THUNDER BAY -- The St. Ignatius game plan on Saturday was simple – wait until there was no time on the clock and punch it into the end zone.
It worked in each of the first two quarters.
Running back Nic Cull barged in for a score on the final play of the opening quarter, then Bryce Covello hit receiver Jake Robertson for a 50-yard scoring strike as time ran out in the first half, the defending senior boys high school football champions taking a 14-0 lead into the break.
The pattern didn’t continue in the second half, but the Falcons already had all the points they’d need, cruising to a 27-3 win Saturday at Fort William Stadium over the St. Patrick Saints to open the 2016 Superior Secondary Schools Athletic Association season.
Cull helped the Falcons dominate the ground game, rushing for 146 yards and a score, while Covello made the most of his limited passing opportunities, completing nine of 15 pass attempts for 88 yards and three touchdowns – two to Robertson.
“We have a lot of respect for that team,” Covello said. “We always know it’s going to be a grind when we come in here and play against this team. They’re good, they always play us well. We knew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park.”
For the most part it wasn’t, although the St. Ignatius defence already looked in midseason form at times. The Saints, unable to mount a passing attack at all, were forced to the ground, their one-dimensional offence read well by their Catholic Bowl opponent.
St. Patrick quarterback Josh Swearenger bore the brunt of the attack, failing to complete all four pass attempts while tossing up three interceptions.
The Saints lone points, a 17-yard, third-quarter field goal by Ian Buenetello, came the first time all game they’d managed to penetrate into St. Ignatius territory.
By then it was too little too late, Covello opening the third with a three-yard scoring pass to Robertson, who amassed 55 yards on three catches.
Covello added his final major of the afternoon in the fourth, hooking up with Josh Newransky from two yards out, the missed extra point making it 27-3.
“I think we just had a slow start and didn’t have the right spirit at the start of the game,” Cull said. “But after that big second touchdown from Jake Robertson it really got the wheels going and everybody was ready to go.”
Next up for the Falcons are the Westgate Tigers on Friday. The Saints have the week off, returning to action on Sept. 30 against Hammarskjold.
