You just knew it was coming.
With about a minute to go Saturday, the Bishop Fenwick football team was putting the finishing touches on a 39-7 rout over visiting Bishop Stang at Donaldson Stadium, fittingly on Homecoming Day after Craig Masone (3 carries, 72 yards) had just dashed 69 yards into the endzone and Aidan Silva split the uprights with the extra point to cap the game’s scoring.
As the teams prepared for the ensuing kickoff, however, all eyes were on the sideline and coach Dave Woods as his players doused him with an icy-cold Gatorade bath to celebrate the 200th win of his career.
“It was great to get the win,” Woods said. “Seeing so many former players and former coaches yesterday was really great. I love all of those guys and it was great for them to be here.”
As far as the game goes, the Crusaders left nothing to chance, scoring early and often despite dismal weather conditions. Both teams struggled to hold onto the ball, combining for seven turnovers. Woods conceded that Mother Nature made things a little difficult.
“The conditions probably contributed to some sloppy play by both teams, but we were able to overcome some of our mistakes and take advantage of some of their mistakes,” he said.
After forcing a three-and out-on on the first drive of the game, Lincoln Dugan returned the Spartans’ punt 39 yards into the endzone. Aidan Silva tacked on the extra point to make it a 7-0 game.
Following a Tyler Connolly interception and 33-yard return to the Crusaders’ 47-yard line, Fenwick traveled 53 yards in seven plays, capping the drive with a 1-yard plunge from Dylan Patterulli (11 carries, 45 yards) and a point after from Silva, making it a 13-0 game.
Bishop Stang’s next drive also ended in a turnover: a fumble recovered by Tyler Santos at the Spartans’ 42. The Crusaders needed only three plays to find the endzone, the final one a Brayden Clifford 19-yard touchdown strike to Connolly to make it 20-0 just seconds into the second quarter.
Truth be told, the sloppy conditions ruled the quarter with the teams racking up five combined turnovers. With 1:19 to go in the half, a Stang strip-sack gave the Spartans a first-and-goal at the Crusaders 5-yard line and set up their only touchdown of the game, cutting the deficit to 20-7 going into halftime.
Fenwick got that one back on its first possession of the second half, methodically driving 76 yards in 12 plays to bump its lead to 26-7. Connolly (8 carries, 75 yards) was a workhorse, leading the all-ground drive with 68 yards on five carries, the final an 8-yard touchdown dash.
The Spartans turned the ball over on downs on their next possession, giving the ball back to the Crusaders at their 38. Once again, the hosts made quick work of it, needing only seven plays to take it to the house, thanks to two fourth-down conversions – the first a 1-yard run by Connolly and the other a 44-yard touchdown pass, Clifford (7-of-13, 134 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT) to Garron (3 catches, 85 yards) to stretch Fenwick’s lead to 32-7 with about eight minutes remaining in the game.
But Fenwick wasn’t done yet.
Stang drove to midfield, only to be stung for another turnover, handing the ball back to Fenwick at its own 26. Two plays later, Masone broke loose for the final score of the game, setting off the sideline celebration.
A short ceremony to honor Woods’ accomplishment was held after the game featuring a large banner adorned with his photo.
“I’ve been very lucky to have had so much support over the years at Bishop Fenwick – coaches, administrators, parents, and, of course, the players,” Woods said. “These are all the people that make this school a really special place, so for me to be able to spend my coaching career here makes me very fortunate.”
