Fighting Irish continue to roll
Notre Dame beat Holy Cross 45-0 Friday in NCAA senior football action. Photos by William Vanderland.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish senior football team continues to roll in Niagara Catholic Athletic Association action.
On Friday, the Irish improved to 3-0 with a 45-0 victory over the visiting Holy Cross Raiders (0-3).
“We wanted to do some things on offence and get some rhythm, but fortunately or unfortunately we would break a tackle and go for 60 yards,” Irish head coach Tim Bisci said. “It was one of those things where we would try to make a drive out of stuff and our kids would make an athletic play and go for touchdowns.”
Bisci is mostly OK with where his team is at this point in the regular season.
“Yes, and no,” he said. “We have only been challenged a little bit in the first couple of games, but next week will be a tough week for us,” he said. “We have to get up for it because Saint Paul is a really good team.”
One player who has looked really good for the Irish early in the season is quarterback Hunter Cropper. Last year, Cropper was put in the quarterback’s position in the second game of the season when his brother, Connor, went down with a season-ending knee injury.
“He has embraced the role this year,” Bisci said. “He wants to make the reads, he wants to learn the offence and a couple times he said he wanted to something so he could make a read and he was making plays on it.”
Against Holy Cross, Cropper was 5-6 passing for 195 yards and three TDs in the first half before he was taken out at the start of the second half.
“He’s progressing really well and we are going to need him to lead us the rest of the way,” Bisci said.
Cropper looks a lot more comfortable throwing the ball.
“He knows the offence a little bit better and after the touch tournament last spring, we basically ran our offence and spread it out a little bit,” Bisci said. “He’s making throws, he’s making reads and he’s really positive about making the right decisions on the field.”
The Grade 12B student agrees he is a much more different quarterback compared to last year.
“I embraced the role by going over it in the off-season instead of going from wide receiver to quarterback when my brother got hurt,” the 5-foot-10 183 pounder said. “It’s learning all the plays, working hard and staying after school with Bisci and stuff.”
The 17-year-old feels and looks a lot more confident in the role.
“We have some new guys on the line and they have really stepped up and there’s better blocking, better receivers and better play calling, he said. “And with [Jacob) Succar and (Zack) Melnyk running, it makes it easier for everyone.”
Like his coach, Cropper likes how his squad is trending.
“We are heading in the right direction and we’re looking good but we are going to have to play better to give Saint Paul a go.”
The Raiders knew they were in tough, but it didn’t receive any help from the schedule maker.
“It is hard to play a triple overtime game and then play Notre Dame right afterwards when they have had a week off,” Holy Cross head coach Gerry DiSanto said. “It was tough but we will bounce back next week.”
Holy Cross lost that triple overtime game Monday to Blessed Trinity and its loss Friday drops the Raiders to 0-3 on the season.
STATS PACK
Irish 45 Raiders 0
Mick and Angelo’s/Johnny Rocco’s/Cracker Jack’s Players of the Game: Notre Dame’s Hunter Cropper, 5-6 passing for 195 yards and three TDs and Holy Cross’ Christian Bradley with some tough inside running.
For the Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Cropper, TD passes to Jacob Succar (75 and 35 yards) and Roldin Valencia (40 yards); Succar, 62-yard TD run; Zack Melnyk, 14-yard TD run; Mason Mastroianni, 24-yard TD run; Cole Smith; 17-yard field goal and single point on punt; punt block and recovery by Alex Golbourne; punt block by Konner Little,
For the Holy Cross Raiders: No scoring.
Game stats: First downs: Notre Dame 10, Holy Cross 2. Net offence: Notre Dame 289, Holy Cross 25, Turnovers: Notre Dame 0, Holy Cross 3. Penalties: Notre Dame 9 for 90 yards, Holy Cross 2 for 20 yards.
