CHICAGO (Gary Little Stadium) No one has picked Brother Rice better than 4th in their own conference. Well, the Crusaders had a lot to say about that on Friday when neighborhood rival Marist came to Gary Little Stadium. Fresh off of a Prep Bowl Championship season, the Crusaders picked up right where they left off scoring a 21-14 victory over the Marist RedHawks.
Marist scored first when QB Matt Mulcahy powered in from a yard out to complete an 85-yard march in 14 plays to take a 7-0 lead. Rice responded in kind with a 14-play march of their own covering 89 yards and finished it with Jeremy Rhodes bulling his way in from a yard out to even the game at 7-7.
Jeremy Rhodes set up Rice's second score with an interception of Mulcahy at the Marist 44. Then the fun began. Brother Rice introduced the crowd to a little scatback named Dwayne Dade. Dade did not disappoint as he electrified the crowd with some spin moves and some shakes and bakes that reminded one of a young Barry Sanders. He finished off the drive with a 15-yard, tackle-breaking run which gave Rice a 14-7 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Crusader passing game came to life as QB Tom Gibson lofted a perfect pass to the endzond that softly landed in the hands of receiver Kevin Koehler from 21 yards out and Rice took a 21-7 lead into the final period.
Marist made it interesting when Mike O'Grady crashed in from two yards out to complete a fast-break drive that cut the lead to 21-14. But the Rice defense stopped the Hawks three final times on drives to preserve the victory.
