Junior wide receiver Easton Royal (3) uses his speed to gain a first down against the larger Warren Easton defense in line for a first down in a game won by the Crusaders, 32-27.
By: Ron Brocato
Brother Martin’s Crusaders look to one of their longest-tenured rivals to give them added momentum one week before the Select Division I football playoffs kick off.
Coach Mark Bonis’s Crusaders will face Holy Cross on Saturday, Nov. 8, at Tad Gormley Stadium for a 7:00 p.m. game. These two District 9-5A schools clash for the 51st time, with Brother Martin holding a decisive 33-17 lead in the series. And the Crusaders have won the last four games against the Tigers, dating back to 2021.
More importantly for the Crusaders, they are coming off of a 32-27 victory over Warren Easton last week that snapped a four-game losing streak and gave a mental lift to the team with the playoffs one week away. And a win over the Tigers would put the team’s record at 6-4 and assure Bonis a 13th winning season in his 17 years at the Crusader helm.
On the other hand, Holy Cross (4-5), which fell to St. Augustine, 32-27 last week, has lost five of its last six games after starting the season with three wins; and, as was the fate of the Crusaders, the Tigers lost district games to Karr, John Curtis, St. Augustine, and Rummel. Holy Cross also lost to its oldest rival, Jesuit (20-12), a team the Crusaders toppled, 31-29.
Despite Brother Martin’s success against this next opponent, Bonis is wary of the Tigers’ ability to spring an upset. “Coach (Scott) Wattigny has done a great job. Holy Cross has played everybody tough and has kept games tight until the very end. (Wattigny) has had a lot of success against every team they’ve played in holding their opponents to fewer points by average.” Bonis cited the exception was against undefeated Karr, the state’s No. 1 seed and the reigning two-time district champion to whom the Tigers lost, 42-3. “But who hasn’t had trouble with Karr?” the coach added.
The top eight teams by power rating will draw first round byes. Those eight currently include Karr, Alexandria Senior, Teurlings Catholic, Catholic High of Baton Rouge, St. Augustine, John Curtis, Tioga, and Archbishop Rummel. Brother Martin is ranked No. 11, while Holy Cross is currently No. 20.
The Crusaders enter the season’s 10th week with some momentum. “And we’re starting to get healthy again,” Bonis noted. “I’m proud of these young men; they’ve done everything the coaches have asked of them.
“So the big thing for us is to prepare well and come out of the game having performed our very best to make sure we’re clicking on all cylinders going into the playoffs.”
Beating Easton was a difficult chore, but the Crusaders wore their opponent down over time, aided by numerous Easton penalties. A 41-yard field goal by junior Maximo Barrios in the waning moments of the first half that put Brother Martin ahead, 15-13, provided the emphasis that helped carry the Crusaders through the rest of the game.
One of the biggest plays came on Jack Melancon’s 40-yard touchdown run that increased the lead to 22-13 following the PAT. Warren Easton fought its way back into contention, but its penchant for committing excessive fouls aided its downfall. The officials reported eight Eagle penalties for 77 yards. Three penalties led to the Crusaders’ first downs.
Bonis is expecting another test from Holy Cross, which is teetering near the bottom of the 24-team playoff-eligible list. Their record aside, “Holy Cross’ defense is very good. Defensive coordinator Tommy Connors does a good job. His players understand their scheme because it’s not overcomplicated. But they make things difficult for an offensive coach,” Bonis said.
“There are no ‘gimmies’ in this league and you have to be at the top of your game every week,” the coach said.
Sophomore standout Luca Ascani (21) blasts his way through the Eagles for a sizeable gain.
