August 25, 2007
Benedictine 28, ND 7
The first
meeting between Benedictine and Notre Dame took place in a new event called the
Charity Game at the new Cleveland Browns Stadium. There was a little bit of the
new and the old in this game.
It was the
third edition of this high school football doubleheader.
For Benedictine, the 28-7 victory
was a satisfying win in a new Stadium over a new rival with old ties.
After a
scoreless first quarter, Benedictine scored first early in the second on a
halfback option pass from junior Anthony Urbania to a wide-open senior wide
receiver Josh Dunleavy that covered 44 yards. Josh Steigerwald kicked the extra
point that gave the Bengals a 7-0 lead.
The Bengals moved 45 yards in three
plays for the game’s first score.
Forcing the Lions to punt, the
Bengals moved from their own 46. A big
run of 33 yards by Romel Dismuke took the ball to the ND 18, but after a
holding call moved the ball back to the 26.
On the next play, the Bengals
fumbled and the ball was picked by the Lions John Fioritto who went 65 yards
for the touchdown. Joe Vucic kicked the extra point to tie the game with 9:02
left in the second.
Benedictine took possession on its
own 15 with 4:04 left in the first half. The Bengals were struggling to put
together a time-consuming drive. At one point, the Bengals were facing a third
and 32 situation. But Justin Kollie, a junior running back broke free for 34
yards for the first down to put the Bengals deep into the Lions territory.
Three plays later, Coach Art Bortnick pulled another trick out of his playbook.
It was another halfback option pass
with Romel Dismuke throwing to Marty Sweeney for a 43-yard touchdown pass with
just 29 seconds left in the first half.
Sweeney made a nice move on the ND
defender, who fell down, to catch the ball that gave the Bengals a 14-7 lead
after Steigerwald’s kick.
He told Bob Fortuna of the Plain
Dealer, “I saw the defender slip so I had to come back, adjust to the
football and grab it.” Sweeney also had a great game as a defensive back as he
had six tackles and batted down three passes.
Dismuke increased the lead to 21-7
when he scored on a 14-yard run with 6:31 left in the third quarter.
Steigerwald kicked the conversion.
The final touchdown came on a
nine-yard run by Dismuke, who was named the game’s Most Valuable Player Award.
That score came with 3:06 left in the game and provided some late-game
insurance points.
Early in the game when the Lions recovered a fumble
at the Benedictine 16, they gave the ball back several plays later when the
Bengals Jason Pinkston intercepted a pass near the goal line.
It was a day for the defense as the
Bengals repeatedly stopped the Lions from reaching the end zone.
Benedictine forced ND to punt five
times and prevented the Lions from converting on five fourth-down situations.
Bengals coach Art Bortnick told
Bill Tilton of the News-Herald, “We relied on our defense.”
The Bengals defense shut down the
Lions running game limiting them to minus 13 yards in 27 carries.
ND held a narrow edge in the
passing attack gaining 121 yards to the Bengals 113. Benedictine outgained ND
362-108 in total offense.
Benedictine also held an 11-9 advantage in first
downs. How good was the Bengals defense in this game? ND did not get its
initial first down until the third quarter.
Losing four fumbles in the first
half prevented the Bengals from making this game a rout.
# # #
Wally Mieskoski ’71
Benedictine Football Historian
