Cardinal Gibbons holds off Southeast Raleigh in HS football game of the week

Two teams bent on running the ball did just that Friday night in a fast-moving showdown between early-season unbeaten squads from Southeast Raleigh and Cardinal Gibbons.

As has been the hallmark of so many November and December runs, the Crusaders’ defense got the stops when it needed to most, and a special teams strike in the second half put the game out of reach as Cardinal Gibbons edged Southeast Raleigh, 30-22..

The Crusaders (3-0) first tried to pull away early in the third, taking the first possession of the half down the field for a score to push their lead to 14 at 21-7. But the Bulldogs responded in short order, marching 80 yards in about six minutes to pull within a touchdown.

But Cardinal Gibbons effectively salted the game away on the very next live ball, returning the kickoff 80 yards to reestablish a two-score lead. A 28-yard field goal with about eight minutes remaining pushed the lead to 30-14.

The Bulldogs’ last-gasp touchdown and successful two-point conversion with six minutes to play made things interesting, and they got the ball back again with just over two minutes to play, but Southeast Raleigh’s final drive stalled at about midfield, and the Crusaders ran out the clock for the win.

Southeast Raleigh struck first on a 24-yard strike midway through the first quarter, but the Cardinal Gibbons defense clamped down for the rest of the first half, including a fourth-down stand with the Bulldogs at the 13-yard line.

The Crusaders, meanwhile, rebounded from the early deficit with a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter, the first a run from six yards out, and the second a 16-yard scamper with about six minutes to play in the opening half.

Cardinal Gibbons has little time to rest. The Crusaders host Charlotte-area powerhouse Mallard Creek next week, while Southeast Raleigh will open conference play at Garner.

Photos from Cardinal Gibbons’ win over Southeast Raleigh