The St. Thomas Varsity football team triumphed 51-41 in what is projected to be their most challenging game of the season at home against highly ranked Austin Regents on September 15, 2023. The 1st quarter flashed signs of a shootout with score after score, but St. Thomas pulled away with 16 unanswered points in the second quarter. This lead proved insurmountable as Austin Regents unsuccessfully clawed for a comeback throughout the game.
“The most exciting part of the game was when Donte ran for a long rushing touchdown. Almost the whole senior section was falling to the ground because of the hype.” Ben Brown ‘24 said.
Donte Lewis ‘24 shined as a passer, but his biggest impact came through his 150 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. Lewis’s production almost matched running back Johann Cardenas ‘24, who had 178 yards and 2 touchdowns on 32 carries, with only 6 carries himself, and his 61-yard rushing touchdown as time expired in the 2nd quarter was the highlight of the game.
“What led to my running success was really just my big guys up front being a wall for me every play. They don’t get enough love when all the wins are tallied up.” Lewis said.
While Lewis’s play changed the atmosphere of the game, it was a late 2nd-quarter 4th down stop by the Eagles defense that set up Lewis and the offense that was pivotal to the dominant win. Standout defensive players included Blake Coogan ‘23 and Tyler Day ‘24 who both had 9 tackles and 2 pass deflections with Coogan separating himself by an interception.
“I started off slow and gave up some big plays, and after that, I knew I needed to get myself together. So I had a good comeback and did better for the remainder of the game” Coogan said.
The receivers also deserve recognition for their 294 combined receiving yards, tearing up Austin Regents from the air to complement the ground game. While not as dominant as in previous games, Luke Edgecomb ‘24 caught 11 passes for 87 yards with a touchdown and Cardenas did his best Christian McCaffery impression, grabbing 8 receptions for 124 yards on top of his work on the ground.
“This was the most difficult secondary we have faced so far. They were well-coached and fast. Scoring feels great, but it was Larry Benton’s catch that set up my touchdown. Having the best receiving core in Texas we take all the focus, leading to less people to guard the run game.” Edgecomb said
This is the 3rd win on St. Thomas’s undefeated campaign, gaining a 3-0 start to the season. The victory gives reason for high hopes this season as no future opponent on the Eagles’ schedule is as highly touted as Austin Regents, so smooth sailing should be expected as the team looks to keep their perfect record. This is especially true for the upcoming game on September 22 against John Paul II who looks to be no match for the red-hot Eagles.
“It was a great team win and it shows a lot of promise for the rest of the season. There shouldn’t be any more close games like that for the foreseeable future.” Jacob Davidson ‘24 said.
