Sullivan’s District Drought Is Over
Sullivan’s football team won the Class 3 District 4 championship game on Friday, turning away St. Clair in the final seconds for a 14-13 victory.
It’s Sullivan’s first district title since 2012 when they took down the same Bulldogs.
St. Clair scored a touchdown with 18 seconds to play and were stuffed on a two-point conversion that would’ve given them the lead.
Sullivan’s own two-point conversion on a go-ahead touchdown run by Gabe Dace proved the difference.
The Bulldogs, who were unbeaten against the Eagles since 2014, drove 99 yards on their final drive.
Sullivan’s dramatic stop on the two-point run snapped years of frustrating defeats against their biggest rival and they now carry an eight-game winning streak into this week’s playoff game against St. Charles, the last eight games in a row.
In the first quarter, the Eagles received the kickoff and gave up the ball on downs on their first drive. Sullivan’s defense stopped St. Clair without scoring on their opening drive, when Sam Summers and Cayden Thacker recorded huge back to back tackles for loss. Gabe Dace rushed the ball for positive yards and Jeremiah Rodriguez did the same. Rodriguez picked up the first down and Franky Erxleben rushed for another one. He gained thirteen yards to give Sullivan a first and goal to end the quarter.
In the second quarter, Sullivan scored their first touchdown. Gabe Dace ran the ball in for two yards to put Sullivan on the board first. St. Clair got the ball back and ran it for a much needed first down. St. Clair then fumbled the ball but recovered the loose ball right away but brought them to a fourth and eleven. They went for it and Issac Nunez had a fourteen yard run to get the first down. St. Clair was then faced with a fourth down and two and took a timeout. Sullivan stopped the Bulldogs from scoring on that drive and got the ball back. Erxleben and Dominic Ransom rushed the balls for ball for positive yards, but the first half was over without another score.
In the third quarter, St. Clair got some much needed motivation. The quarter started with the Bulldogs at a fourth down, but Sullivan got an offsides penalty called against them and St. Clair picked up the first down. They got four more first downs on their drive and scored when Gabe Martinez ran the ball in the endzone and the Bulldogs kicked an extra point. St. Clair took the lead with a little less than seven minutes left in the quarter. Sullivan answered back with their next drive. Erxleben ran the ball and Sullivan fumbled but recovered the loose ball. Dace threw the ball to Jonathon Martin to make it third and four, but another successful pass to Summers to pick up the first down. Dace ran the ball on a draw play, then threw the ball to Kayden Bryan to avoid pressure. Dace ran the ball for a first goal then ran the ball in the endzone for a one yard touchdown. The two point conversion was good when Dace passed it to Martin with a little under three minutes left.
In the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs rallied one last time. Sullivan had the ball to start and Dayton Skaggs ran the ball for a first down. St. Clair had been playing tough defense all game, Erxleben powered through and picked up two first downs back to back. He rushed for over a thousand yards on the season on the two carries. Dace found Summers open again and Erxleben ran the ball for another huge first down. Despite the motivation, Sullivan punted the ball away on a fourth down. St. Clair got the ball back and took a timeout with a little over five minutes left. The Bulldogs threw an incomplete pass and turned the ball back over. Sullivan couldn't score on their next drive, but Bryan got a off a perfect punt that put St. Clair on the one yard line. St. Clair threw two beautiful passes and Sullivan took a timeout with a minute and fourteen on the clock. St. Clair threw two more big positive passes. The Bulldogs scored on a touchdown on a quarterback sneak. St. Clair had the chance to tie with a field goal or go for the win two point conversion for the win. They went for the two point conversion, but Sullivan's defense shined through for the perfect stop. St. Clair tried the onside kick, but Sullivan's Chase Blue fell on the ball and the Sullivan Eagles were district champions for the first time in ten years.
Sullivan will host St. Charles West in the Class 3 quarterfinals on Friday at 7 p.m. Tickets are available online through the MSHAA and are eight dollars.