WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Catholic football team hosted Western Connecticut on Cardinal Weekend Saturday afternoon, looking to pick up the first victory of the season in its second consecutive home game. Momentum shifted back and forth throughout the game but the Cardinals defense came up with two key stands at the end of the game to lift them past the Wolves 28-27. The victory marked the first one for head coach
Kory David as the leader of the program.
The contest was all knotted up at 21 in the late stages of the third quarter and after the defense forced a three and out a short punt from the Wolves set the Cardinals up on the plus side of the field at the 33 yard line. The drive was kick-started on a fourth down conversion when Charles Gulbin completed a seven-yard pass to Nole Henry. Gublin connected with Henry three more times on the drive to move the ball down to the West Conn two. On first and goal Gulbin found a wide open Adrian Fresen in the back of the end zone to put the Cardinals on top 28-21 with little time left in the third quarter.
The Wolves answered with a touchdown drive to open the fourth quarter to make it a one point game. However, on the extra point West Conn fumbled the snap and Evan Chromy came up with the tackle at the one to keep the Cardinals in front 28-27.
With 1:40 left on the clock, West Conn took the ball at their own 30 and the Catholic defense forced four straight incompletions to force a turnover on downs to help secure the victory.
In the first quarter after a Wolves touchdown started off the scoring in the ballgame with a 75-yard touchdown run, Catholic received an opportunity to get on the board when a muffed punt was recovered by Billy Turner at the 16 on the plus side of the field. Three plays later Gulbin found Henry in the right corner of the end zone to tie the game up.
The Catholic defense made a big play two drives later as Jsai Smith came up with an interception and returned it 53 yards to the West Conn six yard line. The offense cashed in on the great field position as Keegan Eichert punched in a four-yard touchdown run to give the Cardinals their first lead of the game.
The lead was doubled for the Cardinals when Lamar West Jr. broke through the line and took the run to the house from 67-yards away to make it a 21-7 lead. The Wolves added a touchdown in the final seconds of the half to pull back within one possession heading into the break.
The win for the Cardinals made the all-time series against the Wolves even at two games apiece. Catholic is now 1-6 on the season and 1-2 in Landmark play.
West Jr. had a breakout game for Catholic, rushing for 145 yards and a touchdown to average 8.5 yards per carry. The Cardinals as an offense rushed for a season-high 158 yards during the game as they went for 245 yards of offense. Henry hauled in nine passes for 52 yards to go along with his touchdown grab. Eichert has now scored in four consecutive games on the ground.
On the defensive side of the ball, Maximus Desir led the team in tackles with nine, a season-high while also adding half a sack. Chromy and Turner came in behind him eight tackles each and Smith picked up an interception for the second consecutive game.
The Cardinals are back in action on Saturday, October 24 for a road conference game against Moravian. Kickoff is set for 12 pm at Rocco Calvo Field.
