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An Episcopal, co-educational 100% boarding school in Middletown, Delaware for grades 9 – 12

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Tatnall School
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Loss 28-24
SAINTS FALL IN SEASON FINALE TO TATNALL 28-24

For their last game of the season, the Saints got off to a good start. They received the opening kickoff and started their first drive at their own 25 yard line. It took them seven plays go go 75 yards and take an early 7-0 lead. The key play was on a 4th and 4 play from the Tatnall 39 yard-line. The Saints lined up to go for it and Jarred St. John ’18 took a handoff and found a gaping hole and raced 39 yards to the endzone untouched. However, Tatnall answered on their first possession of the game and converted a two=point conversion to take a 8-7 lead as the first quarter wound down.

The Saints offense was not able to gain any traction their next couple of possessions while Tatnall was able to extend their lead to 15-7. The Saints took over with about three minutes left in the first half at their own 31 yard-line. On a drive that featured mostly runs from St. John, the Saints marched down the field on an 11 play, 69 yard drive that was capped off with a two yard St. John touchdown run with 16 seconds left to go in the first half. That would be the score as the first half came to an end.

The second half began with both team exchanging a few possessions with neither really being able to get anything going on offense. Late in the third quarter Tatnall completed a short pass to the flat, but Adrian Watts ’20 put a good hit on the receiver and jarred the ball loose, and Ryan Godfrey ’19 was there to scoop up his school single-season record fifth fumble recovery on the season, and returned it all the way to the Tatnall three yard-line. Tatnall's front seven did not budge as the Saints were not able to punch the ball into the endzone and had to settle for a 20-yard John McKee ’18 field goal to take a 17-15 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The Saints defense again held Tatnall and forced a punt where the Saints offense took over at their own 24 yard-line. On the first play of the drive Theo Jaffe ’19 took a handoff and broke through the line and ripped off a 46-yard gain into Tatnall territory. Five plays later St. John took a direct snap and lofted a Tim Tebow-esque jump pass to McKee for a seven yard score. McKee tacked on the extra point to put the Saints up 24-15 with 7:43 to go in the game.

Unfortunately, Tatnall answered quickly to make the score 24-21. On the Saints next possession they went three-and-out and punted back to Tatnall. Tatnall was pinned deep in their own end, but on a second down play their runningback was able to find some running room and took off down the field. Micah Turpin ’19 was able to chase him down at about the 3 yard-line and forced a fumble from behind. The ball bounced into the endzone where a trailing Tatnall offensive lineman was able to fall on the ball in the endzone for a touchdown to put Tatnall on top 28-24.

The Saints offense had one more chance to drive down the field and got down to the Tatnall 26 yard-line before a Tatnall safety stepped in front of a pass to pick it off with 25 seconds left in the game and seal the win for Tatnall.

St. John led the Saints offense on the day with 23 carries for 118 yards and two touchdowns. He also completed his only pass attempt for a seven yard touchdown. Jaffe also chipped in with 11 carries for 59 yards on the day. McKee led the Saints in receiving with two receptions for 26 yards and one touchdown. Defensively, Turpin paced the Saints with 11 tackles and the aforementioned forced fumble. Watts added eight tackles and a forced fumble, while Godfrey had seven tackles and a fumble recovery.

The Saints wrapped up their season with a 4-5 record.