Older Crusader fans, like myself, are especially grateful to the coaches and team for the exciting victory over the undefeated Bastrop Rams last Friday night at Tad Gormley Stadium. Why? Because we won’t need to visit our cardiologists for at least six months if our hearts can survive that thriller.
The Crusaders lived up to the fight song’s description: “The men who never say die.” Trailing 25-21, QB Drew Martin completed not one but two do-or-die 4th-down passes to his fellow senior, WR Brady Faust, in the last minute of play. The second completion produced the winning TD with 0:03 on the clock. The winning drive was made possible when LB Beau Ranlett stripped the ball from the Bastrop running back and CB Jaiden Watson recovered at the Ram 35 with 2:04 remaining.
Brady was rewarded for his clutch plays by being voted South Shore Player of the Week in the Nola.com | Times-Picayune poll. Altogether, he caught seven passes for 75 yards.
The Crusader defense gave up 459 yards to the potent Bastrop offense led by QB Quarterius Hawkins, who threw four TD passes. In addition to the fumble recovery that made the winning drive possible, the defense scored a TD midway through the third period when LB Sport Faust, Brady’s cousin, grabbed a deflected pass and ran 55 yards to pay dirt to give the home team a 21-19 lead.
Trailing 19-7 late in the first half, the Crusaders got a lift when Martin found WR L.J. Gilyot in the end zone with 54 seconds left to climax a 50 yard drive. Gilyot had also made a spectacular lunging one-handed grab of another Martin aerial for Brother Martin’s first TD early in the quarter.
“We found a way to win,” said Coach Mark Bonis. “That was an ugly night offensively for us.” He had correctly predicted that the 17 points the Crusaders scored against St. Augustine the previous week would not be enough to defeat Bastrop. The turnovers and defensive score made the difference in the outcome.
The Crusaders return to district play tonight at Tad Gormley Stadium against the Holy Cross Tigers (4-2 overall, 1-2 in district), who were stung by Rummel 39-3 last Saturday night. Despite an off-night offensively against the Raiders, the Tigers still average 28 points per game.
Drew Martin looks forward to the final four games of the season, all against district foes. "We realize we haven't played our best football yet. We can make a big run going back into Catholic League play. We just have to play a complete football game and keep it going."
- Brother Neal Golden, S.C.
