Mistakes costly and slow O'Connell in season-opening defeat

The couple of times the Bishop O’Connell Knights sustained offensive drives, the result was a touchdown and field goal in the team’s season-opening game.

Problem was, various mistakes, including three turnovers, prevented more offensive drives in their 28-10 loss to the Roosevelt Roughriders from D.C. the night of Aug. 30 at the indoor St. James sports facility in Springfield.

O’Connell never led, falling behind 7-0 in the first quarter and 13-3 at halftime.

The Knights cut the lead to 13-10 in the third quarter on Mikhai Martin’s one-yard run and Josh Graham’s extra point, but O’Connell got no closer. Roosevelt added two fourth-quarter short touchdown runs against a tired and shorthanded defensive unit, that had multiple players sidelined as the game progressed because of leg cramps.

Roosevelt also had a long kickoff return for a score.

“They were a good team with size and good players, but we just can’t make mistakes like we did on offense and give the momentum away multiple times,” O’Connell coach Todd Sabatino said. “Then we had starters in and out with the cramping. It’s there, now we just have to make the right adjustments.”

O’Connell’s first points came on a second-quarter 30-yard field goal by Graham.

In the third, Martin’s TD capped a 66-yard, nine-play drive, highlighted by a 40-yard pass from Graham Deaton to Joe Williams.

The Knights also ran the ball well inside on that march, with Martin, Williams and Douglas O’Donnell during the running.

“We ran the ball hard inside with success. That’s what we want to do more often,” Sabatino said.

After slow starts, Martin ran for 35 yards in the game, Williams for 19 and O’Donnell for 14.

Deaton was 7 of 16 passing for 156 yards with an interception. The Knights also lost two fumbles. Williams had four catches for 132 yards, with Eli Moran and Jaden Edwards having a catch each.

On defense for O’Connell, Martin had an interception. Those making tackles for losses or for no gains were Martin, Williams, Scott Anderson, Will Bryant, John Shortino,  Argote Sebastian and Matt Dalton.

NOTES: O'Connell won its season opener last season, also scoring 10 points in that victory . . . In memory of former teammates or school faculty members lost to O'Connell in recent months, each football player is wearing a Shamrock logo on the back of their football helmets this season. Former O'Connell baseball coach and school security worker Rick Hart was a big fan of a Shamrock logo, O'Connell football coach Todd Sabatino explained. Hart died in recent months, as did former O'Connell player Jack Murphy. See a story about a ceremony for Murphy on this Website in a couple of days.