Purple Knights, Tigers rematch? It could happen

   
    It’s quite possible that Holy Cross and St. Augustine haven’t seen the last of each other on the football  field. The playoffs are just around the corner.
    The two Catholic League giants popped pads Oct. 26 in what so far has been the local prep football game of the season. It was a clash that kept the 10,000-plus spectators in their seats for all 48 minutes.
     It’s common at prep games that teenage students consider football games a social event – an opportunity to mingle with their peers and make new friends in the stadium parking lot while the game is being played inside.
    But not on that night. The lot was empty, save for a handful of security guards who direct incoming and outgoing traffic. The students were as interested in the suspenseful outcome as the adults.
    Once-beaten but still favored St. Augustine is by far the most talented, athletic and fastest team in Class 5A, whether you want to discuss select or non-select schools.
    And the fact that there are just 10 select schools in Division I makes it a distinct possibility the two will find each other again in the shortened playoff format.
    With Byrd High’s loss to Parkway last weekend, St. Aug likely will have moved into the No. 1 spot in the power rankings. Holy Cross will be either No. 2 or 3, meaning the two could meet  again in either the semifinals or the championship game.
    Archbishop Rummel solidified its spot at No. 4 by virtue of its last-second victory over Jesuit (the third time a field goal set the Blue Jays down).
    Holy Cross head coach Barry Wilson was well aware of St. Aug’s  power and speed. He understood that the Tigers’ only chance of remaining undefeated through eight games was for his offensive staff to design an attack that would keep the Purple Knights guessing. If they guessed wrong enough times – and the Holy Cross offense executed the plays to perfection – there was a chance for victory.
    And that’s why the game was so close and the outcome in doubt until the final horn sounded.
    The difference was senior back Leonard Fournette, a quadruple threat, the nation’s top recruit and a four-year 1,000-yard rusher for the Purple Knights.
    His worksheet against the Tigers included two touchdown runs, another via a 79-yard pass reception and run and his 59-yard halfback pass that set up his first touchdown from the Tigers’ 2-yard line.
    Despite Fournette’s brilliance, Holy Cross stayed with its game plan and overcame a 27-13 deficit with 10:37 left in the fourth period.
Quarterback shootout
    Holy Cross quarterback James Tabary, who passed for 229 yards, took advantage of the Knights concentrating their pass coverage on Michael Chigbu, the district’s leading receiver, by utilizing equally effective wideout Jerry Cook. And Cook responded by catching 12 passes for 155 yards, one for a touchdown and another for a two-point conversion.
    Tabary also passed to Darius Rodrigue on a 23-yard play that cut the St. Aug lead to 27-19. And on fourth-and-1 at the Knights’ 6-yard line with 6:32 left to play, the senior quarterback connected with Cook for a TD and conversion to tie the game at 27-27.
    One unsung hero in defeat was Tigers’ placekicker Gavin Broussard, who replaced the injured starter Reed Gravolet. Broussard had one extra point blocked and missed another try.  But with just 1:22 left, Broussard coolly kicked a 22-yard go-ahead field goal that raised the tension in the Tad Gormley stands.
    Broussard, a sophomore soccer player who kicked on the junior varsity team, was  added to the varsity squad with little time to hone his skills. But he came up big.
     On the other side of the quarterback duel was the diminutive Purple Knight senior, Toi Jackson, whose late passing heroics made this back-and-forth finish a classic.
    Few teams other than St. Augustine could have pulled off this victory. And it was Jackson, not Fournette, this time who made the difference.
    Within 16 seconds following the Tigers’ field goal, Jackson completed three consecutive passes, the final two to Stanley Morgan. The clincher was a 17-yard toss to Morgan in the back of the end zone for the deciding score.    
    Still the drama continued as the Tigers made a hurried attempt to get back into scoring range. In less than a minute on Tabary’s arm, Holy Cross found itself at the Purple Knights’ 10-yard line.
    With just four seconds remaining, Wilson sent his back-up kicker into the game.
    St. Augustine called a time-out to “ice” Broussard.
    At that point, Wilson decided to try for the win and not take the game into overtime where the Knights would have the advantage.
    But defensive back Junius Houston batted away Tabary’s final pass to Rodrigue to save the game.
    Rematch, anyone?
    Ron Brocato can be reached at [email protected].