Guerin Catholic was poised for an upset at the Eagles Nest on Friday, as it led Brebeuf Jesuit 10-0 at halftime.
But the Braves came back in the second half, stunning the Golden Eagles 20-10 in a Class 3A Sectional 26 semi-final game. Brebeuf will play Blackford in next week’s championship, while Guerin’s season finished at 6-5.
Neither team scored in the first quarter, but the Golden Eagles were about to. Charles Bock took the ball in to the end zone from the one-yard line as the second quarter began. Nathan Friedman followed that up with an extra point kick.
Friedman would then add to the GC total towards the end of the second period, kicking a 35-yard field goal. That put the Golden Eagles up by the 10-0 lead.
“Our kids did what they always do: They fight,” said Guerin coach Tom Dilley. “They fight. We still made mistakes, but we were able to take advantage of some mistakes by them and caused some of those. I just thought our kids fought and battled and put ourselves in a good position. We just didn’t finish it.”
The Braves answered early in the third quarter, when a six-yard run by Drake Hagerman got Brebeuf its first touchdown (and points of the game) at the 7:26 mark.
Guerin Catholic was able to hold the Braves for most of the second half, but Brebeuf tied the game with 3:21 left on a dramatic kick: Alec Bevelhimer booted a 54-yard field goal. The Braves got the ball back seconds later, and Caleb Ellison sent a 26-yard TD pass to Michael Bales to put Brebeuf ahead. Bevelhimer then made a 33-yard field goal with six seconds left.
Jagger Albert led the Golden Eagles’ rushing with 51 yards in 19 carries. Christian Gelov completed 9 of 21 passes for 64 yards, with Bernie McGuinness making four of those catches.
“I don’t know if it’s obvious to the outside observers what these kids fought through,” said Dilley. “This has been a very impressive group.”
Guerin Catholic defensive players walk off the field at the start of a timeout during the fourth quarter of the Golden Eagles’ sectional football game with Brebeuf Jesuit Friday at the Eagles’ Nest. (Richie Hall)