St. Mary's Cardinals Traveled to Elgin to take on the Elgin Pope John Crusaders last Friday night.

Pope John started the game on their own 23-yard line. A 4-yard run by Benjamin Kuhlman followed a fumble recovered by quarterback Dan Pelster on the 26-yard line.

The Crusaders fell on hard times as a delay of game penalty and a fumble recovery by Matt Willis gave St. Mary's the ball on the Crusaders 32-yard line.

The Cards couldn't get things moving even with runs by Givens, Hickey, and Simons and ended up with Pope John taking over on downs at midfield.

The Crusaders started at midfield with two straight runs, but a holding penalty and a dropped pass forced Elgin to punt.

St. Mary's countered with a 10-yard run by Simons, followed by a sack for a 3-yard loss. On the fourth down, a late pitch by the quarterback gave running back Jed Givens a 27-yard touchdown scamper. The two point conversion was run in by Simons and the score was 8-0.

Pope John received the kick and started on their 22-yard line. The Crusaders connected on a long pass the Cards 22-yard line. The Crusaders tried two runs on the ground and a third down pass was broken up by St. Mary's Adam Koenig. A sack by Ryan Kelly on fourth down forced the turnover.

St. Mary's took possession on the Crusader's 28-yard line. A pass interference called against the Crusaders took the ball to the Crusader's 14-yard line. A fumble by St. Mary's fullback Ryan Hickey was recovered by the Crusaders on their own 9-yard line. On the very next play, Pope John quarterback Pelster fumbled and St. Mary's Tim Krugman recovered on the goal line. Mike Simons on second down ran it in for the touchdown. The extra point attempt was no good making the score 14-0.

Pope John took possession on their own 22-yard line and after four attempts, turned it over to the Cards on their own 37-yard line. The Cards ran two unsuccessful running plays on a third down and ten. Simons connected a 20-yard completion to tight end Dan Haggerty to the Crusader's 17-yard line. A block in the back killed the drive for the Cards and they punted into the Crusader's end zone.

The Crusaders on the second play for the series threw a pass that was intercepted by St. Mary's Matt Willis on the Crusader's 5-yard line. Consecutive runs by Ryan Hickey brought the ball to the 1-yard line. A fourth down run by quarterback Mike Simons scored the touchdown. A pass to Haggerty for two points mad the score Cards 22, Crusaders 0.

St. Mary's kicked the ball down to the Crusaders who returned the ball to the 23-yard line. A fumble by Pope John was recovered by Ryan Kelly on the Pope John 9-yard line. On the first play, Simons connected with Haggerty on a quick slant for six points. Simons ran the extra point in making the score 30-0.

Pope John fumbled the ensuing kickoff. St. Mary's recovered on Pope John's 30-yard line. A 10-yard penalty put the ball on the 40-yard line with a first and 25 ending the half at 30-0 St. Mary's.

St. Mary's started out the second half with the first possession but Elgin was the first to hit the board when they marched down the field 42 yards for their first score. Pelster snuck across from the 2-yard line and then ran the extra point try in for two, making the score Cards 30, Crusaders 8.

The Cards started out on their own 13 after the Crusaders' kickoff. The Cards generated five first downs on the drive but stalled on the Crusaders goal line on a fourth and inches which turned the ball back to the Crusaders.

Pope John went five downs and out and punted the ball back to St. Mary's 10-yard line. St. Mary's went four downs and out and the Crusaders started out on their 37-yard line. Crusaders went four and out and punted to the Cards who fumbled the punt and gave it to the Crusaders on their 3-yard line.

On the first play, Pope John's Running back Kuhlman ran in for the score. The PAT was no good, making the score 30-14.

The Cardinals tried an on-side kick and it was recovered by Jed Givens on the 39-yard line.

On the very first play, St. Mary's quarterback Mike Simons ran 41 yards for the touchdown. The extra point run by Ryan Kelly was denied and that left the score 36-14.

Pope John started the next drive on there own 21-yard line. A 10-yard run by Dwyer gave the Crusaders a first down. An incomplete pass, followed by an interception by Dan Haggerty gave the Cards the ball on the Crusaders' 34-yard line. Some good running by Ryan Kelley and Mike Simons advanced the ball to the Crusader's 16-yard line. On third and ten Simons hit Nick Welding for a 16-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was blocked, leaving the score St. Mary's 42, Pope John, 14.

The Crusader's started out next on there own 34-yard line. Two screen passes and a reverse brought the ball to the Card's 13-yard line. Quarterback Pelster ran the ball in making the score St. Mary's, 42 Pope John, 20.

The Card's ended the game with quarterback Simons taking a knee to run out the game clock.

The Card's had five fumbles and lost two of them, while the Crusaders' had seven fumbles and lost five with two interceptions giving the Cards five turnovers for the game.

Simons was 8/19 for 81 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. St. Mary's had two interceptions by Dan Haggerty and Matt Willis.

St. Mary's ground game: Mike Simons, 24 carries, 102 yards; Jed Givens, six carries for 33 yards; Ryan Hickey, 13 carries for 22 yards; Ryan Kelley, six carries for 13 yards.

Receivers: Matt Willis caught one pass for 7 yards; Ryan Kelley caught two passes, 1 for 7 yards and 1 for 5 yards. Kevin Ohri had a 9-yard catch. Dan Haggerty had three catches, one for 20 and one for 12 and a 9-yard TD pass. Nick Welding had one 16-yard catch for a TD