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Holy Cross Defeats Jesuit to Win Catholic League Title, 7-0

TIGERS SCORE IN 4TH PERIOD

Winners Finish Regular Season Undefeated

By N. CHARLES WICKER

Holy Cross defeated Jesuit, 7-0, before the year's largest crowd, upward of 20,000, in a great defensive battle Saturday night at City Park Stadium, to win the Catholic schools' gridiron championship.  Victory enabled the Tigers to finish their 1963 regular season campaign with an undefeated but once tied record.  

It marked the third time in the school's history that the Tigers had an undefeated but once tied record.

Capitalizing on a poor Blue Jay punt that traveled five yards on the third to last play in the third quarter and with the aid of a 15-yard penalty, Holy Cross was able to score a fourth period TD to win.

Ray Tackaberry, who had been kicking well all evening for the Jays, got off a poor kick trying to angle one out of bounds.  The ball went out of bounds at the Holy Cross 35-yard line from where the Tigers marched for a touchdown.  Before the third period ended Allen Rappold and Glenn Smith picked up five yards.

Smith opened up the fourth period with a 20-yard pickup, giving the Tigers a first down and tying the first down count at four-all.  Rappold at two tries, picked up nine yards, and on the next play, with the Tigers advancing the ball to the Jays' 34, Jesuit was guilty of a personal foul and penalized to the 19.

Smith on first down lost four yards, and after a second down pass fell incomplete, Ray Culotta hit Brian Scarengos at the Jays' 7 and a first down.  Rappold, after picking up three, raced for a score around right end.  Richard Gornto converted to give the Tigers a 7-0 edge.

Jesuit moved down to the Holy Cross 19 the second time they got possession of the ball.  Taking the opening kickoff, the Jays ran into trouble when Tackaberry punted.  On the first play from the Tigers' 49 Lastrapes fumbled and Dennis Eigenbrod recovered for the Jays.  From there Jesuit down to the Tigers' 19 where they were halted.

The ball changed hands back and forth during the remainder of the first half and most of the third period.  Up until that time Tackaberry got off his poor kick, Jesuit was ahead on first downs which would have been the deciding factor if the game had ended in a deadlock.

Jesuit, the state's top defensive team, held the Tigers to 120 yard rushing and passing.  Holy Cross, the top offensive unit in the city, got 103 yards on the ground and 17 through the air.

Holy Cross by virtue of its triumph will move into the state Triple A playoffs against the Istrouma Indians, second place team from the Southeast District.

Just when that game will be held will be determined Sunday when the LHSAA executive committee meets in Alexandria.  Jesuit by virtue of the loss moved into a second place tie with De La Salle.  The Cavs and Jays must await the outcome of the St. Aloysius-Redemptorist game Sunday before their fate in the state playoffs is decided.  This year second place teams in each district move into the state playoffs.

Editor's Note:  Apparently, St. Aloysius defeated Redemptorist and gave the Jays a second place finish, tied with De la Salle, with Jesuit advancing to the playoffs since they defeated the Cavs in the regular season.

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