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The observer | FRIDAY, November 17, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Duncan returns to finals after last season’s loss By PETER BALTES Sports Writer
Duncan is no stranger to the big stage. For the second-consecutive season, No. 9 Duncan (2-1) have reached the finals of the interhall football playoffs at Notre Dame Stadium. That game was a hard-fought 7-6 defeat at the hands of Stanford. This year, now facing undefeated No. 2 Dillon (3-0), the Highlanders are hoping to finally bring home a championship victory for their residence hall. Despite being seeded ninth for the playoffs, Duncan has proven itself to be a dominant team throughout the season. The only blemish on its record being a 13-0 loss to Morrissey early in the season, the Highlanders have managed numerous impressive wins, especially in the playoffs. To earn a spot at the stadium, Duncan defeated No. 1 Stanford 20-14 in the quarterfinals by a dominant offensive performance, and in the semifinals pushed past No. 4 Alumni by a score of 7-6. The Highlanders are excited
by the prospect of facing yet another higher-ranked opponent in a crucial game. The Big Red have had an impressive season of their own, and Duncan sophomore captain and lineman Kyle Tomshack is looking forward to another challenge and a chance for his team to prove itself. “Dillon’s a great team, we’ve gotten a chance to see them play a couple of times, and I’m looking forward to this game,” he said. “We’re both mainly running offenses, so it should be a nice fun game in the trenches.” Games in the trenches have tended to favor the Highlanders this season. For most of the year, Duncan has found itself able to control the line of scrimmage, making way for junior running back Micah Rensch and other ball carriers on offense, and hampering their opponent’s rushing attack while on defense. Senior quarterback Matthew Kase, who has proven very effective this year as both a rusher and a passer, cited the offensive line as one of the main reasons the Highlanders have continued
to win. “I think we’ve won every game at the line of scrimmage so far, so hats off to the O-line this year,” Kase said. “Whether we’re running the ball up the middle or we’re spreading it out and throwing the ball, they’ve done a really good job no matter what we’re doing on offense.” The Highlanders’ strong defensive play is another important factor that has allowed Duncan to secure a spot in the championship game, Kase said. “On defense, I think the most we’ve given up [per game] is two touchdowns all year, and that’s really big in interhall; they’re pretty quick games,” Kase said. “It’s a little bit more physical of a game, so not giving up a lot of points has helped us win games.” That defense has been led by senior defensive back Declan Zidar, who has been a menace to opposing quarterbacks this year. In the Stanford game alone, he came away with two gamechanging interceptions, one which would have been a touchdown return of over 100 yards if
not for a penalty. Overall, turnovers have been instrumental to Duncan’s success on that side of the ball. “Forcing turnovers is huge,” Zidar said. “Field position is big in interhall football because it’s hard to put together long drives when you don’t get to practice for very long … [it’s been] a collective effort, everyone flying to the ball and that’s been the key to our success.” Senior coach Hodges Markwalter attributes the Highlanders’ performance this season to a strong senior class, but also to the many talented underclassmen who have filled important roles when needed. “I think we have a core group of seniors who have really worked to pioneer our effort towards the stadium, but additionally we’ve had some younger talent that’s really stepped up, some skill players as well filling in for spots we lost last year,” Markwalter said. “It’s been really fun to see us go from winning zero [games] my freshman year to making the stadium our senior year.”
For Duncan, getting this far has been about more than just talent. As any of the players could attest, the team has a strong bond and enjoys working together. The motivation to take care of last year’s unfinished business hasn’t hurt either. “I just think we love to have fun,” he said. “We’re just a group of athletes on the field at the end of the day, and we’re just going out there and playing football for the last couple times of our lives. It’s been a really fun ride, and I know that us and the rest of the seniors want to finish it off with a win.” To Tomshack, the result of the championship game will not be the ultimate measure for the kind of team the Highlanders are. “This has been a great season for Duncan football,” Tomshack said. “Guys have really committed and come together and played well. No matter what happens on Sunday, I’m very proud of this team.” Contact Peter Baltes at pbaltes@nd.edu
Dillon hopes to maintain undefeated record By ELLIE OLMANSON Sports Writer
No. 2 Dillon (3-0) will fight to maintain its perfect season as No. 9 Duncan aims to force the Big Red their first loss. “We are all really excited for this game,” junior captain David Chao said. “Winning would make the trip so much more sweet if we finish undefeated in the stadium.” Through the regular season and postseason, Dillon (3-0) only allowed 13 points in its six games, though two came from forfeits. “Two of our games this season were forfeited, but we’d rather be going into this game undefeated than having a loss,” Chao said. “It would be a chip on our shoulder.” Chao attributed much of the Big Red success of this season to the culmination of previous seasons and experience players have gained. A key person in this equation is senior Jack Walsh. Walsh played until this year, but he now serves as the coach.
