SPORTS

Wide right

Missed field goal lifts Hawks past Rams

By ALEX SPONSELLER
Posted 10/19/22

The Bishop Hendricken football team held on to beat rival La Salle 10-9 in the state’s biggest regular season game last Friday night.

The Rams held a 9-3 lead heading into the fourth …

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SPORTS

Wide right

Missed field goal lifts Hawks past Rams

Posted

The Bishop Hendricken football team held on to beat rival La Salle 10-9 in the state’s biggest regular season game last Friday night.

The Rams held a 9-3 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but the Hawks would march down the field and cap off a drive with a touchdown rush from Ronjai Francis to make it 10-9 with 7:56 remaining. La Salle would drive all the way into the Hendricken red zone in the final minute to set up a chip shot field goal try, but the kick would sail right as the time expired on the clock.

“At first, things weren’t really going well for us, but we weren’t going to change our mentality. Ever since the game started, our plan was to keep pushing forward. If we make a mistake, then get back onto the field and keep going. There’s time on the clock, you have more downs, that means that you have more tries and you have to keep going. From first down to fourth down, first quarter to fourth quarter, our mentality stays the same,” said Francis of the team’s mindset in the fourth quarter.

Hendricken had a chance to close the game out when the defense came up with a fourth down stop and gave the offense the ball with less than four minutes left. Although the Hawks tried to run out the clock, the Rams’ defense would hold up and force Hendricken to punt. La Salle took over at its own 35 with 1:25 remaining.

In the final minute, Hendricken forced a fourth-and-8, but would jump offside to give the Rams another fresh set of downs. Although the Rams set up the short field goal try, it would not be enough.

Hendricken would get on the board early in the first when Oscar Weah broke off a 45-yard rush to set up the field goal. The Rams would get a field goal of their own in the final drive off the first quarter to tie things up.

Each defense would come up with key stops in the second quarter to keep things even at the break. La Salle scored the game’s first touchdown when quarterback Dean Varrecchione connected with Brady Fisher on a 14-yard touchdown strike with 7:01 left in the third quarter.

The Hawks and Rams have formed perhaps the state’s greatest rivalry over the past 15 seasons. The two clubs last met in last year’s state championship, where the Hawks took home the win in what was Rhode Island’s highest-scoring state championship game ever.

Things were much different last Friday, and Francis was proud of the guys around him that stepped up.

“I didn’t expect the score to be this low, but we didn’t expect them to score as much as last time, either. All week, we prepare for any scenario that could happen. Our scout team was awesome, they didn’t let us take any plays off in practice. That’s what we needed. Every person that stepped on this field gave 110 percent,” Francis said.

Hendricken remained unbeaten in league play and will be able to clinch first place with a win over Central this week. Francis and company hope to put this win in their back pocket moving forward to have a chance to defend their title.

“We all know that La Salle isn’t an easy team to beat. When you beat a team like this, it gives you motivation to keep doing what you’re doing,” Francis said. “We want to play fast and play hard.”

Hawks, football

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