Benilde-St. Margaret's running back tandem made up for the absence of star senior back Ricky Floyd to open the season Friday. Red Knights senior running back Alex Houlihan stepped up with two rushing touchdowns and a two-point conversion against Orono, and junior Ikenna Ujuagu added a 50-yard TD run late. The Spartans took the lead 7-6 in the third quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by senior wide receiver Luke Greenagel. Momentum swung back to the Red Knights (1-0) when junior linebacker Braeden Fitzgerald racked up three sacks in the third quarter, setting up good field position that led to a touchdown.
Key of the game: Fitzgerald's three sacks.
Quote: "He's a motor guy. He's just a great worker and a great weight room kid." — Benilde-St. Margaret's coach Jon Hanks on Fitzgerald.
Worth noting: Benilde-St. Margaret's returns 17 starters from a team that went 3-5 in 2015 but made the Class 4A state tournament.
MATTHEW DAVIS
