Spartans pull away late for big win over Aces

October 27, 2018 | 1:02 am

Updated October 27, 2018 | 1:02 am

Illustration by The Owensboro Times

For one half, the Owensboro Catholic football team hung with a powerhouse that’s run through Class 5A competition. Losing some key players slowed them down, and the Aces ended up falling 42-12 at home in the final regular season game Friday.

Owensboro Catholic (7-3), a Class 2A team, took a quick lead and the defense stayed strong as the Spartans (10-0) only held a 14-6 advantage at the half. Head coach Jason Morris said the Aces had a couple more chances to get on the board, but he was happy with the first two quarters of play.

“We played really good on defense in the first half,” he said. “We had two or three other scoring opportunities but couldn’t punch it in.”

Owensboro Catholic scored less than a minute into the game when Drew Hartz hit Nick Mills for a 65-yard touchdown, but the 2-point conversion failed. The Spartans closed out the first quarter with an 8-yard score for a 7-6 lead. South Warren added a touchdown late in the second.

The Aces lost a few players to injuries and one was ejected, and Morris said they weren’t able to maintain the same level of play in the second half.

“At that point, things just started falling apart on us,” he said. “We were putting in kids who weren’t quite ready for that level of competition.”

The Spartans scored on passes of 20, 33, 21 and 18 yards in the third quarter to blow the game open and start a running clock. Owensboro Catholic’s other touchdown came on a 10-yard run by Carter McCain midway through the fourth quarter.

Morris was still happy with how his team came out against a top team as the Aces prepare for the postseason.

“We proved that when we were fresh and we played our starters versus theirs, we could hang,” Morris said. “I think it proved we match up with some of the best teams in our state. There’s a reason there are classes in football, and whenever we get back into 2A we’re going to be fine.”

The Aces will stay home for the first game of the state tournament Friday, when they host Webster County (1-9), whose only victory came against a winless Fulton City.

Morris said next week will be about regrouping and getting ready for a deep push for a state title.

“We’re expecting to come back focused on Monday and fix some of these mistakes we made tonight,” he said. “We’re going to be fine. I feel confident I have a group of seniors that are going to stick together, and we’re going to make a pretty good run.”

October 27, 2018 | 1:02 am

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