Saul Ruiz kicked a dramatic 23-yard field goal as time expired, leading St. Rita to a thrilling 31-28 victory against Lincoln-Way Central in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs. The Knights held three separate leads during the game, each by a single touchdown, but the Mustangs displayed resilience, particularly in the final quarter.
The emotional toll of a playoff loss can weigh heavily, especially on the bus ride back to campus. For the Knights, Saturday”s game was a painful reminder of missed opportunities. Despite having leads and a strong performance from Lucas Andresen, who recorded ten receptions including three touchdowns, the Knights” efforts fell short. Quarterback Drew Woodburn completed 15 passes for 158 yards, but it was St. Rita that had possession in the crucial moments.
“It”s tough to see it end like this after building such a family culture with these guys,” Andresen reflected. “We had high expectations, but I think we got a little tired and unfocused, and that definitely cost us.”
The Mustangs, now with a record of 7-4, will advance to face Hersey in the quarterfinals, displaying classic Catholic League toughness that wore down the Knights (9-2) as the game progressed. The Knights were hindered by penalties in the fourth quarter, including an unsportsmanlike conduct call on running back Justin Cobbs and another penalty for an offensive lineman being downfield, which thwarted a promising drive.
St. Rita regained the lead with an 8-yard touchdown run by Brandon Johnson during their next possession. Although the Knights equalized with a 13-yard touchdown reception by Andresen with 2:50 remaining, they would not get another chance to score. The Mustangs orchestrated a 63-yard drive over nine plays, highlighted by a crucial 40-yard pass from Steve Armbruster to John Fennell, setting up Ruiz”s game-winning field goal.
Knights head coach Dave Woodburn lamented, “The defense didn”t perform as well as we anticipated. Our offense was solid, and it ended up being a matter of who had the ball last – and they did. This loss will sting for a long time.”
Conversely, St. Rita”s head coach Martin Hopkins was elated with the victory. “They were a tough team to beat,” he said. “Our main goal throughout the game was to get the ball back to our defense, and they faced some dangerous players on the field.”
Andresen, who had an impressive three-touchdown performance the previous week against Reavis, was instrumental in the first half, catching both of Woodburn”s touchdown passes. He opened the scoring with a nine-yard reception and later added a 23-yard touchdown just before halftime. His one-yard touchdown run had previously given the Knights a 14-7 lead, following an 86-yard kickoff return by St. Rita”s Walter Jones.
The Mustangs responded with a 23-yard run by Jones early in the second quarter, tying the game again. Johnson”s 51-yard run with 9:42 left in the game gave St. Rita a 28-21 advantage, but the Knights” tying score came on the 15th play of a 76-yard drive. The remaining time on the clock ultimately favored St. Rita as they executed their final drive flawlessly to secure the win.
