(Home)

The 1969 game was played on Saturday, September 27, 1969

Copyright © 1969 The Times-Picayune

Dave Falgoust Boots Tigers Past Jesuit With 1:55 Left, 3-0

Battle Seen by 14,000

Fumble Sets Up Score in Crushing Clash

By JOHN JOLY

The gifted toe of Dave Falgoust carried the Holy Cross Tigers to a 3-0 victory over the Jesuit Blue Jays Saturday night before 14,000 screaming fans at Tad Gormley Stadium in City Park.

In knocking over the No. 1-ranked Blue Jays, who had ruled the roost in the state's highest classification since the start of the season, Coach John Kahlbacher's Fighting Tigers enhanced their chances for the District 5_AAA football championship.

It was the fourth victory in a row for Holy Cross and the third time that Falgoust, by his accurate kicking, has enabled the Tigers to come out on the long end of the score.  He got the Tigers past Glen Oaks and St. Augustine on field goals.

As was expected, the teams met in an "eyeball-to-eyeball" confrontation on the Gormley turf and it was a hard-knocking fierce-tackling fray from the opening whistle.

But it was a costly fumble, one of four Jesuit coughed up during the night, that set the wheels in motion for the Holy Cross drive that put them within the shadow of the Jesuit goal post an set the stage for Falgoust to turn on his heroics.

Jesuit played a first and 10 from its own 29, and picked up a first down on a 16-yard run by backup quarterback Steve Foley to the Jays' 42.  But on the next play, Bert Arlt, after picking up two yards, lost the ball and No. 73, Francis Galle, a defensive guard, recovered for the Tigers on the Jays' 44.

With Ray Prats leading the march, Holy Cross moved along, picking up two first downs that put them at the Blue Jay 11.  But Jesuit's defensive front, coming of age in this titanic battle, held and three thrusts at the line by Prats netted only four yards to the Jesuit seven-yard line.

With 1:55 to play in the game, Falgoust was sent in with the kicking tee and he promptly split the uprights form 22 yards out and Holy Cross had broken the scoreless stalemate.

The Tigers' alert secondary then broke the backs of the Blue Jays, for, following the ensuing kickoff, a pass by Steve Montgomery was picked off by Glenn Meyers at the Jesuit 37 and he returned it to the Blue Jays' 25.

With approximately 34 seconds showing on the clock, quarterback Ken Hrapmann kept the ball for two plays and time ran out with the Bengals on the Jesuit 24.

Jesuit had a chance to get on the board late in the third quarter with they drove to the Holy Cross 22, where on fourth down Mark Oliveri tried a 39-yard field goal, but the kick was wide to the right and the Tigers took over on their own 20 with 4:53 left in the third period.

A clipping penalty nullified a Holy Cross touchdown late in the first period.  Jesuit was forced to punt and Tony Blankenship boomed a punt to the tiger 26/  Safety John Glorioso took the ball in and under a head of steam raced all the way - 74 yards - for a touchdown, but there was a Tiger infraction at their 30, and Holy Cross suffered a 15-yard penalty back to their own 15.

Jesuit had another scoring opportunity on a drive that started just before the end of the third quarter.  Prats had fumbled at the Tiger 46, and captain Bryan Winters recovered for the Blue Jays.

The Birds then marched to the Holy Cross 12.  On the next play, Foley swung right for nine yards for what would have been a first down at the Bengal three, but fumbled the ball in the air and it was snatched by Meyers to end the Jesuit threat.

Jesuit led in first downs, with 12 to Holy Cross' seven, but the Tigers had the edge in total offense, gaining 175 yards to the Jays 152.

Jesuit completed five passes in 14 attempts for 40 yards, while Holy Cross tried four passes, completed one for minus four yards.

(Home)