St. X Survives Second-Half Scare to Defeat Trinity
Under the bright Friday night lights of Cardinal Stadium with an estimated 16,000 fans in attendance, the Tigers defeated the Shamrocks for the first time in three years with a final score of 35-28.
St. X’s senior quarterback and game MVP Jack Sivori wasn’t phased by the tremendous pressure of performing on such a big stage. “The mentality was that we are the better team and if we go out, execute the game plan, and play hard, they won’t be able to beat us,” he said.
Sivori found the end zone three times as he rushed for 153 yards on 27 attempts. Coming into the matchup, senior running back Justin Walsh totaled 250 rushing yards through four games, but he had yet to reach the end zone. That changed as Walsh ran through the defense in the first quarter for a 30-yard touchdown, on his way to racking up 117 yards on just 16 carries.
“I saw the hole open up and I sprinted through and there was no one else to catch up,” Walsh said. “We had our struggles, but we found a way to win–thanks to the defense.”
The Tigers used their run-heavy offense to take a commanding 21-0 lead at the half, only to see their lead dwindle to just one point in the third quarter following three quick scores by the Shamrocks. St. X responded by finding the end zone twice in the fourth quarter, securing the victory for the Tigers. When St. X head coach Kevin Wallace was asked how his team was able to regroup following Trinity’s twenty point surge, he said, “There was no need for adjustments. It was simply a matter of improving our execution of assignments.”
Senior defensive end Thomas Tafel, who totaled two tackles, including one sack, in Friday’s win, explained that the Tiger’s defensive plan was to keep contain on the outside. Tafel said, “We executed our plan pretty well and kept good containment on the pocket.”
Of the 16,000 fans in the stadium, the Tigers were able to feed the most off the electric energy from the Rage Cage, the Tigers’ high energy student section, which has been a big factor in our home games so far this season.
“The student support in 2021 has been awesome,” Coach Wallace said. “The enthusiasm they bring is contagious and has a positive impact on our team.”
Tafel, regarding the student section, said, “The team definitely fed off them (Rage Cage). The energy that they bring is unmatched.”
Next Friday (10/1), St. X (4-1) is looking to extend their winning streak to three as they travel to take on Ryle (4-1) in Union, Kentucky. Trinity (0-6) looks to get their first win under first-year head coach Jay Cobb at Cincy St. X (6-0) on Friday (10/1).
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