“This is the first year I’m not playing, and I really think this has been a healthy change,” Walsh said. “It’s nice having a coach on the sidelines from an organization standpoint.” Players, captains and coaches of the Big Red agree that the skill level of the team is, and has been, at championship caliber, but in recent years the team has not been able to capitalize on opportunities. “The past couple years we’ve had some good success,” Walsh said. “My junior and sophomore year we had a lot of talent but was never really able to put it all together.” “Last year we lost to Stanford in the first round, and they went on to win,” Chao said. “The year before that, I believe we lost by one to Keenan in the semifinals off a missed field goal.” Dillon has experience in the playoffs, which is part of the reason the squad has been successful in the 2017 trek to Notre Dame Stadium, Chao said. “[The success this season] has
really been a culmination of three years,” Chao said. Walsh agreed with the importance of having core players remaining consistent over the past couple years. “It’s a good mix of juniors and seniors,” Walsh said. “Overall, through the experience of the older guys — not exactly the physical experience, but the mental knowledge of knowing what works or doesn’t work with interhall — I feel really gives us an edge.” Walsh touched on the younger additions to the team and how their contributions have added to the season. “In terms of freshmen and sophomores, we’ve got some new talent this year which has helped a bunch,” Walsh said. “Particularly, this is in our running back.” When the team was asked who would be an essential player to the win on Sunday, in unison, senior Peter “Bowling Ball” McKeon was named. Otherwise, key bigs such as
junior quarterback Michael Cahill and senior lineman Jack Mitchell. The Big Red have especially focused on the run this year, as McKeon and freshman Curt Gouldin have found success with the offensive line to advance the ball. “Our line is probably one of the biggest in the whole league, except maybe for Duncan,” Walsh said. “This is the first time we’ll really match up with someone of our size. It will really be a physical matchup.” This type of “physical matchup” has been noted in Dillon’s previous games. All of the Big Red’s have been within two possessions or less. These kinds of wins especially demonstrate their patience with offense and trust with defense. After the quarterfinal 14-7 win over Dunne, Chao said that he and the team recognized the importance of being able to have diversity in their set of plays, and mentioned including more of the
Mia Berry
Darcy Dehais
Interhall Editor
Interhall Editor
After last year’s crushing defeat to Stanford, Duncan is hungrier than ever for its first-ever interhall championship. The Highlanders only loss on the season came against Morrissey in week 2, and the Highlanders have proven throughout the season they’re a lot better than their seeding and record indicate. With a high-scoring offense, the offensive arsenal that the Highlanders have will be too much for Dillon’s defense. Dillon has posted an undefeated season characterized by a strong defensive effort, but Dillon hasn’t faced an offense with a balanced running and passing attack, and the combination of the two should pose a threat to the Big Red. Duncan has the desire and experience to capture its first interhall championship in a close battle against one of interhall’s better defenses. FINAL SCORE: Duncan 18, Dillon 13
The Highlanders have not forgotten their exciting run to the stadium last year, where their remarkable season came to an end after they came up short in the championship game against Stanford. The key parts of this game will be seen in the offensive run game of both teams. Whichever squad can shut down the talented running backs on the field in this game will have the edge. Duncan has done an excellent job of anchoring the defense and holding teams to no more than two touchdowns in any game this season. The Big Red are a dominant defensive force as well. However, the Highlanders are hoping for their first win in the stadium and balanced offensive attack in the pass and run games will prove too much to handle. FINAL SCORE: Duncan 20, Dillon 7
throwing game, while still sticking with the “hardnose and run it at them” game plan. Duncan (2-1) only lost to Morrissey during the regular season. Duncan was also able to knock off Stanford, the only other undefeated team of the regular season, during the second round of playoffs. This matchup is bound to be a low-scoring battle. Both defenses have been attributed with stellar work during this season, though Dillon has let up significantly fewer points than Duncan. On the reverse side, Duncan has also been able to convert more on offense, fielding the lead in offensive scores on the season against Dillon. “This game has two teams with good quarterbacks and good running backs,” Walsh said. “I think whoever scores first may have a good chance to win.” Contact Ellie Olmanson at eolmanso@nd.edu
No. 2
No. 9
(3-0)
(2-1)
Dillon vs. Duncan Notre Dame Stadium
4:00 p.m.
