By Robbie Loeb
The Wolverine football team snapped their two-game losing streak with a 34-26 league win over Cathedral on Oct. 28. The victory is their first in the Mission League since 2009.
Cathedral jumped out to a quick lead, scoring on a 9-yard rush by running back Amir Evans with 11 minutes left in the first quarter, but the kicker Bryant Molina’s PAT was blocked.
The Wolverines responded seven minutes later when Chad Kanoff ’13 scored on a 32-yard rush, his third rushing touchdown this season. After the made PAT, the Wolverines found themselves ahead 7-6 at the end of the first quarter.
Correy King ’13 scored the Wolverines’ second touchdown on a 3-yard rush in the second quarter. King assumed the starting running back duties for the second game following an injury to Jamias Jones ’12.
Cathedral didn’t back down though, scoring with two minutes left in the half on a 4-yard rush by Aaron Beal, and then converted the 2-point conversion to knot up the score at halftime, 14-14.
Just like the start of the first quarter, Cathedral began the third quarter with a rushing touchdown, but once again missed the extra point. Da’Mari Scott scored the touchdown on a 44-yard run.
And, again like the opening period, King responded with a goal line rushing touchdown for his second score of the game, and after the made PAT, retook a one point lead.
The Wolverines then added another touchdown when a fumble was recovered by Wade Clement ’12 and was returned for six points with two minutes left in the third quarter, but the Wolverines missed the PAT.
The Wolverines built on their seven point lead when Garrett Robinson ’15 scored their final touchdown of the game halfway through the fourth quarter with a 21-yard run to make the score 34-20 following the PAT. All four touchdowns scored by the Wolverine offense came on the ground.
Cathedral wouldn’t go away without a fight though, as Beal scored his second touchdown of the game on a 2-yard rush, but Cathedral was unable to convert their two point conversion attempt.
The win comes following a close last-second loss to St. Francis and a humiliating 55-point defeat when they were held scoreless at the hands of Chaminade. The Wolverines were able to hold their lead in the fourth quarter, which they failed to do against St. Francis and also in the first game of the season against Venice.
“Whereas against St. Francis and against Venice we gave the game away at the end, we were resilient this time around and were able to pull it out,” Chris Sebastian ’13 said.
The Wolverines were able to score through the running game against Cathedral, while their passing has not been effective in scoring recently. Kanoff threw 23 touchdowns in the first six games, but has not scored a passing touchdown in the two games since.
“We ran the ball well, scoring four rushing touchdowns, and forced a bunch of turnovers,” Kanoff said.
The game was sloppy for both sides offensively. The Wolverines threw one interception and had three fumbles, and Cathedral also threw one interception and had many fumbles, four of which the Wolverines recovered.
The Wolverines improve to 5-3 on the season, and look forward to playing Serra next week on Nov. 4 in the second to last game of the regular season, and their first home game since Oct. 1.
