On a rare sunny day in the Sunset District of San Francisco Saturday afternoon, the Archbishop Mitty and St. Ignatius football teams were both looking to snap four-game losing streaks and remain in CCS playoff contention. And led by their defense, the host Wildcats handily defeated the Monarchs, 28-7.
“On defense we work as a unit,” said SI senior linebacker Ben Boyden. “We trust each other, believe in each other, and we all work together to make plays. It’s been great. Making a great play and turning it into points is the best feeling in the world.”
Boyden led the defense from the front again, racking up tackles and blocking a crucial kick that would’ve made it a 4-point game. Following a strong outing last week against Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Wildcats defense scored half of their points, including a game sealing 35-yard pick six by cornerback August Parker.
Despite three red zone trips, St. Ignatius was able to hold the Monarchs to just one touchdown, paving the way for the offense to finish the job.
“We really started off nicely. Our guys did a really good job of flipping the switch quickly,” said SI coach John Regalia. “We learned as much as we could from the previous weeks, and put that in action to get better and set the tone nicely.”
Led by Swiss army knife Charlie Pyfer, the 'Cats had the perfect start to the game. On the Monarchs' first possession of the game, Pyfer scooped up a fumble for a 36-yard touchdown. He also connected with ever-reliable wide receiver Shane Crispen for a 24 yard touchdown, doubling the Wildcats' lead early on to 14-0. He finished with 32 passing yards, 13 rushing yards and 9 receiving yards, adding an extra dimension to an offense that struggled the past few weeks.
“We had no problem getting across the 50, and then we just fell flat. It’s frustrating, but we gotta change if we want to start winning games,” said Mitty head coach Danny Sullivan, “We’re the reason we lost, not them. We can’t keep shooting ourselves in the foot, it’s been the story of our season.”
Quarterback Will Towers was repeatedly able to lead the Mitty offense into Wildcat territory, but without avail. The Monarchs were unable to get out of their own way, often running plays sloppily, resulting in big losses. Their only touchdown was set up by an interception, putting the Monarchs deep in Wildcat territory. Taron Thang was able to convert with a 23-yard run to cut the SI lead to 14-7, but the Monarchs were unable to carry the momentum any further.
“Our offense really clicked today,” said Regalia. “We’ve been practicing a lot, using different packages, putting guys in different places, and it paid off today. We made some big strides and I’m proud of the kids.”
Following a game in which the Wildcats were unable to put together a scoring single drive from their territory, they bounced back with multiple such drives. St. Ignatius was aided by the return of running back Ronan Greene, who added 29 yards on the ground as well as help blocking in the backfield.
Despite an injury to starting quarterback Aiden Smith late in the first half, the 'Cats were still able to keep the momentum going, switching between junior Mac McAndrews and Pyfer under center. They kept the Monarch defense on their toes with constant pre-snap motion, never allowing them to find a rhythm.
Still searching for its first league win, Archbishop Mitty will head back home for a clash with Valley Christian next Saturday. Meanwhile, the Wildcats will look to use all the momentum they can get for a daunting trip down to San Mateo to face undefeated Serra Friday night.
