Cardinal Newman Wins District 7-3A Title

    The Cardinal Newman Crusaders captured the District 7-3A championship with a 6-0 victory over the Pahokee Blue Devils on Monday night at Sam Budnyk Field in a Kansas tiebreaker following a one-quarter tiebreaker game that was scoreless. The Crusaders won their first district title since 2005 while the Blue Devils finished as the district runner-up and will make their first playoff appearance since 2009.
    The American Heritage Stallions(5-3, 2-1) were eliminated after they lost the first one-quarter tiebreaker to Pahokee 15-14 followed by a Cardinal Newman win over Pahokee. The Stallions will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2000.
    Cardinal Newman(6-3, 2-1) and Pahokee(6-3, 2-1) both had two possessions during their tiebreaker and neither came even close to reach the end zone.
    The best scoring chance was on the Blue Devils first drive of the session. Running back Jay Hopson went around the left end and down the left sideline for 52 yards to the Crusaders 18-yard line. After an offensive penalty and two sacks by the Crusaders defense, the Blue Devils had to punt from midfield.
    The Crusaders took over with 8:23 left at their own seven-yard line and could muster one first down before they had to punt from the Cardinal Newman 25.
    Pahokee began their next possession with 5:36 to go at the Blue Devils 30, but they eventually had to punt again. Cardinal Newman took a knee at their own 18 with 18.8 seconds remaining to run out the clock and set up a Kansas tiebreaker.
    The Blue Devils had the first shot to score and take the lead. Hopson ran left for three yards on first down, quarterback Rashaun Croney ran to the right side for one yard on second down and Hopson tripped when he got the handoff for a loss of four yards on third down. A 27-yard field goal attempt by David Vasquez was short and Cardinal Newman took over to win the tiebreaker.
    Crusaders running back Jeramey Worthen went around the right side for an eight-yard gain on first down to the Blue Devils 2. Tight end Andrew Owers lined up in the backfield and added another yard as he ran up the middle on second down. Cardinal Newman won the game on third down when running back Erick Hardnett dashed off-left tackle and into the end zone from one yard away.