There were a number of similarities between Saturday’s home opener for the Cardinals and last week’s contest, including a disappointing setback, this time 28-17 to the Cadets of Benedictine. The beautiful day for football, Ireton taking a lead, a big pass play by the opponent for a touchdown, and a late drive with hope for heroics thwarted by a turnover and subsequent touchdown to take the game away from the cardinal and gold, to name of a few of the similarities.
“We played a very good football team, well coached, and they played a better second half than we did.” commented head coach Tony Verducci. The Richmond team improved to 2-1 on the season while Bishop Ireton (0-2) dropped their second game of the campaign.
Ireton took the opening kickoff and had the beginings of a good looking drive. Sophomore PJ Zingler hit senior captain Tommy Gallinaro for an 18-yard completion, the first of ten passes the lanky end would snare on the day. But the Cadets’ Kyle Clark pried the ball loose from Moses Webb near midfield and Tim Joyce recovered the pigskin on the Ireton 46.
Quarterback David Geary engineered a 9-play, 42-yard drive to the Ireton 4, before the defense rallied and the Cadets settled for a 21-yard field goal. The Cardinals could do little on their next drive after Webb’s 26 yard kickoff return gave Ireton their second possession near midfield. Following a short punt, Benedictine began it’s second drive behind the running of Kendall Squire who nearly singledhandedly drove to the Ireton 5. Geary’s aerial on first down was intercepted by junior Andrew Bladen to end the threat with 1:31 remaining in the opening quarter.
The turnover sparked the Ireton offense who drove 92 yards in just 5 plays, the highlight coming when Moses Webb dashed 61 yards down the sideline on the first play of the drive. Zingler found Gallinaro three plays later in the end zone for an 18-yard strike and the Cardinals grabbed a 7-3 lead on the quarter’s final play.
Both clubs battled without significant success in the first three drives of the second period, thanks in part to Richard Walker with 13 tackles and Zayne Bush with 9, before the Cadets punted with 3:30 to play in the half. Aided by a personal foul on Bendictine, a 19-yard completion to Malcolm Westbrook, and a last foul again on the Cadets, Ireton found themselves 4th and 2 on the two yard line. Senior captain Theo Daubresse nailed a 20-yard field goal to end the half and send the home team to the locker room with a 10-3 advantage.
Benedictine took the ball to open the second half and rode Kendal Squire and Corey Downey to the Ireton 1 yard line. Another costly miscue by the green and white clad visitors cost them 5 yards, and the Cadets were forced to settle for another Geary field goal of 23 yards, cutting the Ireton advantage to 10-6.
The Cadets were poised to strike again almost immediately when Squire intercepted a Zingler pass and hauled it to the Ireton 20, but the Cardinals stonewalled the visitors on 4 plays and took possession on their own 17. Once more, however, the teams could muster little offense and the teams traded punts. Ireton then began on their own 24 with 2:06 left in the third.
Once more penalties on Benedictine, there were 10 on the day, kept the Ireton drive alive with a holding penalty at one point, later too many men on the field for an Ireton punt that prolonged the possession. During the drive, after the Cardinals maintained the ball on the second penalty, Verducci turned to junior Andrew Bladen to quarterback the offense but the drive stalled and Aurelian Guillaud’s 28-yard punt gave the Richmond crew their first possession in what would be an eventful final period.
After Corey Downey rushed for 9 yards, Geary found John Paul Curtin for 64 yards and a touchdown at 10:50 remaining. Ben McSweeney rushed the ball for a two-point PAT and the visitors went back on top 14-10.
Pinning the Alexandrians on their 19 to start their next drive, the Cadets drove Ireton backward 10 yards and started their next drive on the 37 of Ireton. But a 6-play, 16 yard drive stalled and Geary’s 38 yard field goal attempt was wide to the left.
With 6:20 left in the contest, the Cardinals would need just 2 plays to go 80 yards to regain the lead. Zingler hit Gallinaro for 22 yards, then found Webb on the sideline and the speedster outran the Cadets 58 yards for the score. Daubresse’ PAT gave Ireton it’s last lead at 17-14.
Just when it looked like the home team was gaining control, DeShawn Wells took the ensuing kickoff and plowed into the wedge, disappearing momentarily then breaking out of the mass and down the home sideline 51 yards to the Cards 29. From there it took 5 plays for Benedictine to regain the lead with a Geary toss to tight end Nigel Williams and the visitors were back on top 21-17.
“It was deja vu’ all over again” to quote humorous New York Yankee great, Yogi Berra. Ireton took the ensuing kickoff with 4:02 to play and promptly hit Webb for a 44-yard completion and the Cardinals were seemingly in business at the Cadet 36. But, similar to last week, an incompletion and a fateful quarterback sack resulted in a fumble and the Cadets regained the ball with 2:53 remaining.
Benedictine gave the weary Ireton defense a steady diet of Corey Downey and on his third consecutive carry, he bolted 38 yards to the end zone and effectively sealed the fate of the home team with 1:53 to play and Ireton on the short end of a 28-17 count.
Much like the previous week the Cadets held a substantial time of possession advantage of nearly 8 minutes and won the battle of the turnovers by forcing 4 and yielding but one. The Cadets David Geary was 15-25 for 233 yards, with an interception and a pair of TDs, while Ireton sophomore PJ Zingler was 20-30, 268 yards, a pair of touchdowns and an interception. The Cadets were tough on run defense however, as Ireton could manage but 33 yards in 22 attempts, while the visitors rushed for 134. “This is a young team, we have to keep that in mind.” remarked one assistant as the staff began the postgame study.
Benedictine returns to Richmond to tangle with Ireton’s homecoming opponent, St Christopher’s next week. The Cardinals, meanwhile, start a 3-week road trip with journey to Woodberry Forest on Saturday for a 2pm start, St Stephens and Bullis to follow. WFS opened their season this weekend with a win.
Ireton’s cross country teams will join the gridders in Orange as they participate in the Woodberry Forest School’s annual cross country meet over a tough course with dozens of private schools in attendance.
Score by quarters
Benedictine 3 0 3 22 28
Bishop Ireton 7 3 0 7 17
Cadets Field Goal, Geary, 21 yds 6:52
Cardinals Gallinaro 18 yd pass from Zingler, (Daubresse kick) 0:00
Cardinals Field Goal, Daubresse, 20 yds 0:00
Cadets Field Goal, Geary, 23 yds 6:43
Cadets Curtin 64 yd pass from Geary, (McSweeney run) 10:56
Cardinals Webb 58 pass from Zingler, (Daubresse kick) 6:19
Cadets Williams 3 yd pass from Geary, (Geary kick) 4:02
Cadets Downey 38 yd run, (Geary kick) 2:01
Cadets Cardinals
First Downs 15 16
Rushes – Yards (net) 32-134 22-33
Passes Att-Comp-TD-Int 25-15-2-1 33-20-2-2
Total Offense Plays-Yards 57-367 55-301
Fumbles – Lost 0-0 2-2
Penalties – Yards 10-81 5-30
Time of Possession 27:53 20:07
Rushing leaders – Benedictine – Downey 19-125, Bishop Ireton – Webb 8-56 Passing – Cadets – Geary, 15-25-2-1, 233 Cardinals – Zingler, 20-30-2-1, 268
Receiving leaders – Benedictine – Meyer, 7-88, Curtin 3-104, Bishop Ireton – Gallinaro 10-109, Webb 3-102, Westbrook 5-47
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