Early in the second half, the Cougars capitalized quickly. The Saints lost a fumble in their own end zone leading to a safety. With an 18-6 lead (and a short field following the free kick), the Cougars hit pay dirt one last time to push their lead to 20 points. However, they wouldn't tally another point as the Saints dialed up a tremendous defensive effort. Once again, the Saints got their run game back on track and scored 16 unanswered points to push the score to 26-22. With just over a minute left on the clock, the Saints tried an onside kick to finish off the comeback. However, the Cougars were able to fall on the kick and then run out the clock to secure a win.
After Friday morning chapel, the Middle School community recognized the effort and determination of the 7th Grade team with a rousing ovation. I explained to the crowd that while our tendancy is to simply celebrate victories, there are valuable lessons in athletics regardless of the final score. We ask the boys to work together as a team to overcome any obstacle put in front of them. On Thursday afternoon, our young Saints fought hard throughout a physical contest and came together as a true TEAM.
We look forward to hitting the field again on Wednesday afternoon, as the Saints travel to Charlottesville to take on St. Anne's Belfield. We hope to see many of our supportive fans there for kickoff!