By GREG BURTON
Special to Southern Indiana Preps
CLARKSVILLE—Brandon Schafer got an
opportunity for a do-over, a mulligan, if you wish.
He made the most of it, kicking a
game-winning field goal with 14.9 seconds to play. The 28-yard boot powered
Providence to an exciting 17-14 win over Louisville Holy Cross on Friday night
at Murphy Stadium.
The Pioneers began the season with
three straight losses, but have now strung together three consecutive wins to
even their record at 3-3.
“A lot of people were panicking
when we were 0-3,” Providence head coach Larry Denison told Big X Sports Radio
WXVW-1450 AM following the contest. “Like I said at the beginning of the year,
we’re going to be a better football team this year, but our record may not show
it because (we have) a tough schedule.
“If we keep improving each week and
taking our game up one notch more, by the playoffs we should be a pretty good
team.”
It appeared that Providence was not
going to take advantage of opportunities to win in the second half. The
Pioneers had good field position throughout the latter half, but could not capitalize
until the very end.
Holy Cross (3-3) got on the board
first. A pitch to running back Mario Convenuto turned into a 52-yard touchdown
when Convenuto threw a long pass to Zach Meiman for the score.
The Pioneers answered early in the
second quarter when they started with the ball on the Holy Cross 23-yard line. Providence
junior Kaden Williams then powered the running game at that point, finally
running it in from 3 yards out to tie the game at seven.
Williams put Providence ahead 14-7 late
in the second with his second score, this time from 1 yard with 5:16 left in
the first half.
A frustrating third period saw
neither team able to generate much yardage. However, after a shanked punt,
Providence got the ball on the Holy Cross 19.
The Pioneers were only able to move
the ball 5 yards on three plays, setting up Schafer’s first field-goal attempt.
The junior kick pulled the ball left.
Holy Cross put together a drive later
in the third that started on its own 20. Then Cougar quarterback Jaren McDonald
connected with Gavin Foushee for a 7-yard TD reception to tie the game at 14
with 11:44 remaining in the fourth.
The remainder of the last period
appeared to be one of frustration for each team, as neither could generate much.
However, Williams intercepted a
pass and the Pioneers took over from 46 yards out. Eight plays later, Schafer
got a chance to win the game, which he did with his 28-yard field goal with
14.9 seconds left.
Holy Cross got a final opportunity,
but was unable to do anything in the short time remaining.
“It was a total team effort at the
end,” Denison said. “Our defense came up with a big turnover with less than 2
minutes to go on their side of the 50. Our offense drove the ball to get us
into field-goal range. Brandon Schafer did a great job kicking for us.”
Providence will play its final
regular-season home game at 7 p.m. next Friday against 5-1
Mitchell, a potential Class 2A Sectional 39 opponent. The Bluejackets defeated Rock
Creek 80-0 Friday night.
PROVIDENCE 17, HOLY CROSS 14
Holy Cross 7 0 0 7-14
Providence 0 14 0 3-17
First quarter
HC — Zach Meiman 52 pass from Mario
Convenuto (Meiman kick), 7:31.
Second quarter
P — Kaden Williams 3 run (Brandon
Schafer kick), 11:09.
P — Williams 1 run (Schafer kick), 5:16.
Fourth quarter
HC — Gavin Foushee 8 pass from
Jaren McDonald (Meiman kick), 11:44.
P — Schafer 28 field goal, :14.9.
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