Marist overwhelms Brother Rice 49-35
By Pat Disabato pdisabato@southtownstar.com September 1, 2012 12:00AM
Nic Weishar, of Marist, can't come down with a Woodworth pass against Brother Rice at Brother Rice, Friday, August 31st, 2012 in Chicago IL. | Gary Middendorf~For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: October 3, 2012 6:19AM
Marist’s offense grabs most of the headlines — and deservedly so.
But it was the RedHawks defense and special teams that stole the show Friday against archrival Brother Rice.
Marist scored its first touchdown off a blocked punt and added another off a forced fumble that was returned for touchdown and led to a 49-35 victory over host Rice before a standing-room-only crowd in Chicago’s Mount Greenwood community.
Marist recorded six sacks on the night, constantly applying pressure on Rice quarterback Matt Page.
“The special teams came up big for us early,” Marist coach Pat Dunne said. “The blocked punt was huge and our defense put good pressure on.”
Rice (1-1) scored on its third possession of the game when Page (27-of-56, 397 yards) hit Chris Rozell on an 86-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead at 7:30 of the first quarter. Brian Kane added the PAT kick.
It was all downhill from there for the Crusaders.
Marist scored 42 unanswered points — 28 before the first-half expired.
Marist’s Cody Bohanek blocked a punt by Rice’s Spencer Scott at the Crusader 12-yard line, and Jimmy Smith recovered it and strolled into the end zone. Cillian Hannon’s PAT kick tied the game 7-7 at 4:41 of the first quarter.
Peter Andreotti (20 carries, 204 yards) then gave Marist a 14-7 lead at 10:50 of the second quarter, busting in from 5 yards out for the score.
The RedHawks defense then came through. Rual Boles creamed Page, who fumbled at the Rice 5-yard line. Mike Layer scooped the ball up and stumbled into the end zone for a 20-7 advantage with 9:03 remaining in the first half. The PAT kick was blocked.
Marist put the game out of reach late in the half when Ian Woodworth (21-of-36, 192 yards) hooked up with Nic Weishar on an 8-yard TD toss. Woodworth hit Flynn Nagel to convert the 2-point conversion for a 28-7 halftime advantage.
Steven McGugan led a dominant first-half exhibition on defense, registering two sacks. Bohanek added an interception for the RedHawks.
Woodworth hooked up with Nagel on a 16-yard TD pass, while Andreotti and Jordan Burger added 1-yard scores in the second half.