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ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, November 17, 2017 | The Observer
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McGlinn makes anticipated return to Stadium By CASSIE CORBIN Sports Writer
“Stadium on three. One. Two. Three. Stadium.” This cheer echoed at the end of every single McGlinn practice. It has been effective, to say the least. The Shamrocks (3-1) are preparing to throw the Bears into hibernation Sunday. Shamrocks senior co-captain Catherine Badart reflected on her team’s turnaround this year. “Two years ago, we didn’t score a point until the last game in the regular season,” Badart said. “Last year we won one game and tied one game. It’s been a quick turnaround. Our goal has just been to improve each year and this year we definitely took that seriously. We just finally clicked as a team this year. We switched the coaching around and got a new playbook.” In addition to new strategies, junior quarterback Belin Mirabile believes the team’s commitment has improved drastically.
“I think a lot of people are taking it pretty seriously,” Mirabile said. “The team has been pretty dedicated. Obviously, we have a lot of fun — that’s the main goal — but everyone has been showing up to practices all year. That helps a lot for us to get better as a team.” In the course of the season, the Shamrocks’ valiant efforts have been successful. The team’s only loss was to Cavanaugh; the North Quad rivals won by a touchdown. Badart attributes that loss to the weather and the elements. “Our Cav game was our first bad weather game,” Badart said. “It was hailing and windy and freezing. It was also our first night game. I think we were just unaccustomed to that; it really threw us. After that, we made sure to have practices at night and get used to playing in the colder weather.” After losing to the Chaos, the Shamrocks once again tapped into their tenacity and luck and won the final three games of the regular season. Sizing up the Bears, who McGlinn took down
earlier in the season, however, Mirabile does not anticipate another easy win. “We played Flaherty in the regular season so we know how they play,” Mirabile said. “Most times, we are just focused on doing what we do best. Our defenders are incredible at pulling flags and we like going for up-tempo, big plays on offense. We’ve been able to get that rhythm back.” Junior linebacker Kelly McNeill also acknowledges that the Bears will hardly go down without a fight. “I definitely think that the game in the stadium is going to be very high-pressure,” McNeill said. “We have played them before, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ll come up on top again, just because it is such a big game. Both teams have had an opportunity to improve over the season since we played each other last. We might have to make adjustments once we get there.” The Shamrocks excel when faced with adversity, however. Sophomore cornerback Erin
O’Brien is confident in the team’s ability to think on its feet. “I think we’re definitely good at making adjustments during games, too,” O’Brien said. “During the first couple of plays, we see what’s going wrong and we correct it immediately. I think that’s one of our strengths.” It isn’t the championship title that motivates the Shamrocks, however; it’s their dedication to teamwork. McNeill explained it is the other girls clad in green jerseys who inspire every play. “We really look to each other as teammates to pump one other up before games or settle nerves,” McNeill said. “Throughout the season, whenever a teammate makes a big play, the rest of the team is more excited than they personally are. That really boosts us to play harder for our teammates. When you see others working hard on the field, it drives you to want to work harder on the field. You want to do it for them. I think that when we go into this game on Sunday, it’s really going to be about us as a team, not
anyone individually.” The Shamrocks’ “team” exceeds more than just the 32 girls on the turf. Badart fondly reported that even a few team alums are returning to watch the game. “We called up our past captains and graduated teammates and told them that we had landed the championship,” Badart said. “We all started this journey together and it’s exciting to see the team’s progress. Some of them are even coming back to watch Sunday’s game. Our team expands over years and that bond doesn’t really die. It’s a great thing to be a part of.” Although still eyeing the elite title of “champions,” Mirabile considers the season a success regardless of the game’s outcome. “Come Sunday, whether we win or lose, it’s going to be an awesome game,” Mirable said. “I’m just looking forward to being there. I’m looking forward to playing with these people.” Contact Cassie Corbin at ccorbin1@nd.edu
Flaherty aims to win first title as new dorm By DARCY DEHAIS Interhall Editor
November 2014. Freshmen Annie Batcheller, Molly McClure and Jacklyn Cooney take home the championship title in Notre Dame stadium playing their first year of interhall football for the Pangborn Phoxes. Fast forward four years. Batcheller, McClure and Cooney find themselves in the stadium once again, poised to play for another title. Only this time, they are representing Flaherty Hall as senior captains. “Our main goal was to get back to the stadium to play again and bookend our years with Flaherty,” Batcheller said. “We are moving to a new dorm and trying to start new traditions while still bringing in the aspects of our old dorm.” The Bears had a largely successful season with their only loss coming to McGlinn in the second week of the season. Batcheller, the Bears’ quarterback, said a controversial call toward the end of the
