By Mike Waters
DALLAS — Episcopal School of Dallas Eagles versus St. Mark’s Lions. Rival schools separated by just several miles, with both gridiron teams having playoff aspirations this season.
Each with unbeaten 2-0 records entering this Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) non-district match-up, it was ESD prevailing with a 27-13 triumph over host St. Mark’s at Hunt Stadium.
ESD head coach Bob Benson said, “It is always a great feeling beating your rival.”
“These two schools are less than three miles apart and kids all know one another,” added Benson, who is in his first year leading the program. “We have bragging rights, at least for the next 365 days.”
Senior quarterback Miles Link threw for two touchdowns while running for another score as the Eagles never trailed in the contest.
Sophomore kicker William Adamson booted a pair of first-quarter field goals to give the Eagles a 6-0 advantage. The latter score was keyed by a 55-yard pass completion from Link to senior Curtis Mathes.
ESD, following Adamson’s second field goal, forced a quick three-and-out defensively. And Link, on second down, connected with senior William Elliott on a 67-yard strike to the Lions’ 3-yard line. After a 1-yard Nico Marquez pickup, Link scored on a 2-yard keeper to forge a 13-0 Eagles lead with 47 seconds left in the opening quarter.
Midway through the second period, ESD stretched the lead to 20-0 as junior Beckett Concors came up with an interception, returning it 12 yards to the St. Mark’s 20. Link took advantage with a 20-yard touchdown strike to Mathes on the first offensive snap in the series.
St. Mark’s got its offense untracked, responding with a 19-yard Blaize Schuhmacher to David Dickson scoring pass. Dickson on the previous play ran for four yards, converting a fourth-and-one to keep the drive alive, with the score narrowing the Eagles lead to 20-7 at intermission.
Coming out of the break, ESD covered 75 yards in 13 plays, chewing up 6:39 off the clock, culminating in Link’s 6-yard TD swing pass to senior John Tsaikos.
“That drive to start the second half was the key to the game,” Benson said. “No question about it. That was a statement drive.”
The Lions did answer with a nine-play 80-yard march, using 4:14 on the ensuing series. Dickson took a screen pass from Schuhmacher and weaved his way 22-yards for a touchdown to slice the Eagles lead to 27-13, with 1:01 remaining in the third stanza, as the PAT was blocked.
The ESD defense came through in the fourth quarter with a pair of interceptions — senior David Hoffpauir at the 3:14 mark and Mathes sealing the victory with another just 17 ticks left in the game.
“I’m proud of the team in the win, and proud of the defense late as we managed to close it out,” Benson said.
Link finished with 15 completions in 22 attempts without an interception for 252 yards.
“I just love him,” said a smiling coach Benson of his signal-caller. “He did a great job out there.”
The long completions of the aforementioned 55 and 67 yards were part of Link’s 163 passing yards in the opening quarter.
“We wanted to get out to a fast start,” Link said. “Playing a rival game. My being a senior. Just a great win. Our defense was lights out. Just a fun game.”
Mathes led the ESD receiving corps with 102 yards on four grabs. Marquez picked up a tough 57 yards on 21 attempts to pace the ground attack.
Blaize Schuhmacher led St. Mark’s with 201 passing yards (22 of 42 with 3 picks) and the two touchdowns to David Dickson, who hauled in five catches for 60 yards while adding 74 rushing yards on 13 carries. Archer Wilburn, a senior, chipped in with six receptions for 47 yards for the Lions.
St. Mark’s had won last two meetings — 21-14 last year and 28-27 in 2024 — after ESD had claimed 10 consecutive wins in the series from 2014-2023.
The Lions entered this matchup rolling, demolishing Fort Worth Country Day — last year’s SPC 3A state runner-up — 37-6 in its season opener and followed up with a 58-0 thumping of Irving Cistercian. The latter was the largest margin of victory for St. Mark’s since a 62-0 rout over Greenhill in the 2009 season finale.
Author
