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Shamrocks Pull Out Thriller at Marist, 17-13
September 24, 2004
On fourth down the tension is almost palpable. On fourth down it is do or die for both teams. The game between the Saint Patrick Shamrocks and the Marist Redhawks on September 24 was decided by three fourth down plays in the last five minutes of the game.
Leading 17-13 with four and a half minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Saint Patrick took a gamble. Facing a fourth and a foot at their own 36-yard line, the Shamrocks decided to go for it.
Tom Barrett was stopped on a quarterback sneak, and Marist took over on downs. Five plays later, the Redhawks faced fourth and 18 from the Shamrock 27. Scot Slubowski hit Donnie Skelly with a pass down the left sideline for 19 yards and a first down at the Saint Patrick eight-yard line.
Following two runs and an incomplete pass, the Redhawks had fourth and goal from the Shamrock four. This time, Saint Patrick came out on top. Pat Gallagly knocked Slubowski's pass out of the hands of Redhawk receiver Jeremy Nash in the end zone, and Saint Patrick escaped with a 17-13 victory.
The victory put the Shamrocks at 4-1, moving them a step closer to an IHSA Playoff berth.
The game started off as a game of ball control as each team held the ball for a long, time consuming drive that ate up the entire first quarter. Marist took the opening kickoff and drove 44 yards on 13 plays. When the Shamrock defense stopped them, the Redhawks attempted a 43-yard field goal, which fell short.
Not to be outdone, Saint Patrick embarked on a 12 play, 80-yard drive, capped off by when Barrett lobbed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jason Genova in the left corner of the end zone. Mike Kotz's kick failed, and the Shamrocks were ahead 6-0 with 11:36 remaining in the 2nd quarter.
The teams traded punts on the next four possessions, before Marist took advantage of a short field and a pass interference penalty to score late in the half, with Scott Slubowski hitting Jeremy Nash for a 15 yard score. The point after was good, and the Redhawks were ahead 7-6 with only 57 seconds remaining in the half.
Saint Patrick used another long drive, midway through the third quarter to take the lead. The Shamrocks drove 71 yards on 10 plays, scoring on Mark Dietz's 24-yard run off right tackle. Barrett threw to Kevin Golden for the two-point conversion, and the Shamrocks were ahead 14-7.
Kotz gave the Shamrocks a 17-7 edge when he finished off a seven play, 30-yard drive with a 37-yard field goal with 9:25 left to play. Kotz's kick made it by the narrowest of margins, hitting the crossbar before going through.
Marist came right back with a 10 play, 70 yard drive, finished by Slubowski's one-yard plunge with 6:14 left in the fourth. The Redhawks missed the extra point, setting up the dramatic final minutes of the game.
Barrett was brilliant for the Shamrocks, completing 16 of 22 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown. Barrett spread the ball around, as seven different Shamrocks caught passes in the game.
Nick Infante led all receivers with six grabs for 61 yards. On the ground, Dietz and Mike Lupa split the halfback load with 12 carries each. Dietz gained 63 yards and scored a touchdown, while Lupa gained 55 yards.
Defensively, the Shamrocks limited Marist to 131 yards of offense on 50 plays, with Dietz leading the way. Dietz tallied eight tackles, three tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks for the game. Mike Bertini added 1.5 sacks, and Jason Genova batted down three Redhawk passes. |
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