by RIVER GROVE, IL – The St. Patrick Shamrocks compensated for last year’s 41-0 shutout loss by defeating the DePaul College Prep Rams in a thrilling 31-28 win on an exciting homecoming night hosted at Triton College.
First Quarter:
Anthony Catron, a senior running back, was the spark for the Shamrocks’ offense.
He came out fearless and was able to pick up some yardage before getting stopped by Rams senior linebacker Jordan Orcha. The Shamrocks were then forced to punt.
The Rams’ defense held firm throughout the first quarter.
Junior cornerback Khali Hannah intercepted a pass at the Rams’ 5-yard line to end a promising Shamrock touchdown.
Minutes later, Rams junior quarterback Jackson Grabinski connected to sophomore running back Tyson Hooks on an 80-yard touchdown on the right sideline. The Rams entered the second quarter with a 7-0 lead.
Second Quarter:
The Shamrocks came out hot, already having a huge advantage starting on the Rams’ 13-yard line.
After capturing a 2nd and five on the Rams’ 8-yard line and 11:40 still to go in the quarter, Catron blazed through for a short touchdown to tie the game 7-7.
But the Rams fought back. 4 minutes later, Grabinski connected to senior wide receiver Connor Barefield, who broke through the defense thanks to great coverage by his teammate Hooks to reach the Shamrocks’ 2nd-yard line.
Grabinski capitalized on the opportunity and ran the ball in for a touchdown to give the Rams a 14-7 lead with 7:48 remaining in the quarter.
Following the Rams’ touchdown, the Shamrocks took over at their own 20-yard line.
Catron set off for a 55-yard run, setting up his team for a first and 10 at the Rams’ 25-yard line. Shamrocks junior quarterback, Gavin Gardiner, was able to find senior wide receiver, Joey Pemberton, who made it to the Rams’ 6-yard line.
Gardiner then found junior Jayden Miranda in the end zone for a touchdown. The extra point by Joey Costanzo was good, and the game was tied 14-14 with 5:55 to play.
The action did not stop there. Following penalties and solid gains by Hooks, the Rams found themselves back in Shamrock territory with less then 2 minutes left in the quarter.
Hooks proved unstoppable, requiring multiple Shamrock defenders to shut him down. On the Shamrocks’ 11-yard line, he pushed forward for a two-yard gain.
Facing third-and-3 from the nine, Hooks powered through the defense once again and finished the drive in the endzone. The extra point from junior kicker Emmet McCue was good, leaving the Rams 21-14 up at halftime.
Third Quarter:
Both teams battled fiercely in the third quarter, which saw a tie and a lead change, with the Rams ultimately holding a 28-21 lead.
At the 7-minute mark, Cantron tied the game for another touchdown. During that play, Rams junior linebacker Vance Holmes endured an injury. This led the game to be stopped for 15 minutes.
The Rams’ approach to diversity was remarkable after the Shamrocks’ kickoff. Another Grabinski and Barefield connection for a 76-yard touchdown. Extra point was good by McCue and gave the Rams a 28-21 lead with 6:05 to go in the third.
Fourth Quarter:
The Rams held a 28-21 lead entering the fourth quarter, but the Shamrocks quickly closed the gap.
To shorten the lead, the Shamrocks opted for a field goal attempt from 23 yards out. Costanzo’s field goal was good and cut the Rams’ lead to 28-24, with 10:00 remaining in the game.
Shamrock’s defense tightened, limiting Hooks and forcing the Rams to punt with 1:27 left in the game.
Miranda delivered once again, breaking through tackles on a 7-yard touchdown to give the Shamrocks a 31-28 lead.
9 seconds left in the game, and the Rams tried for a 32-yard field goal attempt. It was just wide, and the Shamrocks secured the homecoming victory over the Rams 31-28.
Next Week:
The St. Patrick Shamrocks will travel to Brother Rice to take on the Crusaders. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. CT. As for the DePaul College Prep Rams, they will take on the Loyola Academy Ramblers away, next Friday, kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT.
St. Patrick: 0 14 7 10 = 31
DePaul College Prep: 7 14 7 0 = 28
