WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Catholic football team returned home to Cardinal Stadium for its first Landmark home game of the season against Juniata on Family Weekend. Trailing 17-13 midway through the fourth quarter, the Cardinals offense march down the field on a 12-play, 88 yard drive with freshman running back Chris Smith doing the bulk of the damage on the drive, capping it off with a two-yard touchdown run to give them a 20-17 lead that would spur a victory over the Eagles.

On the go-ahead touchdown drive, Smith carried the ball five times and picked up 60 yards including his touchdown run that put Catholic on top. Charles Gulbin also had a key 11 yard scramble on third and nine to keep the drive alive. Smith's longest run on the drive was a 21-yard carry that set the Cardinals up with first and goal on the 2.

After Smith's touchdown, the Cardinals defense came up with a clutch three and out and Evan Chromy forced a fumble that the Eagles recovered that set up a third and long. Carter Virsik came up with the tackle on third and 10 four yards shy of the line to gain. 

Catholic picked up three first downs on the next drive to bleed the clock down to 2:11, but Juniata forced a fumble and Damiyr Martinez came up with the recovery to give the Eagles a shot to tie or take the lead in the final two minutes. On the next Juniata drive, Catholic forced a third and eight and Ramonte Haigler came up with the game sealing play, picking off Ethan Eisenberg's pass to allow the Cardinals to kneel the game out and capture a 20-17 win. 

The Cardinals opened up the scoring in the opening quarter of the game after a turnover on downs allowed the offense to take over at their own 46. Gulbin found Nole Henry twice on the drive and capped it off with a 37-yard strike into the end zone to give Catholic a 7-0 lead.

Juniata found the end zone for the first time in the second quarter with an 18-play 75 yard drive to tie things up at seven going into the halftime break.

After the Eagles started the second half off with a field goal to take a 10-7 lead with 10:05 remaining in the half, the Cardinals offense answered with a 63 yard touchdown drive to take the lead back quickly. Gulbin started off the drive with back-to-back first down completions to Cade Chrebet and Hayden Kennedy for gains of 10 and 24. Catholic picked up a key conversion on third and 10 at the Juniata 19 when Gulbin once again found Kennedy for a 14 yard pick up to set up first and goal. Gulbin was flushed out to his right on second down and found Andrew Tabor open in the back right corner of the end zone for a seven yard touchdown. The extra point was missed and the Cardinals held onto a 13-10 lead.

The win moved the Cardinals to 2-4 on the season and they are now 1-1 in conference play. Catholic is now 3-0 all-time against Juniata.

Gulbin once again played a poised game at quarterback, completing 20 of his 27 passes for 212 yards and a pair of passing touchdowns. Smith had a career-day for Catholic as the freshman ran for a career-high 108 yards on 18 carries while scoring his first career touchdown. As a team, the Cardinals ran for a season-high 172 yards in the win.

Kennedy also had multiple career-highs in the win with seven catches for 89 yards. Henry matched his career-high in catches with six for a career-high 78 yards while hauling in his second touchdown catch of the season. Tabor's touchdown snag in the third quarter was his 100th career reception and second touchdown of the year.

Freshman Evan Chromy recorded 13 tackles, his season-high, to lead the team while adding 1.5 tackles for loss. Eric Islami finished the game with added nine tackles and Michael Hopkins and Ryan Creston both finished with eight. Hopkins led Catholic in TFL's with 2.5. Haigler's game-sealing interception was his first of the season and of his career. It was the second interception by a Catholic player on the season.

The Cardinals next game is a Landmark contest against Moravian on Saturday, October 18 on Family Weekend. Kickoff is set for 12 pm on Cardinal Stadium against the Greyhounds.