SHA IMPRESSES IN SEASON OPENER
They’re back, but it’s not like they really left.
Sacred Heart football opened the 2020 season Saturday from Community Memorial Stadium with an awe-inspiring showing as the Irish posted 402 yards of offense en route to an easy 54-0 victory over visiting Carsonvilleport Sanalic.
Junior quarterback Gabe Ruggles had a day too as he completed 8-of-10 passes for 276 yards and five touchdowns. He didn’t throw an interception.
All in all the Irish (1-0) were explosive all day as Ruggles hit freshman Aidan Halliday with a 48-yard scoring pass on the second play of the game and it just snowballed from there as the Irish led 33-0 by the half.
“We took advantage of what they were giving us, which was our passing game,” said Irish coach John Ruggles following the festivities. “Gabe did a nice job delivering the ball and our receivers did a nice job after the catch. Was I expecting this kind of explosiveness? No. We’ve had two weeks to get ready and no film (on Carsonville). They have a new coach too, so we had no idea what kind of offense or defense they were going to run. We just worked on us.”
And about that us?
“Now, I think we’re pretty explosive. But we have a lot of really-good athletes and that showed today.”
Leading 6-0 Gabe Ruggles hit Luke Predum with a 76yard screen pass for score that pushed it to 13-0.
In the second stanza Brady Gruss made it 19-0 via a twoyard TD run before Ruggles hit Michael Gillespie with the conversion pass to make it 21-0.
Predum reeled in a 61-yard TD pass later in the frame Halliday scored on an 11-yard screen pass to make it 33-0 at the half.
In the second half Predum caught a 39-yard TD pass while Andrew Courtright added in a 17-yard scoring run and Gruss a 22-yard scoring run.
Considering the Irish didn’t know a lot about their opponent nor themselves coming in, well it’s now safe to say they know they have a legitimate offense heading into Friday’s homecoming contest versus Caseville.
“There was a lot of unknowns because we didn’t have any scrimmages or any 7-on-7s,” said
Gabe Ruggles. “But I thought we played so well. We came out and stepped it up immediately, it was great to see. Everything clicked and it feels amazing.”
Predum led the wide outs as he caught three passes for 178 yards and three scores. Halliday added in two catches for 60 yards and two scores.
Gruss led the rushing attack with 83 yards on 11 carries. He had two scores.