Lancaster Catholic holds off Delone Catholic 28-21 in non-league showdown

(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)

By John Walk — LNP/Lancasteronline

Lancaster Catholic held a three-score lead near the start of the second quarter and appeared on its way to a blowout football victory Friday night.

By the fourth quarter, the host Crusaders were clinging desperately to a one-score lead as Delone Catholic held all the momentum.

Lancaster Catholic then went 85 yards over 12 plays in what ended up being the difference in an eventual 28-21 non-league win over the Squires.

“You guys played four quarters, stuck through it and now you what it takes,” Crusaders’ coach Chris Maiorino told his players after the game.

What proved to be the game-winning score came from Lancaster Catholic workhorse back Elijah Cunningham, who took a handoff to the left side, appeared stopped at the line of scrimmage, and then emerged for a 15-yard touchdown run.

“When the play started I didn’t see anything,” Cunningham said. “I hit the hole hard. Nobody grabbed me. I looked left, nobody was outside. I just bounced it outside.”

Cunningham finished with 171 rushing yards on 24 carries. He scored on Lancaster Catholic’s first three possessions of the night to spot the Crusaders (2-0) a 21-0 lead.

Then things got ugly for Lancaster Catholic in its home opener. The next three possessions went fumble, fumble, turnover on downs. The last of those came when the Crusaders lined up on fourth down in an attempt to draw Delone Catholic offsides without a snap. Instead, the ball was snapped, Delone Catholic (1-1) took over deep in Crusaders territory and ended up scoring just before halftime to cut the deficit to 21-7.

“We should have just punted it,” Maiorino said. “I was trying to get too cute to draw them offsides. … That won’t happen again.”

Delone Catholic went 85 yards over 12 plays on its opening possession of the third quarter to cut the deficit to 21-14. All were run plays, most of them to the right side.

“They were getting us moving outside (to the right side) and then cutting it back inside,” Maiorino said. “Good halftime adjustment by them.”

On the other side of the ball, Delone Catholic did a good job slowing the Crusaders’ rushing attack in the second half, mostly by containing the perimeter. Three second-half drives by the Crusaders were extended thanks to completions of 20 yards or more from first-year quarterback David Stefanow (9-for-14, 179 yards).

After Cunningham’s fourth-quarter TD made it 28-14, Delone Catholic fired back with a 90-yard kickoff return from Gage Zimmerman (174 all-purpose yards, 2 TDs) to cut the Squires’ deficit to 28-21.

Delone Catholic had a shot at a potential game-tying drive late, but it stalled at midfield when a fourth-down play ended in an incomplete pass.

“This will all benefit us,” Lancaster Catholic lineman Storm Haney said. “Having to stay in the game the whole time. … this was a good test for us.”

Up next: Next Friday, Lancaster Catholic makes a trip to Octorara.