If last year’s season-ending win for St. Mark’s over rival Episcopal School of Dallas was labeled an upset, the repeat performance ensured it wasn’t a fluke.
The Lions held off the Eagles 21-14 on Friday at Jones Family Stadium for their second straight victory in the neighborhood rivalry after 10 consecutive defeats.
Donnell Dickson scored on a 20-yard reception with 5:46 remaining, which held up as the winning touchdown in a game that was meaningless in the SPC standings yet carried tremendous weight on both sidelines and campuses.
“We had highs and lows on both sides of the ball, but we kept fighting,” said St. Mark’s head coach Harry Flaherty. “It was a really resilient performance by the guys.”
ESD, which rallied from a 14-0 halftime deficit to tie the game, was driving for a potential go-ahead score midway through the fourth quarter when Ford Robinson of St. Mark’s intercepted a pass to shift the momentum.
Blaize Schumacher connected with Archer Wilburn on a 48-yard pass on the next snap to set up his winning touchdown throw.
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ESD drove to near midfield on the ensuing possession before being stopped on downs, enabling the Lions (5-5, 1-4) to run out the clock and snap their four-game losing streak in the season finale.
“All year we’ve talked about continuing to swing the hammer, and eventually the rock will break,” Flaherty said. “These last games, we’ve competed but we’ve come up short. A lot of teams facing this adversity would have folded. But they’re really invested in becoming the toughest team they can be, and I was really proud of the effort.”
Dickson, a sophomore, finished with 103 yards rushing off the bench for St. Mark’s. He replaced his older brother, David, who left in the second quarter with an apparent shoulder injury.
The Lions took a 14-0 lead into halftime. Schumacher scored on 1-yard plunge to cap a 68-yard opening drive, then tossed a 23-yard touchdown strike to Grant Kennington in the second quarter.
However, St. Mark’s committed two turnovers in the third quarter to help fuel the ESD comeback. An interception by Andrew Russell seemed to energize the Eagles (3-6, 0-5) on offense, leading to their best drive of the game.
Miles Link found Curtis Mathes in the end zone on a 14-yard pass to cut the deficit in half. After a short St. Mark’s punt, Link hooked up with Mathes on a 22-yard pass, then crossed the goal line on a 1-yard run to tie the game early in the fourth quarter.
Schumacher accumulated 174 yards passing with two touchdowns in addition to his rushing score. Wilburn tallied five grabs for 90 yards for St. Mark’s.
“Being able to send the seniors out with a win means everything,” Flaherty said. “Sometimes it’s hard to see improvement when you lose a few games in a row. It’s nice to get that result to affirm what they’ve been doing.”
Link was 21-of-40 passing for 153 yards. Mathes finished with a game-high nine receptions for 84 yards for the Eagles, who concluded the season with a six-game skid.
After a 3-0 start in nonconference play, ESD struggled against the large-school SPC slate, which consists primarily of bigger and more experienced Houston teams. The Eagles, meanwhile, had just four seniors on their roster.
“We’ve had several injuries throughout the year at key positions, but I can’t be more proud of the way these guys have fought through adversity and given themselves a chance to win games,” said ESD head coach Richard Williams. “Those guys who had to step in, it’s just preparing them for next year. We’re excited for the future. I’m heartbroken for the seniors, but they changed the culture of the football program with their leadership. That will carry over and pay dividends.”
