In a seesaw game with six lead changes and continuous momentum shifts, the visiting St. Albans Bulldogs had the last big push to defeat the host Bishop O’Connell Knights (0-2) by a 44-34 score Sept. 7 in a non-league high-school football game.
Trailing 34-29, St. Albans scored the final two touchdowns of the fourth quarter to win by 10.
O’Connell had a solid offensive game with 258 total yards, moving the ball on the ground and in the air, but was hampered by two lost fumbles, a bad snap on a punt and penalties. The bad punt snap gave St. Albans a short field that it converted into a touchdown.
On defense, the Knights struggled to stop the Bulldogs’ passing attack. St. Albans threw four TD passes and a two-point conversion.
“It was good that we put 34 points on the board and we moved the ball. We had opportunities, but we couldn’t close the door,” O’Connell coach Todd Sabatino said. “We just can’t make mistakes against anyone.”
Mikhai Martin rushed for 90 yards and three touchdowns for O’Connell and Graham Deaton threw scoring passes of 42 and 80 yards on quick-slants to Joseph Williams (three catches for 132 yards). Deaton was 6 of 9 passing for 156 yards.
O’Connell’s Douglas O’Donnell had three catches for 24 yards and rushed for 15. Josh Graham kicked four extra points.
O’Donnell had a 91-yard third-quarter kickoff return that set up a Martin touchdown run.
Martin, Brandon Green and Sebastian Argote recovered fumbles on defense for O’Connell.
The Knights play next at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 at Bullis in Maryland.
