Senior QB guides Loyola Blakefield past Calvert Hall in the 104th Turkey Bowl

TOWSON — Brad Seiss and Loyola Blakefield’s passing game were on target against archrival Calvert Hall in the first half of the 104th edition of the Turkey Bowl at Towson University’s Johnny Unitas Stadium on Thanksgiving morning in front of 7,128 fans and a local television audience.

In the second half, the senior quaterback’s legs helped the Dons secure a taut 17-14 triumph to claim their third series win in the last four games while adding to their overall series lead that now stands at 52-44-8.

Loyola quarterback Brad Seiss launches a touchdown pass in first quarter to his receiver Logan Furst for the Dons’ first score of the game. (John Strohsacker/Special for Catholic Review)

He also had some help, especially from senior kicker Owen Scheihing, whose 42-yard field goal put Loyola over the top. It tied for the longest field goal in the history of the storied series, matching Phil Marsiglia’s 42-yard buzzer-beater for the Cardinals in 1969.

Seiss torched the Cardinals (7-5) for 165 yards, completing 10-of-14 passes for two touchdowns in the opening two quarters.

His talent was on full display on Loyola’s opening series. After a 14-yard loss on their first play from scrimmage, the Dons (6-5) responded quickly on a 17-yard pass from Seiss to junior wideout Khary Adams to extend the initial drive.

They did even more damage on a third-and-13 situation a couple of plays later on a beautiful 37-yard toss from Seiss to sophomore wideout Logan Furst – his first reception of the season – near the back of the end zone to give Loyola a 7-0 lead with 7:19 remaining in the first quarter.

Seiss threw the ball with precision despite rolling to his right near the right sideline to find Fursi while being pursued by several Cardinal defenders. Scheihing converted the extra point for the Dons.

Loyola’s defense also flexed its muscles early in the second quarter, holding the Cardinals on fourth-and-2 from their own 40.

The Dons capitalized on the good field position when, following a 10-yard holding penalty, Seiss found junior Jesse Legree on a 29-yard touchdown strike on a crossing pattern to double Loyola’s advantage with 10:15 left in the opening half. Scheihing’s second conversion kick made it 14-0.

Loyola’s Owen Scheihing kicks an extra point after the Dons first TD in the first quarter. Scheihing later kicked a winning 42-yard field goal. (John Strohsacker/Special for Catholic Review)

“We were trying to get off to a quick start,” Seiss said. “We just kept driving. The offensive line did a great job protecting me.”

Even after being pinned at their own half-yard line, the Dons drove to Calvert Hall’s 36 before the Cardinals’ special teams made a big play on senior Jermaine Anderson’s blocked punt at the 4:23 mark of the second quarter.

Calvert Hall junior linebacker Luke Speicher recovered at the Loyola 14, setting up a five-play scoring sequence capped off by sophomore quarterback Oliver Noll’s 1-yard plunge to halve the deficit to 14-7 with just under three minutes left in the half.

Probing for the tying score, the Cardinals’ special teams recovered Scheihing’s fumbled punt attempt, only to have their ensuing drive from the Loyola 30 snuffed by the Dons.

Things went from bad to worse for Calvert Hall when Loyola’s Luke Marsalek blocked junior Ryan Zakroski’s 46-yard field goal try.

Even so, Calvert Hall evened the score after a 50-yard drive featuring a 14-yard sweep by senior wideout Gabe Levone and five carries for 36 yards by senior running back John Asuquo, culminating with his 6-yard scoring burst. Junior Ryan Zakroski’s conversion boot knotted the score with 2:25 left in the third period.

Loyola jumped ahead, 17-14, with 8:29 left in the final quarter when Scheihing nailed a kick with room to spare after a 13-play drive that was kept alive by several key Seiss scrambles.

Running back John Asuquo celebrates for Calvert Hall. (John Strohsacker/Special for Catholic Review)

The Monmouth University commit ran for a pair of third-down conversions — and completed a 19-yard pass play to Furst — on the 13-play sequence that preceded the winning kick.

“Defense just lost (containment) and our line did a great job setting up the pocket for me where I was able to roll out and get some yardage on the ground,” Seiss said.

Calvert Hall gambled on fourth-and-1 at its own 40 on its next possession, only to run into the Dons’ rigid line, led by senior Luke Marsalek and junior Zyon Copeland, which rebuffed the effort.

Although the Cardinals would advance as far as Loyola’s 28 with under a minute remaining, Loyola junior Brayden Pross stymied the comeback bid with his team’s second interception of the game in the waning seconds.

Loyola coach Blake Henry said his seniors deserved credit for their efforts throughout their careers.

“Those guys have won a lot of games,” he said. “We had to move back up to the (Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association) A Conference after winning only three games in the B (Conference). They did a great job.”

He also said he was not worried about sending Scheihing out for the long game-deciding kick attempt.

Scheihing said that his previous coach, Anthony Zehyoue, “told me to just flush it whenever a bad play happens,” the senior said. “I had to just flush it and move on to the next play.”

Calvert Hall coach Josh Ward said having a long Asuquo touchdown run called back on a holding penalty early in the contest did not determine the outcome.

“You can’t blame the refs,” he said. “But we need to do a better job out there. It’s a tough loss. We hurt ourselves.”

This story was updated Dec. 10 to reflect that Luke Marsalek blocked a field goal attempt for Loyola.

To view more photos from the 104th Turkey Bowl, click through the slideshow, below: