The PKM Steel Service Game of the Week saw first-year head coach Garrett Galanski lead the Sacred Heart Knights to a 41-20 win at Minneapolis tonight. The Knights made some big plays on both sides of the ball but Galanski said that penalty runs are scheduled for tomorrow’s practice.
“If I am being honest, we were sloppy,” Galanski said. “We had close to 15 or 16 penalties, but I am glad that we came out with this outcome.”
The Lions fumbled away their first possession, setting up the first touchdown drive of the night for Sacred Heart. Senior Jake Faerber capped off the drive with a five-yard run up the middle for an easy six. The extra point was off of the mark, holding the Knights’ lead to six.
The Lions weren’t able to move the chains before fumbling the ball away on their second drive.
Two penalties stalled the Knights’ next drive but junior Trace Leners helped move the chains with two amazing catches. At fourth and four, Faerber broke several tackles to pick up a new set of downs and put Sacred Heart in scoring position. Junior quarterback David Anderson took the ball the rest of the way in. Sacred Heart led 13-0 after the PAT.
The Knights scored again around the four-minute mark after another fumble by the Lions left them in great field position. They completed the two-point conversion, leading 21-0.
As a light shower rolled through, so did the Lions’ offense. They scored on an 80-yard run the first play of their next drive but another touchdown by Sacred Heart made the score 27-6 at the end of the first quarter.
Minneapolis had the only touchdown in the second quarter. The final eight and half minutes went scoreless and the Knights carried a 27-12 lead into the second half.
Junior Trace Leners opened the second half with a 71-yard touchdown run. With the kick going through the uprights, the Knights went up 34-12 in the opening seconds.
Penalties stonewalled drivers for both teams and the rest of the third quarter went scoreless.
The teams traded touchdowns in the fourth quarter and the Knights picked up their first win of the season, 41-20.
“Charlie Skidmore, at receiver, caught some unbelievable balls. He was actually playing quarterback up until tonight,” Galanski said. “Defensively, Jared McCartney and Caleb Gilliland, they are both freshmen, stepped up when they needed and honestly blew me away.”
Sacred Heart will travel to Russell next weekend.