Junior tailback Adam Nitsche scored four touchdowns to lead the Saint Patrick Shamrocks to a 35-7 victory over the Chargers of St. Joseph in an East Suburban Catholic Conference game on Saturday, September 15.  Nitsche scored on runs of one, three and five yards.   Nitsche also caught a swing pass from quarterback Mike Fabrizio that he turned into a 27-yard touchdown.  The Shamrocks are now 2-2 overall and 1-1 in E.S.C.C. play.  

Both teams started tentatively, failing to pick up a first down on the first three possessions of the game.  The Shamrocks’ Eddie Ortiz set up the first score of the game when he fielded a bouncing punt at the Shamrock 35 yard line and returned it all the way to the Chargers four-yard line.  Nitsche got the call twice, scoring from one yard out to give Saint Patrick a 7-0 lead.  After the Shamrock defense forced another three and out, the offense started to click.  The Shamrocks drove 60 yards on 10 plays, with Nitsche scoring from three-yards out to make the score 14-0. 

On the final play of the first quarter, Kevin Whelan intercepted a pass by St. Joseph quarterback Cameron Meredith and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown to give the Shamrocks a 21-0 lead after one period of play.

The Shamrocks scored one more touchdown in the first half, driving 55 yards on seven plays, with Nitsche taking a short pass from Fabrizio and bursting through the Charger defense for a 27-yard score.  The score at the half was 28-0 in favor of the Shamrocks

An interception by linebacker David Giese that he returned to the Chargers’ nine-yard line gave the Shamrocks a short field.  Nitsche punched it in from five yards out two plays later, and the score was 35-0, and the game was out of reach.  The Shamrocks used the rest of the game as an opportunity to get their non-starters some playing time.  Saint Joseph quarterback James DeSanto hit Ronald Moore with a 14-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to finish the scoring.

Nitsche finished the day with 77 yards rushing on 21 carries.  Ryan O’Hayer gained 25 yards on nine carries in the fourth quarter.  Mike Fabrizio competed eight of 14 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown.  Dan DiCanio completes three of five passes for 52 yards and one interception.  DiCanio’s interception was the first turnover committed by the Shamrock offense since the opening game of the year, four weeks ago.

The Shamrock defense was dominant.  The Chargers gained a grand total of two yards on their first ten possessions, before gaining 99 yards on their final four possessions.  Steve Odarczenko had four tackles, two tackles for loss, including a sack, to lead the defense.  Jeff Dohnal, Luis Ortiz, and Giese all added three tackles.  Nick Casey had a quarterback sack, while Eddie Farrer, Mike Byrnes, Nick Madsen, and Luis Ortiz were all credited with a half of a sack.

Next week the Shamrocks host Marist in an E.S.C.C. game on Saturday night at Hanson Stadium.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00pm.