Cardinals improve to 5-1 with win over Flint Hill

Senior Brenden Peifer (19) makes a spectacular TD grab vs Flint Hill.

Bishop Ireton’s number 2 ranked football team outlasted a determined Flint Hill squad on a Friday afternoon in Alexandria, 24-21.

The Huskies rode the strong running of senior Cameron Vaughn to hang with the heavily favored Cardinals. Their first drive was thwarted by junior cornerback Corey Johnson, whose interception on the Ireton 10 yard line was returned to the Flint Hill 20. Junior David Cooper kicked a 31-yard field goal to give Ireton an early 3-0 advantage.

Flint Hill answered with a 68-yard drive, again on the rushing of Vaughn and senior Christian Martey. On the first play of the second quarter Vaughn rambled 24 yards to score. A Matt McClements extra point vaulted the Oakton visitors to a 7-3 lead with 11:47 remaining in the second quarter.

Bishop Ireton answered on their next possession, the drive capped by a spectacular grab by senior Brenden Peifer in the corner of the end zone at 7:24 and Cooper gave the Cardinals a 10-7 lead.

The wild second period continued, again it was Vaughn, this time sprinting 83 yards to the end zone and the see saw affair was again in the Huskies’ favor at 14-10 with 6:26 left in the first half.

The home team needed only 2:11 to regain the advantage, this time quarterback Joe Dickinson found senior Ryan Scott for a 26-yard touchdown pass and Ireton would take a 17-14 lead to the locker room.

The third stanza was a struggle, but the scoreboard was as quiet in the third as it was busy in the second. It closed with Ireton on the march and as the final period opened, the Cardinals were again on the scoreboard.

Once again, it was the Cardinals’ leading receiver, Drew Smith, this time on a five-yard roll out pass and the red and gold extended the margin to 24-14 with 11:52 to play.

Flint Hill didn’t fold and promptly mounted their final drive of the game, capped off with senior tight end Matt Robinson lining up at the fullback position and powering his way one yard for a touchdown with 4:52 remaining, the Huskies now trailing by only 24-21.

Gut check time for the Cardinals and the offense responded with a gritty effort. Sophomore workhorse Perris Jones lugged the ball time and again as the offense ground down the Huskies and the clock racking up three first downs on their march to midfield. With Andrew Latrash handling the quarterback duties on the final drive, the versatile senior bulled his way forward in the game’s final minute to secure the win as the clock expired.

The win sets up a homecoming showdown between the VISAA’s top ranked football teams, number one Benedictine at 5-1 and the second ranked, 5-1 Cardinals. Gametime is slated for 1pm for the homecoming showdown on Fannon Field, the 50th anniversary celebration for the Alexandria school.

Box Score 1 2 3 4 Final

Flint Hill 0 14 0 7 21

Cardinals 3 14 0 7 24