Dwight stops late two-point conversion to beat St. Bede 29-27

DWIGHT – Dwight-Gardner South Wilmington came out controlling the line of scrimmage, but St. Bede continued fighting and nearly fought its way to overtime.

But a pair of failed two-point conversions cost the Bruins in the end as the Trojans came away with a 29-27 victory over the Bruins in a Chicagoland Prairie Conference game Friday.

“These are great kids that played their hearts out,” an emotional St. Bede coach Jim Eustice said. “We couldn’t stop the pass on that last drive and credit Dwight for making the plays.”

The Bruins (1-6, 1-3 Chicagoland Prairie) trailed 22-15 entering the fourth quarter and Landon Marquez started the drive out with a 4-yard run before Gino Ferrari completed a 5-yard pass to Phillip Gray.

That set up third-and-4 where Ferrari and Gray connected again for 10 yards. The Trojans (4-3, 1-2) were whistled for a late hit, adding 15 yards to the play.

After a bobbled snap, St. Bede faced third-and-19 where Ferarri and Gray connected for a 24-yard touchdown. The Bruins elected to go for the two-point conversion, but failed and trailed 22-21.

With 7:23 left, Dwight took over and immediately got a 14-yard run from Evan Cox, but on third-and-11 Collin Bachand scrambled and found Joey Starks for 12 yards and a first down.

Moments later, Bachand found Drew Anderson for a 40-yard completion on third-and-20.

Later in the drive on fourth-and-8, the Trojans again went to the air and found a wide open Dylan Crouch for a TD, and after the kick led 29-21 with under two minutes remaining.

“The last couple of weeks we have kind of found something with the pass game,” Dwight coach Luke Standiford said. “Last week against Seneca and then tonight with a patchwork offensive line we were able to get some big plays when we needed them.”

St. Bede was not done though as on fourth-and-12, Ferrari found Carson Riva for 18 yards to keep the drive going followed by defensive holding.

Marquez then caught a 23-yard screen pass that set up a 12-yard touchdown run from Ferrari.

On the two-point conversion, the Bruins attempted a double reverse, but the Trojans were all over it, leaving St. Bede trailing 29-27 with under a minute to go.

“This is a tough one,” Eustice said. “I’m kicking myself for the two-point conversion tries, but I’m so proud of these kids. I just wish they could get a win to go along with how hard they’re working.”

On their first possession of the game, the Trojans used their big offensive line and charged their way down the field with big chunks in the running game.

Ayden Collom was doing most of the damage with runs of 16 yards and 5 yards to start the drive. Dylan Crouch followed with a 16-yard run.

The Trojans continued to bowl their way down the field as Collom again had two more runs of 7 and 10 yards that set up a 7-yard touchdown run from Cox for a 7-0 lead.

It appeared as if the Bruins opening drive would stall, but a roughing the punter penalty kept the drive alive.

A few plays later, Ferrari rolled left and looked to be going out of bounds, but turned in, broke two tackles and eventually carried four defenders into the end zone to tie the game.

On the next Dwight possession, Gray grabbed an interception to give the ball back to the Bruins.

On third-and-17, a screen pass to Grady Gillan netted 16 yards.

But on fourth-and-1, the Bruins were whistled for a false start, which led to an incomplete pass to end a promising drive.

The Trojans began to march downfield and on third-and-1, St. Bede jumped offsides to keep the drive going.

Crouch set up first-and-goal with a 21-yard run that led to a 1-yard touchdown from Bachand to give Dwight a 14-7 lead at the break.

In the third quarter, St. Bede marched the opening possession down the field highlighted by a 23-yard QB keep from Ferrari.

Marquez had some tough short yardage runs and Ferrari ran the score in from 3 yards out before AJ Hermes took a handoff and then passed to Ferrari for the two-point conversion and a 15-14 lead.

But the Trojans wasted very little time regaining the lead as on third-and-12, Bachand found Joey Starks for 43 yards, and on third-and-goal, Collom punched it in and after the two-point conversion led 22-15.

For the Bruins, Marquez led with 108 yards on 27 carries, while Ferrari completed 8-of-12 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown while rushing for two TDs.