WESTMINSTER, Md. – The Catholic football team began the 2026 campaign against McDaniel in the first game under head coach
Kory David, looking to start the season off with a victory. Both defenses effectively keep the opposing offenses from scoring, but the Green Terror took a 13-0 lead into the halftime break and held up enough in the second half to knock off the Cardinals, 13-7.
After a fumble from the Cardinals set the Green Terror just outside the red zone at the 27-yard line, the defense came up with a big stop as Shane Toal was in coverage on a pass to the end zone to force a turnover on downs.
The Catholic defense came up with another key red zone stop on the next drive after McDaniel drove the ball down to the eight yard line. On first and goal, Cordae James coughed up the football and James Mancini pounced on the loose ball to force the first turnover of the season for the Cardinals. The Green Terror immediately recovered a fumble at the Cardinals one yard line on the ensuing snap and one play later punched in a one-yard touchdown run to take a 6-0 lead with 12:51 left to go in the first half.
McDaniel forced a three and out and got the ball back and their own 46 yard line, it added another touchdown on the board on a 24-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 13-0.
Brady McBride provided a spark on the Cardinals next drive with a 36-yard scramble to set them up at the Green Terror 41 yard line. Chris Smith picked up a third down conversion with a nine-yard rush up the middle, followed up by a nine-yard scamper from McBride to put Catholic in the red zone. The drive came to a halt after a deflected pass was picked off by the Green Terror to put an end to the threat and send the game into halftime at 13-0.
The Catholic defense stepped up in a big way on McDaniel's first two drives of the second half, forcing a missed field goal and a turnover on downs in the red zone to keep the deficit at 13, highlighted by Billy Turner making a key tackle short of the first down marker to give the ball back to the Cardinals offense.
An 18-yard punt return from Lamar West Jr. set the Cardinals up at the Green Terror 31, McBride connected with Bobby Hartman for five yards on fourth down to keep the drive alive. The drive came down to another fourth down and 14 and McBride connected with Jake Melograna on the left sideline, who waltzed into the end zone to put the Cardinals on the board, making it a 13-7 ballgame.
McDaniel got the ball back after a punt with 2:32 on the clock and were able to pick up a couple first downs to run out the clock and capture the win, dropping Catholic to 0-1 on the season.
McBride threw for 148 yards and a touchdown, completing seven passes for 68 yards to Adrian Fresen which led the team and were career-highs in both categories for the junior. Melograna's touchdown catch in the fourth quarter was the first in his career as he hauled in three passes for 34 yards.
Turner turned in an impressive collegiate debut, leading the team with nine tackles and two hits on the quarterback. Sean Finan and Ryan Creston each finished with seven tackles as well to help the defensive effort.
The Cardinals will play their home opener on Saturday, September 12 against Carnegie Mellon. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 pm on Cardinal Stadium.
