Cardinal Ritter outduels, flies by Cape Central in high-scoring semifinal clash

For the second consecutive year, the Cape Central Tigers rode the wave from a slow start all the way to a Class 5 semifinal. Tasked against the undefeated Cardinal Ritter College Prep Lions on the road, though, the Tigers faltered in the spotlight with a 52-22 loss.

After beginning the season just 2-3, the Tigers won eight consecutive games and climbed the ladder to a district championship at home, then a quarterfinal win, and finally a date with one of the biggest dogs in the pound with Cardinal Ritter.

Against a battle-tested Lions team, however, it didn’t take long to see the dominance. It took just 21 seconds for Cardinal Ritter to score, setting the stage for a dominant win for the home side in St. Louis.

With the win, Cardinal Ritter moved to 13-0 on the 2023 campaign, winning its 27th consecutive game dating back to the Lions taking home the Class 3 state championship in a 14-0 season last year.

Meanwhile, the visiting Cape Central Tigers ended their season at 10-4 with a disappointing final performance but a program-defining run to another final-four berth.

“Here’s the thing. You're playing a really good football team,” Tigers coach Kent Gibbs said. “There's a reason why they had won 26 in a row. Very, very talented bunch. Very well-coached.

“They do a lot of good things. We battled. There were things that weren't good that we did. There were a lot of things that we did that were good. It wasn't an effort thing. It was just that they were a little bit better than us, and that's what happens when somebody is better than you.”

Cape Central coach Kent Gibbs talks to his team after a November 25, 2023 Class 5 semifinal between the Cardinal Ritter College Prep Lions and the Cape Central Tigers at Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School in St. Louis. Cardinal Ritter defeated Cape Central, 52-22.Cole Lee ~ clee@semoball.com

After a big game-opening kick return out to the Lions’ 36, Cardinal Ritter running back Jamarion Parker housed a 64-yard run followed by a successful conversion to put the hosts up 8-0 with 11:39 remaining on the clock in the first quarter.

Just when it seemed like the Tigers began to drive and regain momentum piece-by-piece, a critical fumble from Central’s Keyshawn Boyd gave the ball back to the Lions near midfield.

From there, Cardinal Ritter slowly crept back down the field and punched in a second touchdown, once again from Parker over the ground with a 6-yard rush to go up 16-0.

While Cape Central’s next drive ended in a punt, the Tigers forced a fumble and recovered the football on the offensive side of the field.

Next much later, Cape Central got its first points of the day with a 42-yard field goal by freshman kicker Joey Charlton to cut the deficit to 16-3.

On the ensuing drive from Cardinal Ritter, the Tigers got the ball back deep in their own territory with a big interception from senior defensive back Trevius Haupt, opening the opportunity for a comeback.

While the defensive side of the ball could have been prettier, both ends of the Central football team struggled in its semifinal loss. The Tiger defense forced a few key turnovers early, and Haupt keyed in on his unit’s ups and downs as the game progressed.

“In the run game, we really handled business,” Haupt said. “But their speed on the outside, and their speed with the deep ball, it really just, it killed us. I ain’t even gonna lie.”

Cape Central's Matayo Rivers shoves a runner out of bounds during a November 25, 2023 Class 5 semifinal between the Cardinal Ritter College Prep Lions and the Cape Central Tigers at Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School in St. Louis. Cardinal Ritter defeated Cape Central, 52-22.Cole Lee ~ clee@semoball.com

With time waning in the second quarter, DJ Miller caught his first of three touchdowns with a 14-yard reception on a fourth-and-4 situation to increase the Ritter lead to 24-3.

One play from scrimmage and one Cape Central fumble later, the Lions unloaded a 35-yard touchdown pass to De’Shaun Stevenson that he got with his outstretched right hand over the shoulder, upping the Lions’ lead to 30-3.

That lead carried into halftime, and the Tigers’ adjustments made a big mark on the flow of the game after the break.

The first few drives of the third quarter produced little offense, but with nine minutes elapsed in the second half, Stevenson got home with a 23-yard receiving touchdown to up his team’s lead to 38-3.

Enabling the running clock, time began to tick on the Tigers’ 2023 run. Down 35 points at the start of the fourth quarter, Boyd broke free down the home sideline for a 50-yard touchdown to cut Cape Central’s deficit to 38-10.

Another slow, organized drive from Cardinal Ritter ended in the Lions punching in another touchdown, scored once again by Parker to up the lead to 46-10 in response.

Cape Central wouldn’t give up, and it showed with a high-flying run for junior back Zai’Aire Thomas that got the Tigers into the red zone. A few plays later, his cohort in Boyd punched in a 4-yard score to cut into the lead once more, now at 46-16.

While a comeback seemed out of reach with less than five minutes remaining in the game, the Tigers clawed and fought their way back into contention.

Looking for a big response to Central’s latest touchdown, the Lions went over the top and found Stevenson for a medium catch that quickly turned into a 60-yard touchdown as the sophomore wideout turned upfield and flew down the Tiger sideline.

Cape Central had a hard time coming across offense early in the game, but the wins typically came in chunks for the Tigers on Saturday.

With less than a minute remaining in the game, sophomore quarterback Jathan Spain found Thomas in double coverage – and the junior came down with it three yards from the goal line.

While Thomas exited after the play, Boyd strolled into pay dirt for the Tigers’ final score of the day. Scoring his third rushing touchdown in 10 minutes, Boyd’s six cut the lead to 52-22 with half a minute remaining in the game, where the line eventually finished.

“Our coaches, they just told us to keep going and keep working,” Boyd said. “We practiced hard to get where we are, and we knew that was a good team.”

Cape Central's Keyshawn Boyd hits the hole for a touchdown during a November 25, 2023 Class 5 semifinal between the Cardinal Ritter College Prep Lions and the Cape Central Tigers at Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School in St. Louis. Cardinal Ritter defeated Cape Central, 52-22.Cole Lee ~ clee@semoball.com

The clock struck midnight once again for a Tiger team that did the tango with some of the roughest, toughest teams in Class 5.

After de-throning Eureka, defeating a back-to-back state champion in St. Mary’s, and taking care of business as big favorites against Farmington for a district title and Mehlville in the playoff opener, Cape Central has put a foothold on the Class 5 playoff scene over the past 14 months.

While a few big names walk across the stage for the Tigers this May, they’ll retain a big chunk of the talent that brought the team back to prominence this fall.

Most notably for the offense, quarterback Spain and both running backs Thomas and Boyd return to a dangerous offense that made strides as the season progressed.

Some big playmakers on the back end of the ball, but that might be where the Tigers are hit the hardest. Haupt, who came away with the lone interception of the game, is one of those exits for the Tigers.

When asked about his time as a Cape Central Tiger, Haupt said:

“It’s been great. That's all I can say. It’s been amazing.”