The Cathedral High School football team completely ran through the sectional. The regional was no different.
Quarterback Connor Rice connected with Terry McLaurin for two touchdowns in the Irish's 41-7 victory over Mt. Vernon on Friday at Tech. The victory moves Cathedral up to Class 5A next season under the Indiana High School Athletic Association's new tournament success factor. Cathedral will play Columbus East or Evansville Reitz -- who play today -- in the semistate.
McLaurin had 72 yards on just two receptions and Gino Gillum 149 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns to help the Irish to their seventh consecutive regional title.
McLaurin scored the go ahead touchdown with 1:08 left in the first quarter on a 38-yard pass from Rice, the first of three scores for McLaurin. McLaurin scored again in the second quarter to extend the lead 21-7 on a 28-yard scoring pass.
"Terry's just a great asset to our team," Rice said. "He makes a lot of plays and he really makes me look good, and so do all of the other receivers. I'm really proud of, not just Terry, but everyone on the team."
The duo has connected for 10 touchdowns this season. McLaurin scored again in the third quarter on an 89-yard punt return.
"Terry's a fast kid," Irish coach Rick Streiff said. "We try to give him the ball in space but the punt return was just a whole lot of speed."
The Marauders made a push on the first drive of the game but on fourth-and-12, quarterback Jordan Miller threw an incomplete pass in the end zone.
That's when the Irish got to work.
They faced a fourth-and-2 at the Mt. Vernon 10-yard line, but a penalty on Mt. Vernon gave Cathedral a first down on the 5. Gillum got the Irish on the board with 3:57 left in the first quarter with a touchdown run. The Marauders tied the game on a 41-yard run by Tyler Dicks but it would be their only score of the game as McLauren put it out of reach.
"We just couldn't get the ball enough," Mt. Vernon coach Doug Armstrong said. "It ended up that they got the time of possession and that hurt us."
The Irish held the Marauders scoreless the rest of the way but Dicks didn't go away, rushing for 152 yards on 27 carries.
"He's a tough kid," Streiff said. "All three of their backs are tough, hard-nosed kids. As tough of kids as we've faced all year long."
