The regular season didn’t give Cardinal Ritter much reason to feel comfortable heading into the postseason.
The Raiders entered October 23 with a losing record and a shutout defeat in their regular-season finale. Waiting across the field was an opponent that had already beaten them.
Then the playoffs started.
Cardinal Ritter defeated Covenant Christian 22-21 in double overtime Friday night, eliminating a seven-win opponent and earning Indiana Preps Football Team of the Week honors.
It was the kind of result that can change how an entire season is remembered.
The Setup
The Raiders entered the Class 2A sectional opener at 4-5. Covenant Christian was 7-2 and had already beaten Ritter 21-6 on October 2. The Warriors had also closed their regular season with a 64-0 victory over Benton Central, while Ritter was coming off a 33-0 loss to Brebeuf Jesuit.
Three weeks after scoring just six points against Covenant Christian, Ritter found a way to win when the stakes were considerably higher.
How It Happened
Neither team scored in the first half. Covenant Christian broke through for 14 points in the third quarter, but Ritter answered with 14 of its own to force overtime.
After neither team scored in the first extra period, both reached the end zone in the second. Ritter emerged with the one-point advantage, securing its fifth victory of the season and a place in the next round.
Junior quarterback Jaydyn Graham provided the passing production, throwing for 228 yards and two touchdowns. Junior running back Tavien Fox added 110 rushing yards, a touchdown and 44 receiving yards, giving the Raiders a productive combination on the ground and through the air.
The defense contributed three sacks, with linebackers Key’Mareawn McCullough and Ezra Gaddis combining for 2.5.
That collective effort matters. Ritter wasn’t relying on a single explosive play or one standout performance. The Raiders needed production from multiple positions, a second-half response and enough defensive resistance to keep the game within reach.
Covenant Christian Had Its Chances
Covenant Christian had its own playmakers.
Quarterback Weston Laughlin threw for 214 yards and a touchdown while adding a rushing score. The Warriors had enough offense to threaten Ritter throughout the second half, but could not turn their regular-season advantage into a second victory.
More Than a Win
For Cardinal Ritter, the result represented more than advancing.
A team that finished the regular season below .500 eliminated an opponent that had already beaten it by 15 points. A team shut out the previous week found enough offense to survive two overtimes. And a program facing the possibility of an early exit instead extended its season.
Ritter moves forward at 5-5 and will face Eastern Hancock on Friday, October 30.
The Raiders haven’t erased their regular-season struggles. They’ve given themselves an opportunity to make those struggles a smaller part of the story.
That is why Cardinal Ritter is the Indiana Preps Football Team of the Week.
Indiana Preps Football Team of the Week is powered by H3 Athletix. Indiana Preps covers high school athletics, recruiting, and athlete development across the state of Indiana.
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