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With Lion freshman quarterback Timothy Brady again leading Carroll on a drive to the Ireton 2 yard line, Coach Rich Houchens called for a pass to the flat. Brady tossed 4 TD passes the week before against St Mary's Ryken, but this time a veteran corner, senior Doug Vines stepped in front of the receiver and took off on a school record 97-yard scamper for a defensive touchdown that made it 14-0 Cardinals when Theo Daubresse added his second PAT.
A second key to the Ireton win was the play of the defense throughout the contest. While the offense tallied twice in the second period, it was the defense led by senior Jay Green, that ultimately saved the day for the cardinal and gold. Green played havoc all afternoon in the Archbishop Carroll backfield, including causing a fumble, then gathering it in deep in Lion territory. That turnover led to Noon's second TD pass of the day to senior Dom Puglise, a 12 yarder, to up the lead to 20-0 as the half expired. The PAT was blocked, a signal for more trouble that lay ahead for the Cardinals in the second half.
Ireton knew Carroll was big, athletic, and talented. They found out that, for the second week in a row, they also are not quitters. After a 65-yard kickoff return, the Lions went right to work and quickly put their first point on the board when Carroll's Thompson dashed untouched into the endzone from 8 yards out. Carroll's defense stiffened and the teams traded punts into the fourth quarter. Miscues by the Lions crippled their comeback attempt, however, with a fumble on a punt and a key roughing the punter penalty giving new life to the Cardinals in the second half when the offense struggled with the bigger Lion defense.
It was another Ireton miscue however, that put Carroll back in the game early in the final quarter. With the Cardinals inside the Carroll 5 yard line, the fourth down field goal appeared to be nearly automatic for Daubresse. But Maryland-bound linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu was through the line almost as fast as the snap and for the second time Ireton had a place kick blocked. This time Attaochu scooped up the bouncing pigskin and turned a possible 17-point lead into a 20-12 nailbiter. Momentum had clearly swung to the green and gold-clad visitors.
Senior punter Kevin Galloway kept the Lions on a longer field with booming punts and the defense clung doggedly to the lead. As the offense struggled to gain yards and burn clock, Carroll's Brady broke free for the Lion's third TD, a 28-yard dash to the east endzone. When the Carroll attempt for a two-point conversion fell short, the near capacity crowd roared its approval or possibly relief. There was still time on the clock and it was left to the Green and the defense. When the Alexandria school got the ball back, the stadium watched anxiously as the clock slowly ticked down. With still another punt, the Cardinals appeared to be in trouble. But a costly Carroll miscue, the roughing the kicker penalty gave Ireton new life. Nothing proved easy for the Cardinals however, and with six seconds on the clock, quarterback Mike Larrabee tripped backpedalling in an attempt to run out the clock on 4th down, giving Carroll one last shot with :01 remaining in the contest and half the field in front of them. When Brady's final attempt fell incomplete, the Cards' bench rushed onto the field, realizing they barely survived Carroll's comeback.
Bishop Ireton (1-0) looks to avenge last year's loss to Riverdale Baptist when they visit Fannon Field Saturday at 2pm. The Crusaders (1-1) were drilled by DeMatha Saturday 38-0 after an opening season win. Archbishop Carroll (1-1) takes on Landon next weekend.
