Senior running back Tory Pearson carries the ball against Florida State on Saturday, Oct. 12. Pearson was held to a season-low 23 yards rushing on six carries, also a season-low.
Cathedral Game Leaders
Passing:
QB Devron Fritz (So.) - 23-42, 259 Yds, 4 Int, Long 46, 3 Sack
QB George Pasey Jr. (Sr.) - 1-1, 8 Yds
CATHEDRAL TAKES BEATING AT FLORIDA STATE
Oct 12, 2013 Last week Cathedral played and defeated an FCS ranked squad. This week they turned tides and faced a ranked FBS squad, No. 15 Florida State, and got humiliated 51-7 at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.
The game was delayed two minutes into the second quarter when thunderstorms hit the area. The Seminoles used the break to snap out of their slow start and expel 35 unanswered points against Cathedral following an opening quarter that saw them score just once.
Cathedral never found an answer, neither on offense or defense. Devron Firtz got his first start since Nov. 10, 2012 and though the sophomore quarterback threw for 259 yards, he topped it with four interceptions. On the ground, the Spartans leading rusher was Tory Pearson with just 23 yards on six carries. While the end result was expected by every Vegas line, the humility could be seen as the Spartans exited the sold-out stadium in Tallahassee.
What It Means: Cathedral drops to 0-2 against fellow FBS teams heading into conference play in the Sun Belt. The Spartans were outscored 99-16 in the two contests, both against Power-5 schools.
Quotable: "We ran into a great team and we were outmatched. It's as simple as that. I feel we let up towards the end, sure, but what more can you really say?" - UC coach George Pasey
"Games like this, they're tough, but the good takeaway is we just played on TV. That's exposure, people seeing the program." - UC wide receiver Michael Kane-Polson
Notable: Michael Kane-Polson played a quarter with a dislocated shoulder ... The contest was televised on SEC Network, Cathedral's second televised showing ... The Spartans have not thrown a passing touchdown since week three's game against Chattanooga. Quarterbacks George Pasey Jr. and Devron Firtz have since combined for 12 interceptions.
Up Next: Cathedral embarks on its inaugural season in the Sun Belt with an opening match at Troy (4-2). Both teams began the season at 2-0.
Senior quarterback George Pasey Jr. told local press on Wednesday he had watched "countless hours of film", including last Saturday's loss at Florida State where he attempted just a single pass in his season's first non-start. Pasey Jr., a former Louisiana Tech quarterback, was benched last week in favor of former starter Devron Fritz, who threw four interceptions against the Seminoles. Pasey Jr., eager to regain position, has thrown for 748 yards this season on 48-of-93 passing, including five touchdowns and five interceptions.PEARSON SUFFERS SEASON/CAREER-ENDING INJURY DURING PRACTICE
Tory Pearson suffered a torn rotator cuff Tuesday during a full-contact practice and will miss the remainder of the season, effectively ending the fifth-year senior's career, according to coach George Pasey. Pearson, Cathedral's all-time leading rusher (1,455 yards), played four games this season, rushing for 360 yards and five touchdowns. Expected to step up is junior running back Myles Brady (22 att, 88 yds) and senior Davion Cobbs (10 att, 42 yds).
Note: Had no idea this injury occurred during the Florida State game.
Senior quarterback George Pasey Jr. attempts a pass against Troy on Oct. 19, 2013. The Louisiana Tech graduate trasfer threw for 320 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
Cathedral Game Leaders
Passing:
QB George Pasey Jr. (Sr.) - 27-44, 320 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int
CATHEDRAL LOSES 35-31 HEARTBREAKER TO TROY
Oct 17, 2013 George Pasey Jr. passed for 320 yards and three touchdowns in his return to the starting position only to fall short as Troy routed Cathedral in a 35-31 thriller Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The Spartans led the game until early in the fourth quarter when Troy's senior running back Khary Franklin scored on a one-yard touchdown to knot the game at 28 apiece following a successful two-pint conversion. Cathedral quickly fired back with a 36 yard reception to Michael Kane-Polson, putting them at their opponents' 39 yard line, eventually leading to a 24-yard field goal make by Tanner Burnett on fourth and two.
Troy opened their ensuing drive with trickery, causing Cathedral to jump offsides on the opening pair of plays. A followup 40 yard reception by Eric Thomas, his eighth catch, neared the Trojans to closer to their red zone, and five plays later quarterback Corey Robinson found the end zone with a two-yard keeper.
Robinson had a career high 476 yards passing and three touchdowns, his main receiver being Thomas who caught eight balls for 158 yards.
What It Means: Cathedral drops to .500 at 3-3 as the team continues its quest for its first intra-FBS win.
Quotable:
George Pasey Jr., senior quarterback
"We just played the conference's best team and not only competed, but almost won. That says a lot about us, especially when we're the underdog in almost every game this season."
Michael Kane-Polson, senior wide receiver
"I think there was a lot of progress from last week. It's a step in the right direction, but definitely not the way we wanted it to end."
