EVERETT – This was a “Wildcat Classic,” to be sure.
In a game that more than lived up to its advance billing, the Archbishop Murphy Wildcats outlasted the Marin (Calif.) Wildcats 35-28 in a wild non-conference football game before a standing-room-only crowd at Archbishop Murphy High School Friday night.
Do-it-all running back Shiloh Keo led the Archbishop Murphy victory by rushing for an unofficial 177 yards, scoring two touchdowns and throwing a game-clinching TD pass to Paul Henderson with less than three minutes to play.
As the teams gathered together at midfield when it was over, each head coach took his turn addressing each other’s players.
“That was a great high school football game,” Marin Catholic coach Ken Peralta said. “We are not dishonored. You are a great football team.”
“You guys have a lot of pride in coming back the way you did,” Archbishop Murphy coach Terry Ennis said.
Indeed, after twice trailing by two touchdowns, Marin tied the score at 21 in the third quarter and again at 28 with less than eight minutes remaining.
Marin was led by 5-foot-8, 170-pound running back Jono Grayson, who had 24 carries for 161 yards and three touchdowns.
Keo (eight solo tackles, four assists, three fumble recoveries) and Grayson (10 solo tackles, two assists) spent much of the night making TD-saving stops on each other from their respective defensive back positions.
“That guy is an animal,” Keo said. “He’s amazing. I feel like he’s my brother now. I respect their whole team … I’m exhausted.”
Archbishop Murphy played the final three quarters without standout running back/linebacker Stan Smith, who suffered an undetermined ankle injury in the waning seconds of the first quarter.
“He made a heartfelt speech at halftime,” Keo said. “He was in our hearts the whole game. When one of our guys is down, we’re all down.”
The shifty Grayson bolted 25 yards for his third rushing TD to tie the score 28-28 with 7:59 remaining.
Archbishop Murphy drove 41 yards in nine plays – 25 of the yards coming on five carries by Chris Hoerauf – before facing third-and-two at the Marin 30-yard line with 2:38 remaining in the game.
Keo said Archbishop Murphy called a running play, but changed the call during a Marin timeout.
Keo shifted to the quarterback position, took a snap in the shotgun formation and found Henderson wide open for a 30-yard TD pass with 2:30 showing on the clock.
Marin’s final comeback bid was thwarted when an attempted hook-and-ladder play went awry. Cam Gill (four receptions, 70 yards) caught a pass from quarterback John-Michael Migdal (214 yards passing, touchdown).
Gill’s pitch to Grayson was out of his teammate’s reach and Ryan Bourke pounced on the ball inside the Marin 30.
Archbishop Murphy amassed 442 yards total offense to 424 for Marin Catholic.
Michael Dean had eight solo tackles and two assists for Murphy. Tony Houts added 47 yards rushing on seven carries. Henry Wood was a key contributor on both offense and defense.
Erik Anderson contributed nine tackles for Marin Catholic.
Archbishop Murphy opened a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on 3-yard TD runs by Keo and Smith.
At Archbishop Murphy H.S.
Marin Catholic07147-28
Archbishop Murphy140147-35
ATM-Smith 3 run (Fritsch kick)
ATM-Keo 3 run (Fritsch kick)
Marin Catholic-Grayson 5 run (O’Neill kick)
ATM-Keo 43 run (Fritsch kick)
Marin Catholic-Grayson 4 run (O’Neill kick)
Marin Catholic-Faller 45 pass from Migdal (O’Neill kick)
ATM-Hoerauf 5 run (Fritsch kick)
Marin Catholic-Grayson 25 run (O’Neill kick)
ATM-Henderson 30 pass from Keo (Fritsch kick)
Records-Marin Catholic 0-1 overall. Archbishop Murphy 1-0.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
