2 weeks Ago
Teurlings Catholic quarterback Alex Munoz throws an off-balance pass during the Rebels' win over Notre Dame on Friday. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Dane Charpentier didn't hesitate to put the game in his quarterback's hands. Late in the third quarter, Teurlings Catholic held a 14-10 lead over rival Notre Dame and the Rebels had a decision to make.
With the ball at the Notre Dame 49 and facing 4th and 8, Charpentier called timeout. The Rebels head coach opted not to punt the ball away. Instead, Charpentier decided to leave his offense on the field and have his junior quarterback make a game-sealing play.
"It means a lot to me," Alex Munoz said. "I love that he trusts me in that situation and trusts me to make a play." Munoz showed why he had his coach's trust by tucking the ball under his arm, running around a few trailing Notre Dame defenders and galloping down the sideline for a 31-yard gain.
"We motioned the receiver in from the boundary so we knew that we were going to have a short edge on that side," Charpentier said. "We had two in-breaking routes. Alex (Munoz) is a smart player and he knew if they were both covered that would leave the boundary open.
So he did a great job. He made the play of the game." "We had a drive concept up the middle," Munoz said.
"The inside backer went back with the dig route and I saw my opening and just took it and went." A few plays later, Rebel running back Cason Evans took the handoff and weaved his way through the Pios' defense for a 13-yard touchdown. That decision to extend the drive was the difference as Teurlings Catholic defeated Notre Dame 21-10.
It is the fourth straight victory for the Rebels over the Pios. "It shows the fight we have as a team," said Munoz, who had 150 total yards and one touchdown in the victory. "It shows that anyone they put in front of us we can fight and win.
" Teurlings Catholic (2-0) started off with a promising drive as Douge Viltz set the tone with a lengthy run on the first play. The big gain was essentially cut in half due to a holding call. The drive would stall and the Rebels were forced to punt.
Notre Dame struggled on its first offensive possession as the Pios committed three penalties and was forced to punt. Teurlings Catholic went three-and-out on its next possession but special teams came through. The punt pinned Notre Dame at the own three-yard line and the Pios were unable to pick up a first drive and punted yet again.
"A lot of respect for those guys," Charpentier said. "They played their hearts out and our guys did too. Our guys could never get into a rhythm offensively and that hats off to Notre Dame.
Their defense was just smothering all night. This was a defensive game and our guys played just a little better defense." It appeared that Teurlings Catholic would get on the board.
After another short punt, the Rebels had a drive begin at the 35. Teurlings Catholic drove all the way down to the four-yard line but a false start penalty backed them up, but that wasn't nearly as costly as the next flag thrown. A chip-shot field goal was backed up 15 yards as the Rebels were called for an unsportsmanlike penalty.
Logan Boudreaux's 42-yard field goal attempt was pushed left. For the night, the Rebels were flagged 13 times for 110 yards, including three unsportsmanlike penalties. "The positive part is that if you can do all that stupidity and win the game that means you probably have a good football team," Charpentier said.
"We were our own worst enemy in a lot of ways tonight. There were some times that we didn't keep our composure. I think some things were going on in the game that were very extracurricular both ways.
Not everybody kept their cool. We are going to have to fix that." After another punt by Notre Dame, Teurlings finally got on the scoreboard and did so with a pair of big chunk plays.
Munoz found Nick Celestine down the right sideline for a 26-yard reception and that was followed by a 29-yard touchdown run by Viltz. The Rebels senior running back who rushed for 120 and 248 yards in the first two games of the season, was held to 88 yards on 15 carries. "I think they were really good with stopping the run and containing us to a few big plays," Munoz said.
"But those big plays allowed us to get the win." The victory at Rebel Stadium on Friday extended Teurlings' winning streak in the longstanding series to four games. That is an accomplishment that wasn't lost on Charpentier afterward.
"I think it is the first time in school history that a senior class has won four games in a row against those guys," Charpentier said. "I think they have done it a few times but I think this was the first time for us. I am just really happy for our kids.
Anytime you can try to make corrections it is a lot better to make corrections when you are 3-0.".
