Down by 9 midway through the third quarter, the varsity football team needed to make some plays to avoid dropping their second straight game and falling to 0-2 in the division. Father Ryan had just added to its lead with a short touchdown pass, and the hosts had the momentum in front of their homecoming crowd.
Yet when the Owls most needed something good to happen, they made it happen as QB Maddox Giel broke through the line and outraced the Fighting Irish defenders for a 69-yard touchdown run. From there, the Owls regained control and ultimately defeated Father Ryan, 29-26, to improve to 4-1, 1-1 in the division.
Forcing an initial 3-and-out by the Owls, Father Ryan took possession following the MUS punt and immediately started driving. Passes of 28 yards and 13 yards got the Irish close, but the Owl defense stiffened, forcing a 22-yard field goal. Peter Hagey connected, giving the hosts the early 3-0 lead with 7:14 left in quarter one.
On its next drive, MUS did pick up one first down following Tommie Reed's 12-yard run, but again, the Owl possession stalled, and they punted. Starting at its own 40, Father Ryan needed 11 plays to drive 60 yards. Cayden Dixon found Miller Brown for the 1-yard touchdown pass, and the Irish led, 10-0, going into the second quarter.
The Owls got on the scoreboard on their next drive as Giel scored from 1-yard out to complete the 11-play, 80-yard drive. The big plays were a Giel-to-Carter Sayle 11-yard pass and a Price Renovich 28-yard scramble. The Joshua Wittber PAT closed the gap to 10-7 with 9:23 left in the half.
The visitors took the lead just two and a half minutes later. Kendon Leakes intercepted a pass to give the Owls possession at the Irish 31, aided by pressure from Reid McKnett and Devin Wells. Then on 4th and 12 from the Irish 33, Renovich placed a perfect pass to Sayle, who made an outstanding grab for the touchdown. Wittber's extra point gave the Owls the 14-10 lead.
But Father Ryan regained the lead late in the half as Dixon found Chas Tulloss for a 48-yard touchdown on 3rd and 10 as they now led, 17-14, with 1:37 left in the half. The Owls responded with a great drive to get close on the last play of the half, but they could not connect on a 20-yard field goal, and the Irish led by 3 at the break.
Father Ryan took advantage of the second-half kickoff as they needed 9 plays to travel 80 yards. The Irish concluded the drive as Dixon threw a 2-yard touchdown to Paul Kieffner. The PAT was no good, and the hosts led, 23-14, with 7:22 left in quarter three.
But then the comeback began, sparked by Giel's 69-yard run on 2nd and 10. That score cut the gap to 23-21.
An Austin Spence sack on the next drive forced a Ryan punt, and the Owls took over at their own 20. But they also quickly punted, giving Ryan the ball at their 39. The defense was stingy again, forcing another punt, but a muffed punt allowed the Irish to retain possession at the Owl 30. But the MUS defense rose up to force a field goal, and Hagey's 48-yard kick increased their lead to 26-21 early in the fourth quarter.
From there, Renovich and Reed took over to help their team drive. Then, from the red zone, Renovich hit Jackson Hood for an 11-yard reception, and on the next play, Hood bullied his way into the endzone for the score. Renovich's two-point pass was tipped by John Painter but hauled in by Thomas Higginbotham, giving the Owls the 29-26 lead with 6:38 left in the game.
Needing one stop, the Owl defense found a way. The Irish got into MUS territory, but facing 4th and 7, an incomplete pass ended the threat and gave the Owls the win!
