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After a tough loss to Salesianum (DE), Friendship Collegiate came into the game against Bishop Ireton Saturday feeling they had played better than their 4-4 record indicated, and Saturday they proved it.

In a game with playoff implications for Ireton, Collegiate spoiled the Cardinals senior day and used a strong second half to win, 40-22.

The two teams played fairly even football throughout the first half, something you would expect for two teams fighting for their playoff lives. The first half was a seesaw battle, whenever one team went down and scored a touchdown, the other team answered on their next possession.

Ireton opened the scoring on a 32-yard Doug Vines carry to make it 6-0 after a failed PAT. The Knights answered with on their following drive with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Albert Reid and a successful two-point conversion to make it 8-6 Collegiate.

Three drives later the Cardinals scored again on a 13-yard Vines carry with a successful two-point conversion to retake the lead, 14-8. But the Knights closed out the half with a 15-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Chris Griggs to wide out Larenzo Fisher to tie the score.

The halftime tie was the closest Ireton ever got to Collegiate in the second half.

In the second half, momentum turned in Collegiates’ favor when cornerback Albert Reid intercepted a pass by Ireton quarterback Mike Larrabee.

“Turnovers are either a momentum killer or a momentum booster,” said Friendship coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, whose team scored three touchdowns after the interception. “Turnovers are crucial.”

While the defense swung the momentum, the Knights grinded out the game on the ground against the undersized Ireton defensive front. The two-man wrecking crew of Malcolm Crockett and Reid rushed for a combined 211 yards and three touchdowns, mostly operating out of the wildcat offense to a degree that would make the Miami Dolphins proud.

“We have two special backs (Crockett and Reid), it’s a way to get both on the field at the same time,” said Rahim when asked about why he implements the wildcat.

On the flipside, the Ireton offense sputtered in the second half, only managing a very late touchdown against a stingy Knights defense.

“They flat out wore us out in the second half,” said Ireton coach Tony Verducci, “They exerted their will and scored, we didn’t respond.”

The Cardinals lone bright spot on the day was the play of running back Doug Vines, who rushed for 102 yards and suffered a knee injury, but later returned and will play next week. The Cardinals could have controlled their VISSA playoff destiny with a win, but will need a win over St. Mary’s Ryken and help to make the postseason.