“I didn’t know that,” Rams coach Nick Yordy said about the early outburst. “We’ll take that.”
Senior Dallas Rawlings gained 70 yards and scored two touchdowns on nine carries, sophomore John Russo added 47 yards and two touchdowns on five carries and the game went to a running clock late in the third quarter and again with fewer than four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter as Badin improved to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the GCLC.
“Another good win,” Yordy said. “Any time you get a win in the GCL, it’s a good feeling.”
Two of Badin’s touchdowns followed interceptions by sophomore Braedyn Moore. He was filling in for injured senior Andrew Hagemann, who was leading the GCLC with three interceptions through the first three weeks of the season.
“It’s great to see the offense take advantage of an interception and take it down the field and score,” Moore said.
“He did a terrific job,” Yordy said. “Hagemann will be out for a while. We put (Moore) on their best receiver, and he comes up with two interceptions.”
The win was Badin’s second straight after five straight Fenwick wins in the series between Butler County’s only two Catholic high schools. Though the Falcons were winless going in, the Rams made it a point to maintain their focus.
“We were worried about us,” Moore said.
“We talked early in the week about focusing on ourselves,” Yordy said. “We had a good week of practice. I told them I was proud of what we did on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday.”
Rawlings gave Badin the lead for good on a 20-yard touchdown run with 2:45 left in the first quarter. On the first play of Fenwick’s next possession, a pitchout when awry and ended up in the end zone, smothered by a Falcon for a safety with 2:29 left in the quarter. After Fenwick punted, Rawlings scored on a second down, five-yard run with 2:07 left in the game.
Fenwick coach George Moore, whose team slipped to 0-3 both overall and in the GCLC, agreed that it’s difficult to overcome that kind of rally, especially in the first game after losing the starting quarterback for the season. Braden Listermann suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament on the last play of the Falcons' loss at Alter on Sept. 11.
“It is,” George Moore said. “The thing is, right now, we’re hurting – physically, mentally and emotionally. One mistake can turn into an avalanche.”
Friday’s win kept Badin on course for a season-ending matchup with McNicholas that should determine the 2020 GCLC champion. McNicholas and Badin have won or shared each of the previous seven GCLC championships, including 2015, when the teams were co-champions. Badin was co-champ with Chaminade-Julienne last season and won outright in 2018, dethroning a Rockets team that won in 2016 and 2017. McNicholas won the first two GCLC titles in 2013 and 2014.
After playing at Chaminade Julienne on Friday, McNicholas is scheduled to play against a home game Friday against an Alter team Badin edged, 14-12, in Week Two. Badin is due to play Carroll at Edgewood on Sept. 26 before taking on the Rockets at Edgewood on Oct. 3.
Yordy is counting on the focus his Rams displayed in getting ready for Fenwick to help them not overlook the Patriots.
“It’s my job to make sure that doesn’t happen,” he said.
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