SHINER - Devin Pesek made his final regular season home game at Comanche Stadium a memorable one.
St. Paul Cardinal's running back Blue Hybner carries the ball in the second quarter against the Sacred Heart Indians at the Comanche Stadium in Shiner on Friday. photos by Marie De Jesus, Advocate Photographer
Pesek completed 6-of-8 passes for 158 yards, ran for 72 yards and scored running and throwing touchdowns. He also intercepted a pass as the Shiner St. Paul Cardinals blew out rival Hallettsville Sacred Heart 62-6 to clinch the school's second consecutive district title.
"He's provided good leadership and he's been a key part of this team," said third- year Cardinal head coach Jake Wachsmuth.
Sophomore running back Adam Hollenbach echoed Wachsmuth's comments about Pesek's leadership.
"Devin encourages me to run harder everyday in practice and get better," Hollenbach said.
Hollenbach came into the game with the Advocate-area lead in total points with 186 and he didn't disappoint in the first half. He scored two rushing touchdowns and a receiving score through 24 minutes.
Hollenbach finished with 94 yards rushing, 28 receiving and a total of three touchdowns.
Pesek isn't just the teams offensive field general, but his prowess in the defensive backfield makes a difference for the Cardinals as it did Friday.
Pesek intercepted Sacred Heart quarterback Jared Krischke on the first play of the fourth quarter and returned it 10 yards to midfield.
"The better you play the more you can provide leadership," Wachsmuth said. "He's made himself a good quarterback and he's a key part of this defense too."
The game was an exclamation point for a Cardinals community that had been frustrated for more than two decades against Sacred Heart.
Before beating the Indians last season St. Paul's last win over their rival was in 1989.
"For the past 19 years they've been shutting us out and it's great to just put it back on them," Hollenbach said.
Added Wachsmuth: "I think what it means to these people is beyond words. They really support our kids and it's really good for this community and this school."
Sacred Heart Indians' quarterback Jared Krischke prepares to make a pass during the second quarter Friday.
Sacred Heart was without head coach Pat Henke for the second straight game.
Henke is at home recovering from pancreatic health problems and assistant coach Joe Cash said his absence was felt Friday night.
"Coach Henke is the heart of this program," Cash said. "He's been here for 39 years and when a guy who's been in charge for 39 years is gone, it's like having your heart taken out of your body."
Krischke led the Indians offensive attack with 72 yards passing and hit Cole Wick for Sacred Heart's only score.
St. Paul wanted to spread the ball around, and they did that successfully. Pesek completed six passes for 158 yards to four different receivers and five different rushers including Pesek had at least 31 yards rushing as the Cardinals took a 35-0 lead into halftime.
"It helps out a lot when you can mix it up all the time," Pesek said.
Added Hollenbach: "The defenses we play have no idea who to key on because we have so many backs that can rotate in."
Two key drives showed the poise of Pesek in the first half.
With the Indians still very much in the ball game late in the first quarter Sacred Heart was forced to punt and pinned the Cardinals to their own one yard line, 99 yards away from the end zone.
After a penalty backed St. Paul up to the half-yard line Pesek dropped back and found Brett Hodges.
The 75-yard connection ended the first quarter and gave the Cardinals the ball on the Indian 12. Two plays later Martin Kennedy scored on a three yard rushing play and the Cardinals led 20-0 early in the second quarter.
"That was a big play," Waschmuth said. "The kids made big plays and that was huge because if they pin us back and we punt things happen."
On the ensuing Indian drive Sacred Heart was moving the sticks, but a Cole Hybner interception gave the Cardinals the ball back on their own 11, but Pesek wasn't content to just pick up yardage and punt.
Pesek completed his next three passes and picked up 18 yards on two runs to give the Indians get the Indians inside the Sacred Heart eight.
That helped set up Hollenbauch's second rush score of the night and St. Paul lead 28-0 late in the first half and the game was put out of reach for the Indians.
Pesek wouldn't let the Cardinals let down in the second half. After starting the ball on their own 17, Pesek drove St. Paul to the Sacred Heart 16 in less than three minutes.
Facing a second and six from the Sacred Heart 16 Pesek ran left, broke about four tackles, then reversed field to put the Cardinals up 42 points.
"Seventeen years is a long time and I know we won last year, but they weren't going to let up," Waschmuth said about the teams second half intensity.
The loss drops the Indians to 2-1 in district and 7-3 overall. Sacred Heart will try and regroup at home against Bryan Brazos Christian, in a game that could decide the TAPPS Div. IV, District 3 second seed.
GAME STATISTICS:
statistics source: http://www.advosports.com/games/560/St. Paul Sacred Heart First Downs 19 10 Yards Rushing 41-417 23-80 Yards Passing 158 72 Passes 6-8 7-11-3 Punts N/A 2-77 Fumbles-lost 1 2-1 Penalties-yards 10-100 6-55 SCORING SUMMARY: 1 2 3 4 -- Final Sacred Heart 0 0 0 6 -- 6 St. Paul 12 23 21 6 -- 62 SCORING DETAILS: First Quarter SP - Adam Hollenbach, 2 yard rush TD (kick missed) 6-0 STP, 8:11. SP - Devin Pesek to Brandon Sciba 27 yard pass TD (kick missed) 12-0 STP, 5:03. Second Quarter SP - Martin Kennedy 7 yrd run (2 pt good) 20-0 STP. SP - Hollenbach 2 yrd TD run (2 pt. good) 28-0 STP 2:22. SP - Pesek to Hollenbach 23 yrd TD pass (kick good) 35-0 STP 0:11. Third Quarter SP - Pesek 16 yard run (kick good) 42-0 STP 9:09. SP - Kennedy 4 yrd TD run (kick good) 49-0 STP. SP - Blue Hybner 27 yrd rush TD (kick good) 56-0 STP 2:25. Fourth Quarter SH - Jared Krischke to Cole Wick 5 yrd pass TD (kick failed) 56-6 STP 1:18. SP - Blake Radicke 46 yrd fumble recovery, 62-6 STP 0:00. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS: Rushing St. Paul, B. Sciba 6-79, D. Pesek 5-72, B. Hybner 3-83, D. Kresta 2-(-3), A. Hollenbach 13-94, M. Kennedy 12-92, S. Curtiss 1-(-3). Sacred Heart, C. Mikes 8-22, K. Rother 7-21, J. Krischke 7-2, S. Hrncir 4-40, R. De La Rosa 1-8, D. Halata 1-(-1). Passing St. Paul, D. Pesek 8-6-158. Sacred Heart, J. Krischke 11-7-72-3. Receiving St. Paul, B. Scibia 2-42, A. Hollenbach 2-28, B. Hodges 1-75, J. Natal 1-13. Sacred Heart, C. Wick 6-64.St. Paul Cardinal Football | Return to Shiner Home Page
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