Notable: Michael Kane-Polson tallies his third +100 yard receiving performance of the season ... Cathedral lost the following players to injury: defensive end D.D. Franklin (knee) and free safety Keenan Lloyd (abdominal), both starters.
Up Next: Following a bye week, the Spartans continue its road trip with a matchmagainst Western Kentucky (4-2) at L.T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Cathedral Spartans at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Nov 2, 2013
1ST
2ND
3RD
4TH
SCORE
Cathedral Spartans (3-3, 0-1)
3
0
7
0
10
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (6-2, 3-1)
0
0
21
7
28
Senior free safety Keenan Lloyd intercepts a pass by Western Kentucky's Demarcus Smith during the second quarter. The pick was Lloyd's first of the season, and the Spartans' fifth as a team.
Cathedral Game Leaders
Passing:
QB George Pasey Jr. (Sr.) - 14-41, 185 Yds, 1 TD, 4 Int, 3 Sack, Long 67
CATHEDRAL TUMBLES AGAINST WKU 28-10
Nov 2, 2013 Cathedral's proficient pass offense was countered with the country's best pass defense Saturday as the Spartans fell 28-10 at Western Kentucky.
Cathedral's George Pasey Jr. threw a career-high four interceptions in the loss, three coming in the second half which saw the Western Kentucky offense erupt for 21 unanswered points after trailing by a field goal. Senior wide receiver Ronnie Mixon caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Pasey Jr. to give Cathedral its first touchdown with 2:19 remaining in the third quarter.
WKU cornerback Arius Wright extended the Hiltoppers lead with a 55-yard "Pick-6" to seal all scoring.
What It Means: Cathedral drops to 0-2 in conference, and 3-4 overall.
Quotable:
UC coach George Pasey On missed opportunities throughout the game
"They killed us, especially the drop balls. Dropped two, I believe, just outside the endzone. Things like that can't happen, could've been an entirely different ball game if we'd made the play."
"Guys continued to play hard, just have to harness those moments."
Notable: Cathedral led 3-0 throughout the entire first half ... Fullback Adrian Gates became the Spartans' feature back following the loss of Myles Brady (concussion) ... Michael Kane-Polson recorded his fourth +100 yard receiving performance of the season ... Cathedral lost the following players to injury: cornerback/return man Diante Dobzinski (back) and running back Myles Brady (concussion), both starters ... Western Kentucky played without starting quarterback James Mauro who has missed the past two weeks with back spasms.
Up Next: The Spartans return home next week to host Texas State (3-4, 0-3 Sun Belt) on homecoming.
Defensive back Diante Dobzinski and running back Myles Brady will both miss Cathedral's upcoming homecoming game against Texas State, according to coach George Pasey. Dobzinski, Cathedral's lead cornerback, suffered a back strain against Western Kentucky while Myles Brady left the field with a concussion. Probable return dates for both players, according to Pasey, stand at 1-2 weeks. TEAM HOLDS PLAYERS-ONLY MEETING TUESDAY
Sitting at 3-4 and coming off back-to-back losses, the Cathedral Spartans are pulling out all the stops to pick up its first intra-FBS win. On Tuesday, the team held a players-only meeting, tight end Howard Townsend III told local press Wednesday. "We held a meeting, just us as players, to really revisit some of the things we said over the summer, all the goals we had. A lot of guys spoke up and I think that says a lot. It was just an overall great time for us to all reset, get back to 0." SPARTANS TO HOST SEVERAL RECRUITS ON HOMECOMING WEEKEND
Cathedral will welcome in a reported seven recruits this weekend in its culminating homecoming game against Texas State. Headlining the group will be Tyree Hawkins, an Atlanta native who will travel the short distance over to Cathedral. Hawkins ranks as Georgia's No. 4 defensive end and No. 33 in the country. The 6-foot-1, 263 pound prospect is touting offers from Cathedral, Memphis, NC State, South Alabama, and Wake Forest.
SPARTANS DEFEAT TEXAS STATE IN FIRST-EVER FBS WIN
Nov 9, 2013Cathedral was tabbed favorites over a fellow FBS team for the first time of the season and did not disappoint, defeating Texas State 41-24 Saturday at the Georgia Dome in culmination of homecoming week.
The Spartans fired out strong, scoring on their first two offensive drives. Texas State regained ground in the second quarter with two touchdowns of their own along with a field goal to go into the half trailing 20-17. A key interception inside the end zone by Rian Watkins-Reed prevented the Bobcats from taking a lead.
After a half of shaky defense, Cathedral delivered a shutout third quarter topped with a 54-yard "Pick 6" by sophomore strong safety Steph Warren, the Spartans' first of the season. That along with a seven-yard touchdown by freshman Casey Leuck put the Spartans on top 34-17.
Texas State opened the fourth quarter with a 19-yard touchdown on a screen pass from Tyler Arndt to running back Tim Gay. Cathedral responded on the ensuing possession with the game's final score, a 15-yard touchdown on a jet sweep by senior receiver Michael Kane-Polson.
