Driscoll 21, Marian Central 7
Often, highly anticipated games fail to live up to the hype.
Driscoll versus Marian Central was perhaps one of those games that didn't quite live up to the advance billing.
Of course, the Highlanders aren't about to complain if the game wasn't an artistic success after they downed the Hurricanes 21-7 to stay unbeaten overall and in the Suburban Catholic Conference.
Quarterback David Schwabe rushed for 124 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 4:19 left. Trace Jenkins returned an interception for a touchdown for the clincher.
Marian Central had its chances. The Hurricanes reached the Driscoll 2-yard line late in the first half, but Nick Stenzel recovered T.J. Pappas' fumble with 1 second left in the half. In the third quarter Marian marched to the Driscoll 5 but got only a missed field-goal attempt to show for it.
"That's what Driscoll football is," Schwabe said of the goal-line stands. "We watched film from 1999 of people jumping over the line stopping people. That's something that we've focused on since training camp, because Driscoll football is made on the goal-line stands."
Each team scored in the first quarter, but the second and third quarter bogged down in a flurry of penalties and turnovers. Marian Central turned the ball over 4 times and Driscoll was flagged for 84 yards in penalties.
The Highlanders finally broke through, going 58 yards in just 4 plays for the winning score. Tim Franken appeared to score on a 54-yard run. A holding penalty at the 19-yard line negated the touchdown, but Franken was still credited with 35 yards, setting up the Highlanders in good field position.
Two plays later, Schwab burst through the middle on a planned keeper, shrugged off a tackle and raced 22 yards up the middle for the score.
Marian Central had 2 more chances. Its first drive stalled, but Driscoll couldn't move the ball either, and the Hurricanes got the ball back at their own 18 with just under a minute left. But quarterback Jonathan Budmayr's pass was picked off by Jenkins, who raced 19 yards into the end zone.
Schwabe completed 9 of 18 passes for 83 yards. His 28-yard throw to Franken got the Highlanders on the board on their opening drive of the game. Budmayr threw for 159 yards and a 31-yard scoring strike to Doug Simpson.
Driscoll is 8-0 overall, 6-0 in the SCC. Marian lost its second straight and is 6-2, 4-2.