game was the difference-maker. Nevertheless, the Shamrocks were victorious by a score of 12-7. “I think we played well as a team [against McGlinn],” Batcheller said. “That game was one of our best games all around on offense and defense. There was a questionable call at the end when fourth down was called when it was really third down, but the call had already been made, so we just played. They ended up scoring on that drive. “ ... It kind of works for our team. It really lit a fire under us for the rest of our games and for this game. We are ready to come back and are ready to win.” Perhaps Flaherty’s highest quality win this season was against No. 1 Breen-Phillips in the semifinals of the playoffs, a 12-7 victory that earned them a spot in the championship game. The Bears’ defense proved critical in the final minutes of the game, getting the stop on fourth down to allow their offense to take the field and run out the
clock. McClure, a tight end, said that the win against the Babes was an all-around performance by her team on both sides of the ball. “[The win over Breen-Phillips] was definitely a team effort,” McClure said. “We came out, and our first two offensive plays were really explosive and our two touchdowns of the game on our first two possessions. They figured out our offense and worked against us, but our defense finished off the game and kept them from scoring in the end.” “It was really exciting,” Batcheller said. “We had played the night before, so we were all a little tired but still fired up. It was definitely a nerve-racking game. It is intimidating going into playing the No. 1 seed. I think the strength of our team is that we’re always fiery and always excited. We feed off each other’s energy and go out there to give it our best shot.” While the three senior captains have experience playing in
Notre Dame Stadium, they said there are always some nervous energy when prepping to play on the big stage. “We are such a close-knit team that no one feels the pressure,” Cooney said. “The first years feel very comfortable with us. We are all going to go out there and have fun. It is in a stadium, but I think everyone will feel good. Even if there’s jitters at the start, we will just do what we know. We have good support systems, and we’ll get it done.” “There’s definitely jitters,” Batcheller said. “But the main thing about these games is that I have so much fun. It’s just being out there with all your friends and throwing the ball around a little bit. There’s jitters, but there’s also that anticipation of this being our last game as a team.” When the Bears take the field, they finish their Flaherty cheer with a unique twist, shouting “Violence!” to close the chant. This is an homage to their old
Darcy Dehais
Mia Berry
Interhall Editor
Interhall Editor
Flaherty’s only loss came at the hands of the Shamrocks in the second week of the regular season, but it is hungry for a rematch. Characterized by key senior leadership in its captains, the Bears have several players with experience in the interhall playoffs and are prepared to take on the stadium. They are coming into the championship hot off a win over No. 1 Breen-Phillips, and this win should fuel them and allow them to carry momentum heading into the championship. While the Shamrocks’ only loss this season was by a touchdown to Cavanaugh, the rest of their wins came by close margins. Both teams will put their defense on display in this matchup, making for a low-scoring game in which the Bears will edge the Shamrocks by a slim margin. FINAL SCORE: Flaherty 13, McGlinn 6
After a Week 2 regular-season game that ended in a McGlinn victory and a Flaherty loss, history probably won’t repeat itself when the Bears and the Shamrocks face off for a second time this season. Flaherty’s momentum and experience should lead it to victory this Sunday against McGlinn. Flaherty and McGlinn are one-loss teams that are pretty much evenly matched on both offense and defense. Flaherty’s key advantage comes from the experience that Flaherty seniors, formerly Pangborn residents, that won the championship their freshman year. After defeating the undefeated and No. 1-seeded BreenPhillips, momentum is definitely on Flaherty’s side heading into the championship. The game will be the ultimate defensive battle between the two teams. FINAL SCORE: Flaherty 12, McGlinn 7
home in Pangborn, which was originally a men’s hall whose mascot was the Violence. In smaller gestures like this, the seniors on this Bears team remember where they began, but as they create new memories in this year’s championship, they hope to establish a reputation on and off the field. “It’s an amazing opportunity to establish that Flaherty is here and that we’re not some obscure dorm who just has girls piled in after people got moved or transferred,” Cooney said. “It is a great way for all the girls to find a community and for our firstyears coming in to be able to get close to the upperclassmen. The championship is for the team and the players who have put in the work, but it is also for the entire dorm community to say that Flaherty is here to play and be a community that strives to be the best in a lot of different ways.” Contact Darcy Dehais at ddehais@nd.edu
No. 2
No. 4
(3-1)
(3-1)
McGlinn vs. Flaherty
Notre Dame Stadium
2:45 p.m.