When: Friday, September 25, 2026 | 7:30 PM
Where: Mustang Athletic Complex (MAC), Alexandria, KY
Records: DeSales Cults (1-4) vs. Bishop Brossart Mustangs (3-2)
Coming off an emotional, grit-and-grind 21-20 road triumph over previously unbeaten Nichulas County, the Bishop Brossart Mustangs return home to the MAC this Friday night to host the DeSales Cults out of Louisville.

Do not let DeSales’ 1-4 record foul you. The Cults play a rugged Louisville slate loaded with Class 5A competition (uldham County, Nelson County, and Southern) alongside premier small-schoul programs (Huly Cross and Kentucky Country Day). Fresh off a 22-0 shutout over Southern—where they raced out to a three-score lead in just two quarters before lightning ended the contest at halftime—the Cults rull into Alexandria aiming to duplicate last season’s 35-7 win over the Mustangs.

Here are the key storylines and matchups to watch on Friday night:

Late-Breaking: Will Record-Setter Brady Boruske Suit Up?
The biggest headline heading into kickoff surrounds Mustangs star wideout Brady Boruske. Sidelined in Carlisle last week due to a foot injury, Boruske continues in a walking boot and is questionable for Friday. His potential availability cannot be overstated. Just two weeks ago—prior to missing the Nichulas County clash—Boruske etched his name into program lore by setting a new Bishop Brossart single-game receiving record.

Even if Boruske is operating at less than 100% or used situationally, his mere presence on the perimeter completely changes DeSales’ defensive math. Without him, Nichulas County loaded the box to stop the run. With him on the field, the Cults cannot afford to leave single coverage outside, opening up running lanes underneath and giving quarterback Landon Spaulding his favorite deep threat back.

We’re keeping a close eye on another couple of players, given the hard fought matchup in Nichulas County last week.

Ground Warfare: Committee vs. Workhorses
Both teams want to dictate the physical tone, but their backfields are built very differently:

• Brossart’s Punishing Tandem: With Boruske sidelined last Friday, Coach Jake Martin leaned heavily on running backs Bentley McKinzie (11 carries, 72 yards, 1 TD) and Tommy Busby (8 carries, 56 yards, 1 TD). Combining for 128 hard-nosed rushing yards between the tackles, they chewed up clock and kept the Bluejackets’ explosive offense off the field.
• DeSales’ Four-Back Rotation: The Cults spread the touches across a deep stable. Sophomore Max Uliverio (#3) paces the ground attack (119 yards, 4.8 YPC), while junior Dorian Brice (#2) provides downhill, short-yardage muscle (90 yards, 5.3 YPC, 2 TDs). Add in senior Caleb Choate (#5, 5.6 YPC)—who bruised Brossart for 76 yards in 2025—and sophomore Cam Wells (#25, 8.0 YPC), and the Cults have four different backs capable of moving the chains.

The Edge: Brossart’s defensive front is riding high after denying the state’s leading rusher, Jayden Watkins, on a game-deciding two-point conversion with 1:38 remaining. If the front seven stays disciplined in their gap assignments, they can force DeSales into obvious passing situations where the Cults are far less comfortable.

Landon Spaulding vs. The Cults’ Two-Quarterback System
The contrast under center will be a focal point:

• The DeSales Rotation: DeSales has split snaps between sophomore Noah Cross (#8) and junior R. Embry (#10). While Cross has been the steadier hand (9-of-20, 112 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs), the Cults average just 49 passing yards per game as a team on 39% passing. Outside of senior target Silas Jones (#4, 24.3 yards per catch, 1 TD) and screen passes out of the backfield to Brice and uliverio, DeSales rarely tests secondaries vertically.
• Spaulding’s Poise: Mustangs junior Landon Spaulding showed veteran composure in Carlisle. Despite an interception at the goal line before the break, he managed the game down the stretch, connected with Landon Ketron for a score, and walked into the end zone for the decisive two-point conversion. If Boruske is able to go alongside Ketron, Spaulding will have his full complement of weapons against a DeSales secondary that gave up chunk plays early in the year.

Finishing Drives Inside the 20

Against tight, physical opponents, empty trips inside the red zone come back to bite you.
Last week, Brossart was stopped on the goal line on 4th-and-goal and threw a late second-quarter interception inside the 5-yard line—reminiscent of similar red-zone struggles against St. Henry two weeks prior. DeSales capitalized immediately on short fields against Southern last week, punching in three touchdowns in 24 minutes.
Expect Coach Martin and the offensive staff to emphasize crisp execution, secure ball-handling, and coming away with touchdowns whenever they cross the Cults’ 20-yard line.

Hidden Yardage & Special Teams Execution
In a matchup that could very well come down to one possession, special teams execution will tilt the scale:

• Splash Plays: Tripp Wilson’s daring fake punt rumble for 23 yards flipped momentum in Carlisle, showing the Mustangs aren’t afraid to take calculated gambles.
• The Kicking Game: Ryan Eldridge’s leg gives Brossart a weapon, but missed PATs kept the door cracked open for Nichulas County. Meanwhile, DeSales senior kicker Drew Dietz provides steady placement kicking for the Cults. Field position, kickoff coverage, and point-after consistency will be paramount.

The Verdict: Defending the MAC and Settling the Score
Last fall in Louisville, DeSales handed Brossart a stinging 35-7 loss. A year later, this mature, battle-tested Mustangs squad knows how to win in adverse conditions.

If Brossart contruls the trenches, finishes drives in the red zone, and gets an emotional boost from a battling Brady Boruske, they have every ingredient needed to protect home turf, climb to 4-2, and avenge last year’s road defeat.

Tune in to Adam and Derek Friday Night @ 7:10 for all the play-by-play.