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Small Crowd Watches Jays Pull Huge Upset Over Holy Cross

Alert Jesuit Wins, 14-12

Tigers Suffer Another Loss to Rivals

By JOHN JOLY

One of the smallest crowds in the history of a 52-year-old rivalry watched as the Jesuit Blue Jays upset favored Holy Cross, 14-12, Thursday night in Tad Gormley Stadium in a District 11-AAAA football game.

It was the fourth victory in a row over the Tigers for the Blue Jays, who are fighting to get out of the Catholic League cellar, and the 30th* in the series, which dates back to 1922.

The victory was achieved on an alert play by the Jays, when a Ray Danahay punt was partially blocked by Bob Quitzau and John Palermo picked up the loose pigskin at the Holy Cross 19 and ran it in for the score with 4:31 left to play in the game.  Marc Morial converted.

After trailing, 7-0, at halftime, Holy Cross scored in the third quarter on a one-yard plunge by Jay Roussel, and went ahead in the fourth quarter, 12-7, when a bad snap from center forced Blue Jay punter Randy Shultz to get off a hurried kick.  

It was blocked at the Holy Cross 31 and Rocky Capdeville picked up the ball and ran it back 69 yards for a TD at the 8:15 mark in the final period.  

Jesuit's first half lead had come on Steve Hubbell's three-yard run into the end zone and Morial's first of two conversions.

The statistics favored Holy Cross as the Tigers collected 10 first downs to Jesuit's four, gained 185 total yards on 106 yards rushing and 79 in the air on seven completions on 14 passing attempts. 

Bruno Parker of Holy Cross was the leading rusher with 76 yards on 18 carries, but he was hurt midway in the third quarter and never got back in the game.  Mickey Hubbell was the Jays' top rusher with 59 yards on 13 carries and Steve McKenna added 34 on 10 carries.

Early mistakes kept the Tigers deep in their own territory and a blocked punt by Dahaney, which traveled only six yards to the Tigers' 20, enabled the Blue Jays to set up for their first score.

It took the Jays only three plays to get into the end zone, with Steve Hubbell going over from three yards out with 4:34 to play.  Mickey Hubbell started the drive with a 17-yard run to the Holy Cross three.

The Jesuit touchdown was the first one in the last four games and Marc Morial's conversion made it 7-0 and this margin stood up through the first half.

* - Editor: Our research shows it to be the 32nd victory by Jesuit.

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