High school football: Defense lifts St. Thomas Academy past Cretin-Derham Hall

The St Thomas Academy defense repeatedly set the table Friday night and Dominic Baez and the offense took advantage Baez a senior running back rushed for a -yard touchdown in the first half and caught a -yard touchdown pass in the second as the Cadets downed Cretin-Derham Hall - in the season opener for both teams at TCO Stadium in Eagan St Thomas Academy set the tone defensively from the start keeping the pressure on Cretin-Derham Hall senior quarterback Izaak Johnson in the first half and furnishing the Cadets offense with ideal field position A big sack and fumble on the championship s opening drive forced the Raiders to punt from their own and an ensuing penalty allowed St Thomas Academy to start at the Cretin-Derham Hall The Cadets didn t miss a beat moving into scoring position where Baez s touchdown run gave them an early - lead Johnson who had a big first half passing withstood the pressure to complete an -yard scoring strike to senior Ja Dale Thompson on the Raiders next possession But the extra point attempt was blocked allowing St Thomas Academy to keep a one-point advantage Cretin-Derham Hall advanced all the way to the Cadets on its next drive but after a two-yard loss and a pair of incompletions Johnson was sacked for a loss of nine on fourth down Then after a St Thomas Academy punt Johnson was sacked for a third time on first down and Cretin-Derham Hall ended up kicking the ball away from its own The Cadets took over at the Raiders helping set up junior Toren Piltingsrud for a -yard field goal as time expired giving St Thomas Academy a - halftime lead The margin expanded to - when junior Tristan Karl connected on a -yard fourth-down touchdown pass to senior Grant English on the first possession of the second half Cretin-Derham Hall then elected to gamble on fourth down and was stopped well short turning the ball over at its own Two plays after that Baez who was stopped for a loss of five on the first play of the drive caught a short pass and raced yards down his own sideline for his second touchdown of the night expanding the Cadets lead to - Piltingsrud then connected on his second field goal of the night with to play and Sam Heath added a late -yard touchdown catch for the Raiders with remaining on the clock Related Articles High school football Centennial gets past Rosemount in season opener High School Football In loss to defending champ Stillwater shows it can battle with best High School Football Association Previews See who will star for your school this fall High School Football St Paul society school club previews Class A football previews Burnsville Mahtomedi St Thomas Academy