Two weeks ago following a 17-14 loss to Homestead, Bishop Dwenger sat at 1-4, its worst start to a campaign since 1998.
Turmoil could have set in. Panic as well. Things could have easily went from bad to worse for Coach Jason Garrett and the Saints.
But this is a proud program. It made some changes and got back to work.
That work has paid off with a modest two-game winning streak, but the victory in Friday’s Battle of the Bishops, an 8-0 shutout of rival Bishop Luers, was proof that this team is still one to be reckoned with this year.
It had been 43 games since the Saints shut out an opponent. That’s a long time for a perennial power. But what Bishop Dwenger was able to do against the Knights was superb. Bishop Luers lacks its usual dynamite playmaking ability on offense, but it still has some scoring punch with the likes of Daryea Williams at running back.
Defensive Coordinator Dan Knepper had a game plan to keep everything the Knights did in front of his defenders. Williams averaged less than four yards per carry. The quarterback tandem of Devin Patterson and Jayce White combined for just five completions on 18 attempts with an interception. The longest completion went for just 15 yards.
Friday’s win was all about poise and execution. Bishop Luers hurt itself with costly procedure and delay of game penalties. It was also called for unsportsmanlike conduct on three different occasions, with the first pushing a long field goal attempt into a more makeable 29-yarder that Lucas Nguyen nailed to open the scoring.
In terms of execution, perhaps no play signified that more than when Bishop Dwenger was able to secure a safety in the fourth quarter.
With Williams looking for space to run with Bishop Luers backed up into its own end zone, senior Tommy Poiry broke through to bring the running back down in the end zone for the two points. With the way the Saints were locking down the Knights’ offense, the eight points were more than enough to earn the win.
The question now is, can this level of play continue? The offense has had its moments, but with quarterback Henry Jordan’s injury issues and only two seniors in the starting lineup, it is not going to all of a sudden become a scoring powerhouse.
Could the defense lead the way? It definitely looked the part on Friday, but Snider next week is going to present a whole different set of challenges, not to mention the offenses of Leo, Wayne, Columbia City and East Noble that are lurking in the sectional field.
But at the very least, a season that felt on the brink just a few weeks ago seems to have righted itself over a two-week span with wins over Northrop and Bishop Luers.
It is amazing what a dub in a rivalry game can do for confidence and momentum.
What Bishop Dwenger does with it remains to be seen.
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