WASHINGTON, D.C. - Tied 7-7 with the ball on its own four-yard line with 6:09 to play, Catholic marched the ball 78 yards to set up a 35-yard field goal with three seconds left on the clock to defeat McDaniel 10-7 in Friday night's season opener. 

Chris Smith ran the ball five times for 46 yards on the first six plays of Catholic's final drive, setting up a 1st and 10 at the McDaniel 43-yard line. After a two-yard Kyle Comstock rush, Daequan Harvin re-entered the contest, running the ball three times for 29 yards to set up 1st and Goal at the eight. An errant snap and a 12-yard loss forced Catholic to burn its final timeout with 36 seconds left, setting up 2nd and Goal from the 20. Freshman Brady McBride connected with Andrew Tabor for seven yards, pushing the Cardinals back up to the 13-yard line. A false start as Catholic tried to spike the ball pushed the ball back to the 18-yard line and was followed by a 10-second runoff, forcing the Cardinals to rush Brent Fardette III and the kicking unit out onto the field with time winding down. The snap and hold were true and Fardette III's first career collegiate field goal attempt sailed through the upright with three ticks on the clock. 

The other key moment in the second half of the contest came on a McDaniel drive starting with 4:46 left in the third quarter. Starting with the ball on their own eight-yard line, Micajah Cobbs rushed for 13 yards to give McDaniel breathing room before Jayden Booker completed a deep ball over the middle of the field to Grayson Wendel. Looking like he was going to coast in for a touchdown and a McDaniel lead, Wendel was pulled down at the one-yard line by Carter Virsik and Ryan Creston. On 1st and Goal from the one, Cobbs was slung down by Michael Hopkins and Zamarion Williams for a loss of five before three straight incompletions gave the Cardinals the ball back with the game still deadlocked. 

The Cardinal defense was stout throughout, allowing just 257 yards despite the 78-yard gain in the third quarter. Luke Testa recorded the team's lone sack while Tyler Donnelly came away with an interception for the Cardinals. Evan Chromy racked up nine tackles and two TFLs in his collegiate debut. 

Catholic's lone touchdown came on its first drive of the contest as McBride found Cade Chrebet for a 15-yard strike with just over five minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Catholic's first offensive play was a 16-yard strike from McBride to Nole Henry, getting the drive off on the right foot. McBride found Henry once more on 4th and 4 from the McDaniel 39, connecting for 23 yards. 

McDaniel's lone touchdown came in the third quarter as Booker ran it in from one yard out in the heart of the third quarter, finishing off an 80-yard drive to tie the contest. A 28-yard rush from Cordae James put the Green Terror into the red zone. 

Harvin, despite battling cramps, rushed 12 times for 85 yards on the night while Smith added an impressive 61 yards on seven rushes. McBride tossed for 177 yards and a touchdown in his debut. 

Catholic returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 13 at Capital in Columbus, Ohio.