by This regional semi final matchup between the Padua Bruins and the Benedictine Bengals was an absolute brawl between two run centric teams. Bengals running back Chris Maloney was virtually unstoppable in this game. He racked up 258 hard fought rushing yards and 3 scores, along with a 20 yard receiving touchdown. Padua’s Roderick Love was just as great, boasting 262 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns. While both rushing games were dominant, ultimately Padua’s more efficient passing game and clutch defense were the factor in this one. The Bruins took down the Bengals 42-28 in this thriller of a game.
The Benedictine Bengals came out slinging the ball to start and things seemed to be working out as they picked up 2 quick first downs. That was until Padua defensive back Conner Williams jumped a route and gave the Bruins the ball with an Interception. The Bruins started at their own 44 yard line and moved the ball with ease. The 4 play drive was highlighted by a 25 yard pass to Brady Devore and a 16 yard touchdown run from star running back Roderick Love to make the game 7-0 early in the first quarter.
After the Interception the Bengals came out running the ball. They saw Padua’s Rodrick Love and raised them Chris Maloney who ran for 67 yards on the Bengals 8 play scoring drive. Maloney looked like a freight train refusing to get tackled and bringing defenders with him all drive. He capped off the nice drive with a 13 yard touchdown run making it a 7-7 game with 4 minutes left in the first.
Benedictine’s defense showed up on the next drive forcing a 3 and out completely flipping the momentum. However after a too many men on the field call on the punt, Padua was given a first down. After some more Bengal penalties Padua found themselves in plus territory but in a 3rd down and 18. Quarterback Nick Barker took the snap and heaved one deep down the seam. Senior Riley Cervenka broke free from his defender and made a great catch for a 41 yard score, making the game 14-7 and the end of the first quarter.
The Bruins forced a 3 and out and got right back to work with Roderick Love and the run game. Love took a 33 yard run to the 1 yard line on the 4th play of the drive. He hit the outside and then did his best Barry Sanders impression, weaving in and out of defenders, juking them out of their shoes. He scored the 1 yard touchdown on the next play making it a 21-7 game with 10 minutes left in the half.
The Bengals got the ball back and went back to what works, Chris Maloney. They moved the ball slowly up the field until Maloney took one up the gut and broke it out for a 40 yard score, making the game 21-14 after just a minute and a half long drive.
Benedictine got the ball back after a Padua punt and it seemed to be a nothing drive as they were only moving backwards. That was until Chris Maloney, 2 plays after getting sick on the sideline, broke out a phenomenal 59 yard touchdown run knotting the game up at 21 with 5 minutes left in the half.
The back and forth continued on the next drive as Barker found Cervanka wide open for a 58 yard score less than a minute after the Bengals score. This put them back up 28-21. Both teams would exchange turnovers on back to back plays but nothing came of them, keeping the score 28-21 going into half.
The third quarter was nothing like the first half. The game went from a back and forth brawl to a slow clock running affair where Padua was in full control. The Bruins only allowed the Bengals to have the ball once in the quarter while they controlled the game by running the clock on their 2 possessions. They ended the quarter at the 5 yard line where Roderick love would take in for the score on the first play of the fourth. This made the game 35-21 early in the final quarter.
Benedictine got the ball back desperate for a quick score. They put together an 8 play drive that took up about 3 minutes and found themselves at the 20 yard line with a 4th down and 10 to go. With the game on the line the Bengals went with a pass and quarterback Matthew Furst found Chris Maloney out of the backfield for a 20 yard score making the game 35-28 with 7 minutes left in the game.
The celebration for the Bengals did not last long however. 2 plays after the Maloney touchdown, Roderick Love took a draw to the outside and housed it from 60 yards out. This made the game 42-28 with 6:30 left in the game.
Needing a score quick to keep their season alive, Benedictine drove down inside the redzone. On a 2nd and short, Furst fumbled the exchange to Maloney and it was recovered by the Bruins defense. They ran the clock and the Bengals would get the ball back but there was just not enough time, giving the Padua Bruins a 42-28 win in this semi final regional playoff game.
The Bruins will play the Central Catholic Fighting Irish next week at a neutral site in a fight to be this region’s champion.
