Holy Cross football entered the fourth quarter of Saturday afternoon’s NVL Brass Division showdown against Waterbury Career Academy down eight points.
What happened next was an offensive eruption, and a win the Crusaders won’t soon forget. Holy Cross scored 20 unanswered points in the final 12 minutes and claimed a 26-14 victory over WCA. The Crusaders improved to 4-0 in the Brass Division while the Spartans fell to 3-1. Holy Cross is one of two undefeated teams in the Brass Division. The other is Wilby (2-0 Brass Division, 3-3 overall).
Chase Tyson pulled the Crusaders within 14-12 on a touchdown run, according to the summary from Mark Jaffee posted on The Red Zone. Pat Giancarli came up with the next two touchdowns, one on a pass from Drevon Yeldell and the other on a run. Yeldell ran for the two-point conversion after the last touchdown.
The Holy Cross defense held strong all day and came up with four interceptions. Alex Gillotte, Marcus Payne, Thomas Ligi and Ma’kai Wilson pulled in an interception apiece.
Holy Cross and WCA traded touchdowns in the second quarter. Yeldell and Rashawn Mitchell hooked up for a touchdown pass for the Crusaders, but the Spartans responded with a Jalen Gopie touchdown run. The game was tied, 6-6, at halftime. A Gopie touchdown run and Julio Toro conversion put the Spartans ahead, 14-6, in the third quarter, where the score stayed until the fourth quarter.
WCA is ninth in the Class S state playoff standings with Holy Cross right behind it in 10th.
Photo caption: Holy Cross quarterback Drevon Yeldell (12) helped the Crusaders claim a big 26-14 comeback win over WCA on Saturday. (Copyright, Sports on CT-69, file)
