Football Recap: Archbishop Stepinac Wins High-Profile Matchup Against Cardinal Hayes

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Previous 5 Games

10/03/25 - Away	14-6 W
10/26/24 - Home	3-24 L
11/11/23 - Home	26-29 L
09/29/23 - Away	28-33 L
10/15/22 - Home	56-20 W

Archbishop Stepinac faced Cardinal Hayes in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Crusaders walked away with a 14-6 win over the Cardinals. For the Crusaders, this counts as revenge for the 24-3 victory the Cardinals walked away with the last time they faced one another back in October of 2024.

Archbishop Stepinac's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Grayer Hong, who threw for 195 yards and two TDs. Another receiver making a difference was Richie Demarco, who picked up 88 receiving yards and one touchdown.

Another reason for the win was Archbishop Stepinac's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for eight sacks. Leading the way was Elias Murray with three. Another thorn in Cardinal Hayes' side was Dean Gaughran, who picked up a sack and made 11 total tackles (2.0 for loss).

The victory made it two in a row for Archbishop Stepinac and bumps their season record up to 4-2. The wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 23 points in those games. As for Cardinal Hayes, they are on a three-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 1-3.

Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Archbishop Stepinac will challenge Xavier at 7:30 p.m. on the 11th. The Knights' defense has only allowed 12 points per game this season, so the Crusaders' offense will have their work cut out for them. As for Cardinal Hayes, they will face off against St. Anthony's at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.