by Zachary Harmuth
Father Ryan lost at home to Baylor Friday night 14-10 after holding the lead going into the fourth quarter.
In this low-scoring, defense-centered contest, Baylor running back Nick Tiano scored touchdowns that put Father Ryan down 7-0 at the end of the first half and 14-10 at the end of the second.
After being held scoreless and struggling on offense through the first half, Father Ryan came out motivated and full of energy and determination in the third quarter.
Powered by the running of Joseph Holzmer (86 yards rushing, 23 yards receiving) and Billy Nipp (2 rushes for -3 yards), who scored Father Ryan’s only touchdown, and a Luke Strebel field goal, Father Ryan scored 10 points in the third quarter and took the lead.
The two teams seemed evenly matched, Baylor gaining 13 first downs to Father Ryan’s 12; and the difference was a matter of time of possession. Baylor possessed the ball 29 minutes compared to just 20 for Father Ryan.
That added time, and making a few more miscues and having a bit less luck, made the difference between a loss and a win for Father Ryan. Quarterback Cameron Towns (8-17, 60 yards) threw an interception, for the only Father Ryan turnover, but Baylor did not turn the ball over at all.
The loss finished Father Ryan at 6-4 for the season, and put them below the 6-4 Baylor in the AA Division II playoff bracket seedings at No. 5. If they had won, Father Ryan would have taken Baylor’s No. 4 seed, and possibly put them above No. 3 Brentwood Academy (7-3), depending on tiebreakers.
Regardless, Father Ryan probably is a better than its seeding, having beaten BA earlier this season. The Fightin’ Irish play at home against McCallie on November 8 in the first round of the playoffs.
This is good news to Father Ryan, which beat McCallie on the road 34-18 on October 25.