What It Means: Cathedral defeats its first ever FBS opponent while snapping a three-game losing streak to improve to 4-4 on the season, and 4-0 at home.
Quotable:
Senior quarterback George Pasey Jr. On winning in front of homecoming crowd
"It's always a great feeling to win in front of your home crowd and this being homecoming only made it better. We had a lot of support out there and they gave this place a great atmosphere."
Freshman running back Casey Leuck On his increased role
"Coach called my name and you best bet I was ready to play. I've been working hard, waiting for moments like tonight."
Notable: Cathedral attempted two fake punts in the game; first a successful run by Adrian Gates and later a failed throw by punter Isaac Craig ... Cathedral kicker Tanner Burnett missed two PAT's after beginning the season a perfect 23-23 ... Running back Casey Leuck, who did not start, scored on his first carry of the game. Leuck's 129 yards rushing was the most by any Spartan this season ... Michael Kane-Polson recorded his fifth +100 yard receiving performance of the season ... Cathedral lost the following players to injury: outside linebacker Brandon Mayhew (concussion).
Up Next: The Spartans go on the road to play next Saturday at UL Monroe (4-4, 2-1).
Senior wide receiver Michael Kane-Polson catches a touchdown pass over a UL Monroe defender on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013. Kane-Polson had a season-high of 218 all-purpose yards.
Cathedral Game Leaders
Passing:
QB George Pasey Jr. (Sr.) - 24-33, 325 Yds, 2 TD, 13.5 Avg, 2 Sacks
QB Devron Fritz (So.) - 0-1
Receiving:
WR Michael Kane-Polson (Sr.) - 8 Rec, 140 Yds, 1 TD, Long 66
WR Heath Young (Fr.) - 5 Rec, 76 Yds, 15.2 Avg, Long 30
WR Riley Mixon (Sr.) - 4 Rec, 56 Yds, 14.0 Avg, 1 TD, Long 42
Defense:
DE D.D. Franklin (Sr.) - 7 Tack, 3 TFL, 1.0 Sack
SS Steph Warren (So.) - 6 Tack, 2 TFL, 1 FF
CB Amir Valentine (Sr.) - 5 Tack, 1 Int (0 Yds)
DT Danta Cason (Sr.) - 4 Tack, 2.0 Sacks
SPARTANS RETURN TO ATLANTA WITH VICTORY OVER UL MONROE
Nov 16, 2013Senior quarterback George Pasey Jr. threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns as Cathedral defeated UL Monroe 34-17 Saturday at Malone Stadium.
The Spartans took a commanding 31-10 lead at halftime before pumping the breaks in the second half, posting only a field goal while ULM scored only their second touchdown. An efficient performance from Pasey Jr. allowed Cathedral to move the ball with ease, finishing the contest with 488 yards of offense - their second straight game with over 400.
Cathedral's co-defensive captain D.D. Franklin led a unit that limited the ULM Warhawks to just 285 yards of offense. Cornerback Amir Valentine added an interception against Kolton Browning, a top-tier quarterback of the Sun Belt Conference.
What It Means: Cathedral improves to a winning record at 5-4, while also picking up their first road win of the season.
Quotable:
UC coach George Pasey On winning on the road
"We were dialed in for this one. We practiced well all week, so I feel we were really prepared to come in here and take care of business."
On the performance of George Pasey Jr.
"We've gone over a lot of things these past few weeks. He's reading the field, losing the tunnel vision, and making overall better decisions. It's smart football; exactly what will win us games."
Notable: The Spartans were favored for the second consecutive game ... Cathedral tallied no turnovers for the first time of the season ... Michael Kane-Polson recorded his sixth +100 yard receiving performance of the season. Kane-Polson recorded 218 all-purpose yards (140 receiving, 26 rushing, 52 kick return) ... Freshman running back Casey Leuck started over Myles Brady, who returned from a concussion ... After a muffed and later fumbled kick return (overturned), freshman return man Marquis Randall was replaced for the previous starter Michael Kane-Polson ... UL Monroe had its score on a fumbled kickoff overturned when refs declared the runner's knee down ... A season high nine players ran the ball for Cathedral.
Up Next: The Spartans continue its road tenure in Louisiana with a contest against UL Lafayette (4-5, 2-2) next week.
PASEY JR. NAMED SUN BELT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Following his performance against UL Mornoe, league offices announced senior quarterback George Pasey Jr. the Sun Belt Conference offensive player of the week. Pasey Jr. threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-17 win over the Warhawks last Saturday. The Charlotte, North Carolina native leads the conference with a QB Rating of 120.9, and has thrown for 1,822 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, both of which rank No. 5 amongst all Sun Belt quarterbacks. Pasey Jr. joins wide receiver Michael Kane-Polson as Cathedral's second offensive honoree of the season.
11-15-2016, 12:05 AM
