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2nd Ranked J.C. tops Shamrocks
September 10 , 2004
The Saint Patrick Shamrocks knew they were in for a tough game, when they took their 2-0 record on the road to take on the 2nd ranked Hilltoppers of Joliet Catholic.
The defending 5A State Champion Hilltoppers beat the Shamrocks by a score of 45-14.
The Hilltoppers scored early and often to jump out to a big lead. On the first play from scrimmage, Hilltopper quarterback, John Kiernan hit Joe Benson with a screen pass that went for a 70-yard touchdown. After Saint Patrick's first drive went nowhere, the Hilltoppers went 50 yards in six plays with Bill McKeon's three yard run giving them a 14-0 lead with 7:56 remaining in the first quarter.
The Shamrocks responded with an impressive nine play, 81-yard drive to get on the board. Mark Dietz rushed for 25 yards to convert a fourth and 10 to keep the drive alive, and then Tom Barrett hit Nick Infante for an 11-yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Hilltoppers. Joliet Catholic made it 21-7 at the end of a wild first quarter on a 46-yard run by Chris Clancy.
In the second quarter Joliet Catholic scored three more times on two touchdown passes by Kiernan and a Kevin Platt field goal to take a 38-7 lead into the locker room at the half. At the half the Hilltoppers had run 33 plays and gained 323 yards, with 146 rushing and 177 passing. Saint Patrick had been limited to 106 yards in the first half.
The Hilltoppers scored on their first drive of the third quarter, to go up 45-7, and Barrett hit George Hickey on a three-yard touchdown strike, late in the game to complete the scoring at 45-14.
Barrett completed 14 of 28 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns.
Three different Shamrocks caught three passes each. Matt O'Brien caught three balls for 58 yards, Infante caught three passes for 47 yards and a score, and Hickey made three catches for 44 yards and a touchdown. Dietz rushed six times for 44 yards to lead the ground attack.
Defensively, Jack Lonquist and Joe Nee, who each made seven tackles, paced the Shamrocks. Jason Genova added six tackles, and Mark Dietz recorded five tackles and two quarterback hurries. |
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