St. Mary’s six-man football team will face Faustina Academy in the state semifinals on Friday, Nov. 8. Due to multiple injuries and ineligible teams, the Rams were selected as one of the four teams to participate in the TCAF Football State Championship.
St. Mary’s enters as the fourth seed, taking on the top-seeded Falcons. Head Coach Rick Cobia acknowledged the challenge his team faces and discussed what it will take to secure a win.
“They (Faustina Academy) have a great team. They’re undefeated and play well on both sides of the ball.
We have to give our best effort every play to give ourselves a chance to win,” Cobia said.
The Rams’ offense is led by senior allpurpose player Ty Zimmerhanzel, who recorded 1,700 total yards and 37 touchdowns during the regular season. Senior running back Ethan Britten also had a strong season, amassing 550 yards and seven total touchdowns.
St. Mary’s has relied on a dominant rushing attack throughout the season, thanks to the blocking of offensive linemen senior David Pena, junior Mikal Rethlake and senior Paerson DeHoyos. They aim to impose their will upfront against a Falcons defense that has allowed only 10.8 points per game.
The Rams’ defense will also need to be at its best, as Faustina Academy’s offense has averaged over 60 points per game this season.
While St. Mary’s defense struggled at times, it is coming off one of its best performances, allowing just 12 points to Paul’s Prep a few weeks ago.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic School.
