By Ron Brocato
The fastest 10 weeks of the calendar year are upon us as the Brother Martin Crusaders, who have earned the No. 8 ranking in Select Division I power points, close out the regular football season against District 9-5A rival Holy Cross on Friday, Nov. 6.
The 7 p.m. game at Tad Gormley Stadium matches the Crusaders with No. 16-ranked Catholic League rival Holy Cross, a team against which they have been successful in recent years. Holding a 34-17 advantage in the series, the Crusaders have not lost to the Tigers since 2018.
Since losing to No. 1 seed St. Augustine, 49-35, two weeks ago, Coach Mark Bonis, charges have beaten Chalmette, 27-21, to improve their record to 6-3 with a 3-3 worksheet in the district.
Holy Cross, which has experienced two consecutive losing seasons since Coach Scott Wattigny’s first year at his alma mater when the Tigers posted a 9-3 record, is on a course to finish in seventh place in the district. The Tigers’ record is 3-6 overall and 1-5 in league play, but will likely qualify as a visiting team in the playoffs’ first round.
The No. 8 seed, the final spot to earn a first-round bye, is not the most advantageous playoff position in which to be. Following the week off, the Crusaders will host a regional round game against the No. 9 seed on or about Nov. 13. Then a victory in that regional round would likely place Brother Martin against St. Augustine, the No. 1 seed, on or about Nov. 20 in a rematch.
Bonis doesn’t want to think or plan that far ahead.
“So much can happen from now to then,” he pointed out on Wednesday. “After our loss to St. Augustine, we wanted to put our best foot forward going into week 10 and feel good about ourselves going into the playoffs. And that’s where our focus is.”
Although the Crusaders absorbed their worst loss of the season, they did score more points on the Purple Knights than any opponent.
Holy Cross’ victories have come against Warren Easton (36-21), a team the Crusaders crushed, 56-6; St.Charles Catholic, 10-7 in overtime, and Chalmette, 21-3.
