey, 17-8
By Mia Berry
Duncan earned its first victory in over a year when it defeated Morrissey, 17-8, on Sunday.
The first two possessions of the game produced two scores for Duncan (1-1) and a 10-0 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter. The first score, a 15-yard touchdown reception for sophomore Hank Assaf, gave the Highlanders a seven point lead, followed by a 26-yard field goal by junior kicker Matthew Millay. Just before the half, Morrissey (0-2) was on the one-yard line within inches from scoring, but a defensive stop by Duncan as time expired ended that scoring drive.
On the first play of the second half, Morrissey connected on a 45-yard touchdown pass and converted a two-point conversion to cut the lead to 10-8. During a late run in the fourth quarter, a Morrissey touchdown catch was negated by an illegal motion penalty on the Manor.
Morrissey’s comeback efforts ended when Duncan freshman safety James Warren intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned the ball 100 plus yards for the touchdown with just over a minute remaining in the fourth quarter.
Duncan junior captain Thomas Staffieri, who helped convert on three fourth-down catches in the game, said he was very impressed by team’s performance.
“Our offense is clicking at the right time, and the defense played a hell of a game,” Staffieri said. “They made a huge stop at the end both halves to help us get the ‘W’ today.”
With the loss, Morrissey is officially eliminated from playoff contention, but Duncan has a chance to clinch a playoff berth with a win in its final game.
Morrissey senior captain Nicholas Sywyj said he was disappointed with the result of the game.
“It wasn’t good enough,” Sywyj said. “We came out flat first quarter, down 10-0. We weren’t playing as a team. We weren’t even playing football. I really think we really beat ourselves today by not playing with the intensity needed to win the game.”
Morrissey will suit up to play its final game next week 1 p.m. at LaBar Practice Complex against Stanford, while Duncan receives a bye next week and will resume play after fall break for a chance to make playoffs for the first time in dorm history.
Keenan def. Alumni, 14-0
By Kyle Barry
Keenan picked up where it left off last week as the Knights defeated the Dawgs of Alumni, 14-0, on a perfect fall afternoon at LaBar Practice Complex on Sunday.
Sophomore quarterback Daniel Lindstrom led the Knights’ offensive attack early in the first half with two touchdown passes. Although Keenan (2-0) wouldn’t score for the rest of the game, Lindstrom said he was happy with his team’s win.
“I give credit to the offensive line,” Lindstrom said. “They came out firing with the first two touchdowns, then the rest of the game they were keeping it up for me.”
Defensively, the Knights kept the Dawgs (1-1) off the scoreboard the entire game, led by Keenan junior captain Gregory Brainard.
Brainard and the Knights forced three interceptions throughout the game. Special teams also played a major role in the Knights’ win, as sophomore defensive end Melvin Osanya blocked a punt and recovered the ball at Alumni’s 21-yard line, which led to Lindstrom’s second touchdown pass of the game.
Lindstrom, who is also Keenan’s punter, was the key to field position as he punted the ball inside the 10-yard line twice.
As Alumni tried to make a run towards the end of the game, Keenan quickly erased any doubt by making the game-ending interception to seal the 14-0 victory. At the end of the day, Brainard said he was happy with Sunday’s performance, especially with the back-to-back touchdown drives by the offense.
“We had a full head of steam from the beginning of the game,” Brainard said. “Our defense was great, but those two touchdowns really set the tone for us for the rest of the game.”
Brainard said Keenan will look to make adjustments on offense by putting in more plays and prepare for different situations that a defense might show them during the game.
Alumni senior captain Nicholas Lund said his team should have performed better in Sunday’s game.
“We were rusty out there on the field; we didn’t come out hot, but I’m glad that through adversity we came back and held them throughout the second half,” Lund said. “We did have a slow start so that did not help us at all.”
Lund said he believes that in order to be successful in the next game, his team has to be disciplined, know its roles on the field and be mentally prepared in practices and games.
Keenan will look to improve its 2-0 record when it takes on O’Neill at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at LaBar Practice Complex, while Alumni will look to bounce back from this loss and get back to its winning ways when it returns to the field after fall break.
