INDIANAPOLIS
One week after a convincing 31-14 win over Bloomington North, Roncalli’s football team couldn’t repeat the good vibes Friday against another Bloomington opponent.
Bloomington South’s playmakers and Roncalli’s self-inflicted offensive issues prevented the Rebels from building their first winning streak of the season. The visiting Panthers took command with a 20-point second quarter en route to a 36-21 win over Roncalli in the Rebels’ home finale.
Panthers running back Maveric Thiery rolled for 220 yards on just 19 carries, including touchdown runs of 80 and 65 yards. His 80-yarder came on the game’s first play from scrimmage, and his 65-yard jaunt was the second of Bloomington South’s three second-quarter touchdowns.
Meanwhile, the Rebels (2-6) collected 10 penalties for 77 yards, and had two potential touchdowns called back.
“We felt like we had what we wanted offensively,” Roncalli coach Scott Marsh said. “You can’t have scores called back, you can’t be off the field on a fourth-and-1 in the end zone and give them another chance. That stuff adds up. We were very undisciplined, and that’s on me. I’ve got to get that fixed.”
The Panthers (4-4) built leads of 30-7 midway through the third quarter and 36-14 with 6:51 to play. Roncalli still had a sliver of a chance late when senior quarterback Alex Volk came off the bench to lead a 12-play, 72-yard touchdown drive. His 4-yard touchdown pass to Luke Dill with 3:18 remaining cut the Panther lead to 15 with 3:18 left.
The Rebels’ Brandon Berger recovered an onside kick, but Bloomington South’s Joe Stephens intercepted a pass on fourth-and-15 to end the threat.
“We were getting cut up front all night, and we practiced for that all week, and didn’t play it very well,” Marsh said. “You give up cutback lanes, and (Thiery) can fly. You get out of a gap, and they get it going vertical, and you’re not going to catch them.”
Bloomington South rushed for 320 yards to Roncalli’s 178. The Rebels’ Volk and Aidan Leffler combined to throw for 222 yards, and each threw a touchdown pass. Dill had eight catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, and Baron Huebler finished with 118 all-purpose yards (67 receiving, 51 rushing) and a 39-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter that cut the Panther lead to 30-14.
Roncalli concludes regular-season play next Friday at Class 3A No. 6 Guerin Catholic.
