Taking MBA to the wire, Irish fall 24-23 in tough East Region tussle
KNOXVILLE — On a beautiful autumn Homecoming evening Friday, Oct. 4, it was a heartbreaking loss for Knoxville Catholic High School’s football team.
For three quarters, the Fighting Irish trailed Montgomery Bell Academy, only to take a 23-17 lead with 9:27 left in the game.
But the Boys in Green couldn’t stop Big Red on its late-game possession. With 53 seconds left, MBA quarterback Charlie Verner scored on a 4-yard keeper to tie it at 23. Kicker Ronit Chandra’s extra-point kick was the winning margin. The Big Red drove 76 yards in 16 plays — three times converting on third down, and once on fourth.
Catholic got the ball back in the last minute but couldn’t sustain a drive, as KCHS fell to 3-3 overall while losing its first Division II-AAA East Region game. Montgomery Bell improved to 3-4, 1-2. “Can’t get in a hole, gotta play better early,” Irish head coach Phillip Shadowens said. “Our kids are always gonna fight. We gotta grow up and begin to win those (close games).”
It looked like the game might not be close early on, as MBA led 14-0 four minutes into the second quarter. On first down from Catholic’s 16, Brooklyn Davis took it in with 11:16 left in the second period for the game’s first points.
On its ensuing possession, the Irish had a fourth-and-two on their own 35. But quarterback Mack Bartholomew was stopped short of a first down, giving MBA great field possession. On the first play, Verner hit Davis on a 36-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-0.
“You try to change momentum; it’s a play we usually convert,” Shadowens said of the decision to go on fourth.
KCHS answered right back when Bartholomew hit Tyreek King streaking up the left sideline. The 63-yard completion went all the way to the end zone, but the PAT was blocked leaving the score 14-6.
Each team kicked a field goal before halftime, Irish senior Gavin Menard’s being from 24 yards, as MBA led 17-9 at the break.
When Aron Mase, KCHS junior defensive back, picked off Verner with 5:12 left in the third, Catholic was at their own 19.
Three plays — two passes and a run — covered 73 yards and put Catholic on the MBA 8.
Two plays later, Bartholomew scored on a 4-yard keeper. The 2-point pass failed, leaving KCHS down 17-15.
After forcing a punt, the Irish took over on their 39 with 1:05 left in the third. On the seventh play of the drive — third and seven from MBA’s 21 — Bartholomew found Brooks Johnston in the end zone with 9:27 left in regulation. For the game, Bartholomew completed 12-of-30 passes for 205 yards.
