Cardinal Ritter upends Hillsboro on Hawks Homecoming Night
(Hillsboro) The Cardinal Ritter Lions used three second-half touchdowns to beat Hillsboro and ruin the Hawks Homecoming Game 26-13.
The Hawks took the first possession of the game, moving the ball downfield until a big third-down stop from the Lion’s defense forced them to punt in their own territory.
The Lion’s got on the scoreboard first with an eight-yard pass to Frederick Moore.
After a blocked PAT attempt, the score was 6-0 in favor of Cardinal Ritter midway through the first quarter.
The teams traded possessions without scoring as the first quarter ended.
Hillsboro took possession at the beginning of the second quarter, marching the ball down the field and keeping the clock moving.
With 8:36 left in the first half, RB Jaxin Patterson bulldozed his way into the end zone.
The Hawks’ extra point attempt went wide left, leaving the score tied 6-6.
The score remained 6-6 at halftime in Hillsboro. Quickly into the second half, Cardinal Ritter jumped back out in front on a 58-yard carry by Lion’s quarterback Carson Boyd with 10:16 left in the third quarter. The two-point conversion failed and the score was 12-6.
The Hawks then marched down the field and Jaxin Patterson scored on this two-yard carry.
The extra point attempt by Hawk kicker Nick Marchetti put Hillsboro in the lead at 13-12. With just over nine minutes left in the game, the Lions found receiver Frederick Moore in the endzone for this 24-yard score.
The two-point conversion was good to make it 20-13. Cardinal Ritter scored again this time on a ten-yard pass to Ryan Boyd. The conversion failed, and the final score was Cardinal Ritter 26, Hillsboro 13. Hillsboro Coach Bill Sucharski says his team was hurt by turnover.
Cardinal Ritter Head Coach Brennan Spain said his team was prepared for a battle against the Hawks.
Cardinal Ritter stays undefeated at 8-0 and Hillsboro slips to 7-1. Next week, Hillsboro will host Poplar Bluff.
