Viator says goodbye to St. Joseph

Julian Sipiora and St. Viator said goodbye to St. Joseph and may be saying hello to the state playoffs with their 38-7 victory Friday night at Forest View.

St. Viator (5-4, 3-4) became playoff-eligible with the victory. Now the Lions will have to await Saturday night's official announcement to see if they qualified for the first time in the last three years.

"We needed this one and the kids came through," St. Viator coach Chris Kirkpatrick said. "The conditions were tough, but we were able to overcome them."

Sipiora and the Lions made St. Joseph's final football game in the East Suburban Catholic Conference game a quick decision. The Lions scored the first two times they had the ball.

Following an interception by Anthony Pensa, St. Viator went 39 yards in 7 plays. Sipiora capped the drive with a 1-yard sneak.

On their next possession, Jimmy Menges tallied on 29-2 yard run to make it 14-0 with 3:34 left in the first quarter.

St. Joseph, which is leaving the conference after this year for the Catholic League, ran into a staunch Lion defense. St. Viator, led by Matt Barry, David Alameda, Connor Ptacin, Jack Etchingham, Mike Krzoska, Don Novotny and Sean Connerty held the Chargers to 84 yards.

Sipiora helped out the game away with a pair of second-half touchdown runs.

Sipiora scored on a run of 41 yards with 5 seconds left in the third quarter. He then put the game away with a 50 yard run in the final period.

"It was really slippery out there," said Sipiora, who rushed for 155 yards on 17 carries.

The offensive line of Andrew Hora, Jordan Peart, Matt Cocharan, Aaron Shuff, Matt O'Keefe and Anthony Quagliano pushed the Chargers off the ball as the Lions rushed for a season-best 323 yards.

"The line did a great job," Sipiora said. "I only completed two passes, so we needed that kind of effort from them and our running backs."