Dunne def. Sorin, 18-2
By Brennan Buhr
Dunne outlasted a shorthanded Sorin, 18-2, in a rain-soaked, defensive battle on Sunday afternoon at LaBar Practice Complex.
The young Sentinels (1-0), who captured their first-ever win in their inaugural game, relied on a consistent rushing attack and a shutdown defensive performance to power their way to victory. Senior captain Joe Schudt, leading a squad of mostly freshmen, had nothing but praise for his defense’s effort and execution, especially in pass coverage.
“We have really good coverage,” Schudt said. “A lot of our guys played defensive back in high school, and they know how to cover passes really well. I think that was a key. It’s just working as a team, making sure that everyone’s covered and accounted for.”
The Sentinels scored first on an impressive first-quarter drive capped off by a short touchdown run. However, neither the Sentinals or Otters (0-2) managed much offense for the rest of the game. A steady rain played a role in this, as it made the ball slick and difficult to handle for both offenses.
In the fourth quarter, the Sentinels turned their defensive intensity up several notches, first forcing and recovering a fumble for a touchdown, then grabbing a game-sealing interception that ultimately led to another six points.
Dunne’s youth and inexperience are no longer a concern to Schudt after Sunday’s win.
“Not anymore, they look great,” Schudt said. “I’m really happy with how we played today. I’m really excited to see where the rest of the season takes us.”
For the Otters, the loss was a difficult one to take, especially since they played the game with numerous key players out of town for the weekend. However, senior fill-in captain T.J. Wilkinson said he was still optimistic after the loss.
“I think we really adjusted well on defense as the game went on,” Wilkinson noted. “We had a couple of bad breaks, and we were short a few guys. I think we’ll be okay, because we have the talent to make a run at the playoffs. We just have to rebound from here.”
Dunne will look to remain undefeated next week as it takes on Carroll, while Sorin looks to rebound against Fisher. Both games will be played Sunday at 2:15 at LaBar Practice Complex.
Cavanaugh def. Lyons, 28-6
By Ryan Lokhorst
Cavanaugh capitalized on four Lyons turnovers to dominate on its way to a 28-6 victory Sunday.
Cavanaugh junior Molly Robinson was the standout performer, accounting for three interceptions and all four touchdowns for the Chaos (2-2).
Lyons started strong with a drive deep into Cavanaugh territory in the second quarter. On fourth-and-goal though, Cavanaugh came up with a clutch interception. Then, in a twist, the Lions opened the scoring with an interception returned for a touchdown on the very next play. That would be the only lead for the Lions, however, as the Chaos scored 28 unanswered points to finish the game.
After a tough loss, Lyons (1-3) is scrambling for answers. Junior captain Carly Meacham said believes the Lions will need to build upon the play of certain key performers.
“[Senior] Monica Ulrich had an awesome game,” Meacham said. “Her interception and a couple tackles were big plays.”
Meacham said she believes the inexperienced team still has much room to improve down the stretch.
“We need to work on throwing and pass routes,” Meacham said. “We’re looking to get better every game.”
With the victory, Cavanaugh is suddenly in the playoff hunt. Chaos senior captain Michaella Wright credited Robinson’s play as a large factor in the win.
“Molly Robinson was on fire today,” Wright said.
Wright also praised the energy and heart of her team and assets that will be valuable in the race for a playoff spot.
“I think we’re looking good,” Wright said. “If we keep playing like this, we’ll be totally fine.”
Cavanaugh will be back in action against Pasquerilla West on Monday at 10 p.m. at Riehle Fields. Lyons will take on McGlinn next Tuesday at 10 p.m. in the same location.
Dillon def. O’Neill, 8-0 (forfeit)
O’Neill forfeited its game against Dillon on Sunday. The result is officially recorded as an 8-0 win for the Big Red, who improve to 1-0 on the season. The Angry Mob (0-2) will look for their first win of the year on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. against Keenan, and Dillon will play Keough at the same time. Both games will take place at LaBar Practice Complex.
