Chaminade routs Cardinal Newman to move closer to record streak of finals appearances
The Chaminade-Madonna football team is now one victory shy of unprecedented territory.
Following Friday’s 40-0 victory over Cardinal Newman in the Region 3-1M final, the Lions inched closer to an improbable eighth consecutive state championship game appearance.
Chaminade-Madonna (12-0), ranked No. 2 in the country, will host Archbishop Carroll, a 38-35 winner over True North, in a state semifinal game next Friday.
“We’re just trying to clean up our mistakes and get better,” Chaminade-Madonna coach Dameon Jones said. “We haven’t played a complete game yet. We’re cleaning it up week by week. I hope we can play that complete game when we need to. We are relentless, but still have work to do.”
The Lions are also seeking their second three-peat in the last seven years having won titles (2017-18) and are currently a two-time defending state champion.
“I’ve seen that team that last two years and they’re very well coached,” Cardinal Newman coach Jack Daniels said. “We got out coached and I got out coached tonight by a lot. It was a tough one and they are a very good team.”
It didn’t take long for the Lions to take command as they put 20 points up on the scoreboard in the first quarter.
Senior quarterback Cedrick Bailey, who finished the night with 248 yards passing and three touchdowns, tossed two in the opening quarter.
The first was 27 yards to senior Jeremiah Smith for his 17th pass reception for a touchdown this season, and the second was four yards to sophomore Denairius Gray. Between those two scores, senior running back Davion Gause scored on a two-yard run.
Gause finished his night with 158 yards on 10 carries and three touchdowns, while Smith had eight receptions for 113 yards.
“We’ve worked hard in practice and treat practices like games,” Gause said. “When we get into the games it seems easy. I think we still haven’t played our best game.”
With the offense playing at a ridiculously high level of efficiency, the Lions’ defense has been beyond stellar.
They have blanked their opponents in their past 21 quarters, while outscoring them 312-0.
Gause scored his second touchdown of the game with a five-yard run in the scored quarters for a 26-0 halftime lead. He added a 67-yard sprint to the endzone on the first play after Crusaders (9-2) punt.
Bailey added his third scoring pass on a 37-yard strike to senior Joshisa Trader late in the third quarter.
To preserve the shutout, the defense continuously pressured Cardinal Newman quarterback Luke Warnock, sacking him six times. The Lions defense stymied their opponents run game with minus-52 yards on the ground.
This story was originally published November 25, 2023 at 2:13 AM.