The Saint Patrick Shamrocks saw their hopes for an IHSA State Playoff berth disappear in a most painful fashion, when they squandered a 10-point second-half lead, ultimately losing to Benet Academy by a score of 23-20 on a last second field goal.  The Shamrocks are now 2-5 on the season and 1-4 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference.

The Shamrocks took the opening kickoff and they established their running game, running the ball 11 straight times for 70 yards before turning the ball over on downs at the Red Wing 20.  Benet struck on their first play from scrimmage, when Jimmy Riley heaved a pass down the right sideline, hitting Emmet Carrier in stride for an 80-yard touchdown strike that put Benet up 7-0.  The Shamrocks got the ball back and drove 46 yards, highlighted by a 38-yard run around right end by Luis Sanchez, but they had to punt. 

The Shamrock defense forced a Benet punt, and the Shamrocks tied the game at seven early in the second quarter when Adam Nitsche went 36-yards off left tackle for his seventh touchdown of the season.  Another defensive stop followed, and the Shamrocks got the ball back on their own 18-yard line.  The Shamrocks put together their most impressive drive of the night, going 82 yards in nine plays for a touchdown.  The big play of the drive was a 45-yard completion down the right sideline from Mike Fabrizio to Brian Falagario on third and seven.  Two plays later, Fabrizio hit Jeff Dicks for an eight-yard touchdown pass that put the Shamrocks ahead 14-7 going into the half.

Benet took the opening kick of the second half, and drove 67 yards in nine plays, leading to a 28-yard field goal by Kevin Kron that made it 14-10 in favor of the Shamrocks.  

The Shamrocks went three and out, but on Benet’s next possession, Riley had a pass intercepted by Eric Silva, which Silva returned 37-yards for a touchdown that put the Shamrocks ahead 20-10 after Conor Joyce’s point after touchdown missed.  That missed extra point would come back to haunt the Shamrocks in the fourth quarter.

Benet came right back with a six play, 67-yard drive, capped by a Dan McGue six-yard touchdown run that made the score 20-17 in favor of Saint Patrick.  The Shamrocks responded with a 14-play, 54-yard drive.  Saint Patrick faced what might have been the most important play of the game on a fourth and two from the Benet three-yard line.  Fabrizio set up in the shotgun, with five wide receivers, and he found Dicks in the back of the end zone, but Dicks couldn’t hold on to the ball for what might have been a clinching touchdown.

The Shamrock defense held, and they got the ball back at the Benet 30-yard line, following a fine return by Eddie Ortiz for 15-yards.  On the first play from scrimmage, Sanchez fumbled, and the Red Wings recovered at their own 34.  Benet wasn’t able to take advantage of the fumble right away, going three and out in their next series, but the field position battle had shifted.  Benet’s Phil Schmidt intercepted a Fabrizio pass on the Shamrocks next possession, setting Benet up with a short field at the Shamrock 35.  It took the Red Wings eight plays to move the ball 16 yards before Kron kicked a 36-yard field goal that tied the game at 20 with only 3:27 left to play.

The Shamrock offense was unable to move the ball, and a 12-yard punt gave Benet the ball in Shamrock territory at the 48-yard line.  Benet went four and out, and the Shamrocks got the ball back at their own 34 with 1:09 to play.  The Shamrocks went three and out, and they lined up to punt the ball away with just under a minute left to play.  The snap was high, and Joyce made a nice play to catch the snap, but Benet blocked his kick, taking the ball over at the Shamrock 12-yard line with 43 seconds to play.  Dan McGue rushed twice for nogain, and the Red Wings called timeout with seven seconds remaining in the game to set up a 29 yard field goal for Kron.  Kron knocked the kick through to give the Red Wings a 23-20 victory.

Many Shamrocks had strong individual games: Sanchez carried the ball 21 times for 123 yards, and Nitsche, splitting time between offense and defense, rushed 14 times for 85 yards.  Fabrizio completed 11 of 22 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown.  Dicks, was the leading receiver, hauling six passes for 42 yards and a touchdown. 

Defensively, Michael Labek led the Shamrocks with eight tackles, while Nick Madsen and Patrick Whalen each recorded six tackles, and Joyce posted five.

Saint Patrick plays at Nazareth Academy next Saturday at 1:30pm.