Another football season has come and gone and the last team standing in class D-2 is the St. Mary's Cardinals. As the Cards pack their pads away they know that they played their best and have the fold to show for their toil.

The 2002 Cards will now add their trophy to the front display case at St. Mary's to join the likes of the 1984, 1969, 1958, 1956, and 1949 gridiron teams of alumni past.

St. Mary's defeated Lindsay Holy Family for the state championship last Thursday with St. Mary's coming out on top, 22-8, in four of the best quarters of play fans have seen this year.

The Cards scored early in the game, driving down the field on a 25-yard pass play from Simons to Willis putting the Cards at the Lindsay 38. Runs by Hickey, Simons and Givens gave St. Mary's excellent position down at Lindsay's 5 yard line. On first and goal with 7:50 on the clock in the first quarter, Jed Givens ran in over the left end for St. Mary's first touchdown. Mike Simons hit Matt Willis for the extra point and the Cards ruled the board, 8-0.

Lindsay's first attempt at the ball lasted eleven plays and drove deep into Cardinal territory down to the Card's 11 yard line. On fourth and one, the defense. Led by Kiel Neumann stopped Nick Kurtenbach for a 2-yard loss. Holy Family turned the ball over at the 13 yard line. Holy Family was far more fruitful on their second procession, scoring on a 5 yard run by Nick Kurtenbach. This put the score in dead lock at 8-8.

The Cardinals took four more possession before the half with Simons throwing tow interceptions. A strong St. Mary's defense put the pinch on any further scoring by Lindsay and at half the soccer was still 8-8.

At half, the Cards had 114-yards total offense compared to Holy Family's 55 yards total offense.

Lindsay took first possession of the second half at their own 20 yard line, where three plays later a holding penalty put Lindsay back to the 11, where Holy Family punted.

St. Mary's took possession at their 34 yard line. The next play by Givens advanced the Cards out to the 37 yard line. Ryan Hickey took the Cards into Holy Family territory on a 6 yard run by Mike Simons who rushed down to Lindsay's 31. On first and ten with 9:18 on the clock in the third, Simons rushed over the end for a 31 yard touchdown, putting the Cards up by six points, 14-8.

Lindsay had trouble keeping their next two possession. On Holy Family's first possession, Jed Givens forced a fumble by Matt Weeder with Cardinal defender Adam Koenig recovering the fumble. On Lindsay's second attempt, top defensive player Kiel Neumann intercepted a pass by Weeder and returned the ball 5 yards.

St. Mary's final score of the game was made by Ryan Hickey on a 27 yard run with 10:37 left in the fourth quarter. Mike Simons ran in the final score on the PAT to end the scoring leaving the Cards victorious, 22-8.

The Cards had 269 total offensive yards, 204 rushing and 65 passing from 61 plays.

Mike Simons had 19 carries for 86 yards. Simons had nine attempts with five completed passes and three interceptions. Ryan Hickey had 17 carries for 88 yards averaging 5.2 yards per carry. Jed Givens had 11 carries for 26 yards. Ryan Kelly had two carries for six yards.

Receiving for the Cards, Matt Willis had two catches for 38 yards, Dan Haggerty caught two for 28 yards, and Jed Givens caught one pass for a 3 yard gain.

Defensively, Kiel Neumann led the Cards with 17 tackles, Mike Simons came in second with 15, Jed Givens and Adam Koenig had 8 apiece to round out the top players.

The Cards end their season, 13-0, having scored 616 points to their opponents 72.

Congratulations Cards!