For The Dialog
MILLTOWN – Senior quarterback Billy Sullivan threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead St. Mark’s to a 35-20 come-from-behind victory over St. Elizabeth on Nov. 4.
The Vikings thought they scored on their first drive as quarterback Casey Rock hit Cam Ross on an 80-yard pass, but it was called back because of an ineligible man downfield. St. Elizabeth did get the lead, however, on St. Mark’s second offensive possession, as Ray Jones took an interception back 28 yards for the 7-0 lead.
The Vikings’ defense then stopped the Spartans on a fourth-and-four play to take over at their own 32. Rock hit a couple of short completions to move into Spartans’ territory, then found David Hazleton, who rumbled through the defense and scored from 27 yards to give the visitors at 13-0 lead.
St. Mark’s got on the board late in the first half as Sullivan found David Balint for a nine-yard TD pass to make the halftime lead 13-7.
After stopping the Spartans to open the second half, the Vikings took over at their own 16 and embarked on a long drive. They marched down the field behind a 60-yard run by Hazleton, who then scored two plays later from a yard out to give the Vikings a 20-7 advantage.
The game’s momentum changed on the next drive. Facing a third-and-20 from their own 30, Sullivan threw a deep ball that Zach Palmer got under at the Vikings’ 20. Sullivan ran it in from the six a few plays later. They scored again early in the fourth quarter as Palmer outjumped a Vikings defender on a 15-yard pass. The extra point from Chris Ludman made it 21-20 St. Mark’s.
The Spartans’ defense forced a fumble on St. Elizabeth’s next drive and cashed in on a two-yard run by Austin Colmery that made it 28-20. Andrew Watkins added a late score on a 29-yard run for the final margin.
St. Mark’s improved to 6-3 and travels to Salesianum to finish the regular season this Friday at 7:30 p.m. St. Elizabeth fell to 4-5 and hosts Archmere on Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Baynard Stadium.
