CA FootBall 2008 Ready For Battle

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Sec 5 1st Round

The McQuaid Jesuit Knights dodged Saturday's rainstorm, but were unable to elude the big red machine, or the long arm of the Brave law — Marshall Johnson.

“I am so proud of him,” said Dave Nieman, CA head coach. “To be honest, we’re not even in this ball game without Marshall Johnson. He’s a tremendous athlete, and a force to be reckoned with. He threw and ran the ball very well today.”

In a see-saw gridiron battle right down to the wire, the Brave’s out-jousted the Knights, 28-27 Saturday at Evans Field in the season opener for both teams.

“I’m estatic about the win,” Nieman said. “We’re the champions and we take a lot of pride in that. These kids learned how to fight today. They fought and did exactly what they should have done.”

Braves Defeat McQuaid

Decked in their cherry red tops, the Braves got on the board first on a Nick Michalko 10-yard scamper, following stellar lead blocking by senior Sean Regan. Joel Stitt’s extra point boot put CA in front 7-0, with 2:43 left in the opening quarter.

Michalko finished the day with 138 yards on 25 carries.

The Knights quickly responded, but were unable to match the tally of the Braves and had to settle for a 25-yard Pat Jenkins field goal kick, cutting their deficit to four at the 10:30 mark in the second quarter.

On the ensuing drive, the Braves methodically marched deep into McQuaid territory. With 3:10 left before the half, fullback Austin Hamilton slipped out of the backfield and hauled in a wide open Johnson pass for an eight-yard touchdown. A successful point after attempt extended the Braves’ lead, 14-3.

“It feels good,” Johnson said. “There weren’t any nerves going on with me, and everything went well.”

On the Knights next possession, Hamilton stripped the ball from Tomarris Bell to return possession to CA. The Braves responded as John Klein waltzed into the end zone off a 32-yard bullet from Johnson.

Klein finished up with four grabs for 109 yards and one score.

The extra point kick split the uprights, and forged the Braves further ahead, 21-3, shell-shocking McQuaid.

McQuaid wasted no time opening up the third quarter, and Bell proved to the home team why he was the top player in Section 5 with a scintillating 34-yard burst down the sideline for a Knights score. Johnson’s extra point kick closed the gap, with the Braves still ahead, 21-10.

Touchdown!

Lightning struck twice at Evans Field, as Bell blazed right down the middle of the field for a 52-yard touchdown following an impressive McQuaid defensive stand, and Johnson’s point after kick put the Knights within four.

Unable to produce offensively, the Braves handed the ball back to the Knights, and a Kent Kozar touchdown pass to Jenkins pulled McQuaid ahead for the first time of the game, 24-21.

Johnson found junior Gannon Osborn from 7-yards out for the game-winning score with 11:46 left in the fourth quarter.

Less than two minutes later, Jenkins tacked on three more points for the Knights with another 25-yard field goal, but McQuaid’s comeback attempt fell shy.

John & His Favorite Fans