I get the feeling that we let one get away, being edged 43-40 in yet another game of two halves.  Once again, we could not have have been much better than what we demonstrated in the first quarter.  Taking the opening kickoff at the 20 yard line, we marched 80 yards, picking up six first downs over the next 7 minutes and 32 seconds when Landon Spaulding finished off the final yard, giving the Mustangs an early game 6-0 lead, when our two-point tack-on effort went for naught.  The Cru went 3 and out in their first offensive possession, and following a Brossart punt, St. Henry mustered a single first-down before the quarter expired.

The second quarter was a whole different script.  In both of our first three possessions, the Mustangs drew blood twice – an 80 yard Landon Spaulding jaunt, and a 69 yard Spaulding to Justin Bezold aerial while St. Henry struck on an 18 yard Cy Perento to Brayden Hughes pass play.  When the dust settled the Mustangs maintained a 19-6 lead.  In the seventh of eight second quarter change of possessions, the Cru blocked a Ryan Eldridge punt, carrying it into the end zone, making the score 19-14, BUT, the Mustangs weren’t done yet.  Following a pair of sacks, one each by Beckett Meersman and Charlie Rauch, the Mustangs had great field position at the Crusader 29, from where we marched the football all of the way to the 1 yard line when time expired in the half.  Failure to come away with something on that drive would come back to haunt us.

As I said in my halftime comments on the broadcast, despite the narrow margin on the scoreboard, the general consensus was that we were the better team, had outplayed the Cru in the first half, and would prove our superiority in the second half, and put the St Henry ball on the wall.  This appeared to be spot on, as we kicked off in the second half to the Cru who promptly fumbled it away, recovered by Charlie Rauch.  When the Mustangs scored on a 69 yard drive capped off by a 9 yard touchdown on a Spaulding keeper, and when Eldridge split the uprights things looked more favorable as we extended the lead to 25-14.  It would be short-lived however, as the Cru unveiled Senior Lucas Pate, who would dominate the game from that point on, scoring the first of four St. Henry touchdowns by rolling 75 yards, narrowing the margin back to 26-20.  The big play sequence continued as Brady Boruske did the Crusader scatback one-better by returning the ensuing kickoff  85 yards for the third touchdown in 33 seconds, re-extending the Brossart lead to 33-20.  Certainly, this would be enough to win.  Certainly not.  Pate answered the challenge with a 28 yard touchdown run, his second of the period.  In retrospect, the difference in the second half would be that one team had Lucas Pate and the other one didn’t.  Despite leading 33-28 after three quarters, you could feel that the momentum had shifted into St. Henry Red and Blue. 

The fourth quarter began by Landon Spaulding finding Quinten Tichner on a 30 yard pass play, and when Eldridge tacked on the PAT, we again exhaled and thought for sure a 12 point, two possession 40-28 lead would hold up.  Unbeknownst to us, our Mustangs were finished scoring on the night, while the Cru, in the person of Lucas Pate had another gear, and had two more scores in their bag of tricks – a 31 yard pass play from Quarterback Perento to Pate, and then a 22 yard trophy run by Pate with 3:22 remaining in this 3 hour and 25 minute marathon event.  Unfortunately, despite an 11th Hour drive that nearly put Ryan Eldridge in Field Goal range which would have tied the score at 43s, we fumbled away the football, which sealed our fate. as the upstart Crusaders claimed the victory, assuring a happy ride back to Erlanger.  Both teams now sport 1-2 records.

This one hurts.  We put up 40 points, while leaving additional points on the field, and didn’t win.  We failed to maintain a lead, despite doing so for 44 minutes and 38 seconds of the contest.  We allowed the Cru to “Stick Around,” incurred some untimely penalties, and then we let a single player beat us.  Lucas Pate is really good, BUT after rushing for 65 yards against Holy Cross and 92 yards vs Boone County, Lucas Pate rushed for 214 of St. Henry’s total 224 rushing yards (St. Henry Stats Show 239 of 247) on the night here in Alexandria.  Add on 31 yards receiving and  Pate victimized us for 245 total yards (St. Henry Stats say 270 Yds) on the night.  Wowzer!.  In the entire second half he took on the entire Mustang defense, and won.  Landon Spaulding had a big night for the Mustangs – 26/37 for 295 yards and 2 TDs with 1 Interception through the air, and 8 carries for 137 yards and 3 TDs on the ground.  Their QB, Cy Perento was 9/18 for 147 yards and 2 TDs.  Quinten Tischner hauled in 12 Receptions for 131 yards and a Touchdown for the home team.

The Mustangs head to Brooksville next Friday night where we will take on the homestanding Bracken County Polar Bears who will be coming off of a bye week, and will be looking for their first win of the season against two losses (Holy Cross and Mason County).  In other games of note Friday night, Walton-Verona shut out Ludlow, a district opponent of ours, 33-0.  This is the same Ludlow who defeated Newport 21-12 two weeks ago.  Go Figure!