GACC loses to BDS in opening round of playoffs

SHICKLEY – The #15 Guardian Angels Central Catholic football team lost 42-20 to #2 Bruning-Davenport-Shickley in the first round of the Class D1 playoffs Thursday night in Shickley.

The Bluejays scored on their first possession of the game on a three-yard run by Noah Hass, and led 8-0 after the first quarter.

GACC extended their lead to 14-0 following a 50-yard run from Hass midway through the second quarter.

BDS used nearly five minutes of clock on their next drive, which ended on a four-yard scoring run from Dalton Kleinschmidt, making the score 14-6 GACC late in the second.

The Bluejays then drove down to the BDS nine yard line, but a trick pass play was intercepted in the end zone, and BDS ran out the remaining clock, making the score 14-6 GACC at halftime.

BDS came out hot in the third quarter, scoring 22 unanswered points, and took a 28-14 lead after three.

The Eagles added two scores in the fourth quarter, and led 42-14 with 6:50 left to go.

The Eagles offense was aided by three Bluejay turnovers in the second half, an interception and two fumbles.

GACC put one more drive together, and Cody Steffen plunged in the end zone from one yard out with 1:57 to go. The two point conversion missed, and the score was 42-20 BDS.

An onside kick attempt by GACC failed, and BDS ran out the clock, preserving the final score of BDS 42, GACC 20.

The Bluejays end their season at 4-5 overall.

Definitely not a Central Catholic like year, but I felt the Bluejays got better at the end of the season.

Steffen finished the season with 848 yards rushing while Hass added 641.

Blake Pojar led the team with 83 tackles.

GACC says goodbye to Hass, Damon Crawford, Mitchell Peatrowsky, Casey Doernemann, Pojar, and Aaron Disher.

Some very good talent lost from this team that will have to be replaced.

Key returners include Steffen, Cash Meier, Jaryn Smeal, Noah Kreikemeier, and Coy Kreikemeier.

Some good players returning, but the Bluejays have a lot of work to do to get back to where this program is used to and belongs.

GACC has to get in the weightroom and lift hard this offseason if they want to be successful.

I was very surprised the Bluejays struggled as much as they did this year.

GACC needs to put in the hard work to get back to where they once were.

New players have to emerge and step up for this team next year.

The Bluejays are losing a lot up front so some new players will have to step up on the line.

GACC can definitely be a force to be reckoned with next year, but they have to put in the time and effort in the offseason.

Success doesn't come easy, and champions are made between December and July.

Champions aren't made from August to November.

I look for the Bluejays to have a bounce back year next year and do well.

It will be interesting to see who all GACC plays in the next two-year cycle.

The Bluejays need to be intense and feel the burn when they lift this offseason.

GACC has to play the game as much as possible as well before August, and enjoy doing it in the process.