In a game where defense dominated for most of the four quarters, Mitty outlasted St. Ignatius 17-14.
Heading into this contest, S.I. had lost two consecutive games to two talented teams in Bellarmine and Serra after starting 3-0. Mitty started the season 3-1, but lost a heartbreaker last week to St. Francis after missing a potential game-winning field goal as time expired.
After a slow first half for both squads, Mitty ignited its offense with an opening drive strike from Monarch quarterback Brett Foley to receiver Ben Granberry, who beat S.I.’s secondary for a 69-yard score. The touchdown pass put Mitty up 10-7.
Later in the third, after a missed field goal from S.I. kicker Andrew Ferrero, Mitty took over on its own 20 yard line. On his first carry of the game, Mitty halfback Miles Brown broke free for an 80-yard touchdown run, giving the Monarchs a 17-7 lead.
“It felt great,” Brown said after the game. “Whenever you get a space wide-open, there’s nothing you can do but run.”
Throughout the game the Wildcats put together long drives. However, once inside the red zone, the Cats couldn’t seem to put points on the board.
Late in the fourth quarter, S.I. finally capitalized. After getting good field position after a Mitty punt, S.I. marched 39 yards. Running back Xavier Tharpe capped off the drive with a two-yard touchdown run to bring S.I. within three points.
Tharpe had a respectable game, finishing with 56 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown.
Electing to kickoff long nstead of attempting an onside kick, the Wildcats forced Mitty to start at its own 20. With 2:17 left in the game. Mitty sealed their victory on third down and five when Foley found Ben Manley for a seven7-yard gain and a first down. Despite a late desperation effort from the Wildcats, Mitty held off the Wildcats.
Foley finished just 2-of-4 for 76 yards, but had that 69-yard touchdown pass.
In the first half, S.I.’s Brian Vollert pounded his way in for a 6-yard touchdown run, putting the Cats up 7-0.
Vollert had eight carries for 53 yards and a touchdown.
At the end of the first half, Mitty kicker Kris Bubic split the uprights on a 29-yard field goal, putting the Monarchs on the board for the first time in the game. That field goal turned out to be the difference.
S.I. led at halftime, 7-3.
The Wildcats also missed two field goal attempts, one due to a bad snap.
"Defense worked today,” Mitty coach Dave Brown said. “S.I. did a great job preparing for us offensively. We struggled a little bit. But I would say all in all just our persistence defensively, just making good plays.
“Every win is a good win. We just want to dwell on the good things that we’re doing.”
Despite the loss, S.I. coach John Regalia had praise for his team.
“I think we did a lot of things well,” said Regalia. “I think there were a lot of things that were working. We had a 15-to-20-play drive in the fourth quarter, which is great offensively, but it didn’t come away with any points. So it’s just a couple little things."
Mitty (4-2, 2-1) hosts Bellarmine (5-1, 2-1) on Friday. S.I. (3-3, 0-3) hosts Sacred Heart Cathedral (3-3 0-3) at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Bruce-Mahoney game at J.B. Murphy Field.
