The Roncalli-East Central football rivalry, known for producing some classic battles over the past 18 years, didn’t disappoint Friday night.
With 1:17 remaining, junior quarterback Aidan Leffler scored on a 5-yard run to give Class 4A No. 5 Roncalli a 34-27 victory on the fourth-ranked Trojans’ home turf.
The win improves Roncalli’s record to 7-1 going into next Friday’s sectional opener against Crispus Attucks at the Northwest Middle School. East Central, which had allowed just six touchdowns all season, dropped to 7-2 after yielding five on Friday.
The game was tied at 27-27 in the fourth quarter, making it appear as though the teams might be playing their fifth overtime game since 2002. But Roncalli mounted a late drive, with Leffler completing clutch passes before taking it in himself with the clinching score.
Understandably, first-year Roncalli coach John Rodenberg was proud of the way his players prevailed on the road against an elite opponent.
“It’s great for the kids,” Rodenberg said. “We really played together as a team. It was a hard-fought battle for both schools. We got tired and (East Central) started to wear us down, but, fortunately, our offense had enough at the end and came through for us.
“We could end up playing them again in four weeks, but this win is all about the kids.”
Leffler finished with a season-high 226 yards passing, while senior running back Baron Huebler eclipsed 100 yards rushing for an eighth consecutive game, finishing with 121 and two scores. Roncalli’s other points came on Leffler passes to Cole Beckman (14 yards) and Kyle Lockard (3 yards).
