Four-year undefeated streak continues for No. 1 team in Canada
The Notre Dame Pride have extended their season record to 5-0 after a 21-18 victory over their longtime rivals, the St. Francis Browns, on Friday, Oct. 17.
What started out as a defensive battle turned into an offensive shootout between the two teams. Both offences were fairly stagnant in the first half, but the Browns were the first on the board with a field goal late in the opening quarter. Notre Dame’s Avery McCuaig responded with an 82-yard touchdown reception that made the score 7-3 going into halftime.
Notre Dame running back Jonathan Girma put another touchdown on the board in the third quarter. An unnecessary roughness penalty against the Pride set up two quick majors by Girma’s opposite number, Browns’ running back Kaedon Armstrong. That put St. Francis in the lead in the fourth quarter 17-14, and a single point off of a missed field goal stretched their lead to 18-14 with minutes left to play.
However, the Pride found an answer in their quarterback, Colton Hunchak, who ran the ball for a 52-yard touchdown score. After a late drive by the Browns and with no time left on the clock, the game — and the Pride’s four-year undefeated streak — came down to the St. Francis Browns’ attempting a field goal and tie the game. The ball sailed wide, leaving Notre Dame’s perfect record untarnished.
“It was a great football game,” Notre Dame head coach David Diluzio said after the contest. “I thought both teams played really well, and both teams capitalized on each other’s mistakes.”
While the Pride and the Browns each entered the game with perfect season records, the Notre Dame senior squad hasn’t lost a game since 2011. Canadafootballchat.com has ranked the Pride as the top high school team in the country all season, while the Browns have moved up from 17th to fifth place over the past four weeks.
Fans of both sides came out in full force to support their teams, packing the stands at Shouldice Athletic Park’s Hellard Field.
The win leaves Notre Dame alone in first place in the Senior Division 1 with one game left before the playoffs begin.
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