Sacred Heart gets a nice finish to a difficult 2017.
Not only did the Knights end a seven-game in-season skid, they were able to send their seniors out on top with a 45-26 win at Republic County.
While both teams came in with a combined one win this year and no shot at the 2A/1A playoffs, both teams played as if their seasons were on the line and put together a really well played game.
The scoring got started on the opening kickoff as Republic County’s Nicholas Allsman ran the kickoff back for 87-yards and the TD to get the Buffs on the board first. Republic County missed the PAT.
Sacred Heart would follow that up with a pair of long TD drives, led by their star senior RB, Jacob Faerber. At the end of the first, the Knights led 14-6.
Republic County began to settle in, however, as the Buffs brought intense blitzing pressure against the Sacred Heart offense, the Buffs also found that their RB, Allsman, was just as capable as Faerber.
The two traded four-straight TD’s before a Charlie Skidmore’s 26-yard FG just before half gave Sacred Heart a 24-20 lead at the break.
After Sacred Heart miscues cost the Knights a scoring drive to open up the third quarter, Republic County answered with a 70-yard Allsman TD run–his fourth–to give the Buffs their first lead since the opening quarter at 26-24 after another missed PAT.
But on this night, Sacred Heart always seemed to have the answers. In a year where the Knights struggled in the second half of games, on this night, Sacred Heart would finally close a game out.
Sacred Heart started first with QB, David Anderson, finding freshman WR, Josh Jordan, on a six-yard TD pass to give the Knights the lead back. After stuffing Republic County on defense, Sacred Heart drove the ball to inside of the 5 -yard line of Republic County.
The Knights faced 4th-and-goal from the two of RC to star the final quarter. Anderson was blitzed and hit right away and looked like he would be sacked, however, he somehow spun away just long enough from the Buffalo wrapped around his legs to heave a pass in to the end zone–all while falling to the ground–to a wide open Kyler Junk for his second TD pass on the night. Sacred Heart led 38-26.
Republic County would not go away, though. Led by Allsman, the Buffs got the ball inside of the 5 of Sacred Heart with still over seven minutes left, but this time, the Knights’ defense won the day, as they forced a goal line stand to turn away Republic County with just under five minutes to go.
Sacred Heart would just need a few more first downs to clinch the win, but Faerber wanted more. With under three left, Faerber bounced and weaved his way through the Buff defense, then sprinted to the goal line for a 67-yard score and game sealing TD, as well as a career defining score in his final game.
The Knights were able to run out the clock and come away with a 45-26 win.
Republic County (0-9, 0-3 District) was led by Allsman’s four TD’s as their season ended with no wins.
Sacred Heart (2-7, 1-2 District) snapped their seven-game losing streak and were led by Faerber’s four TD’s and well over 200 yards rushing to end their year on a high note.
Sacred Heart will not advance to the 2A/1A playoffs. Their season now is officially over.
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