December 8th 2024.
The St. Ignatius Wildcats' game against Central-Fresno in the NorCal 1-A championship on Saturday night was a tough one. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to come back from a double-digit deficit in the second half. Central's senior Brandon Smith was a force to be reckoned with, scoring three touchdowns on the ground, one as a receiver, and another on a fumble recovery for a total of 159 yards.
It was a disappointing end to a successful season for St. Ignatius, who had already claimed the titles of West Catholic Athletic League and Central Coast Section Open Division champions. But the weekend was filled with exciting regional matchups, and the Wildcats gave it their all. They were determined to add one more crown to their collection, but it just wasn't meant to be.
Despite their efforts, the Wildcats couldn't quite keep up with Smith's impressive performance. He scored the first three touchdowns of the game, putting Central ahead 20-0 in the early stages of the second quarter. But St. Ignatius fought back, with star running back Jarious Hogan scoring his 21st rushing touchdown of the season thanks to a great block from Washington signee John Mills.
The game continued to be a back-and-forth battle, with Smith scoring another touchdown for Central and Odhran Kenny kicking a field goal for St. Ignatius as time expired in the first half, leaving the Wildcats trailing 26-10 going into the locker room.
In the second half, St. Ignatius' linebackers Latham Davis and Sui Gallegos-Hunkin stepped up their game, preventing Central from reaching the end zone on multiple drives. The Wildcats also managed to score, with Hummel making a powerful run into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown and Zui Shelton catching a 3-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to bring the score to 26-23.
But Smith wasn't done yet. He caught another touchdown despite taking a hard hit, giving Central a 10-point lead with just eight minutes left on the clock. The Wildcats pushed hard, driving down the field and getting within striking distance. However, their hopes of a comeback were dashed when a Central defender intercepted a pass with just over four minutes to go.
The rest of the game was a battle to keep the clock running for Central, with Smith making crucial runs of 15, 19, and 21 yards to secure the victory. St. Ignatius' quarterback Hummel had a strong performance, throwing for 221 yards and a touchdown, while Hogan rushed for 62 yards and Shelton caught seven passes for 138 yards and a score.
Despite the disappointing end to their season, St. Ignatius can be proud of their 10-3 record, which included impressive comeback victories against Serra, Archbishop Riordan, Valley Christian, and St. Francis. As for Central, they will move on to face Edison-Huntington Beach in the 1-A state championship next Saturday at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.
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