ROXBURY — Before last week’s defeat to Xaverian, the last time No. 4 Catholic Memorial football lost a regular season game to another Massachusetts, Knights’ quarterback Kise Flannery was suiting for Catholic Conference rival Boston College High School.
The message from head coach John DiBiaso was clear after a last-second field goal gave the team its first loss of the season: keep moving forward.
Against Saint John’s (Shrewsbury), Flannery and the rest of the offense attacked relentlessly. The senior tossed five touchdowns as the Knights took down the Pioneers 49-17 at O’Conner Stadium Friday night.
“I think we learned how to move on. That was our first loss in a while. It was a good learning moment and just go to the next chapter,” Flannery said.
The Harvard commit probably could not have asked for a better next chapter. Flannery had near perfect day on the field, completing 10-11 passes for 137 yards. Whether it was throwing over his receiver’s back shoulder or crossing routes, Flannery placed the ball wherever he needed to.
“He is a very strong kid. He’s built like a linebacker,” DiBiaso said. “He is blessed athletically.”
After Catholic Memorial’s defense forced a turnover on downs, the Knights’ offense went to work. Lasting seven plays, the drive ended on a 25-yard pass from Flannery to Christian Simmons. The sophomore shook his defender and leaped for the end zone to give Catholic Memorial the early 7-0 in the first quarter.
Simmons did a little of everything on offense. He added a rushing touchdown later in the second half. He totaled 112 yards of offense on the night.
Flanney’s one mistake of the night was an interception on a ball that got tipped and landed in the hands of Saint John’s Liam Deso with 49 second left in the first half.
Rather than go into halftime down 14-3, the Pioneers looked to cut into the Knights’ lead. Instead, quarterback Brad Perry threw back-to-back incomplete passes and Deso got stuffed on third down to force a punt.
Catholic Memorial got the ball back around midfield with 34 seconds in the half. The Knights followed the Pioneer’s lead to go on the attack.
Only this time, it was the Knights who found the endzone.
Flannery’s talent was on full-display on the final play of the half. As the clock hit zero, he scrambled out of the pocket to his right and found Jordan Berros who leapt for the catch and dove towards the pylon for the score.
Starting with the ball in the second half, Catholic Memorial carried the momentum from the locker room.
After Simmons scored his ninth touchdown of the season on a 46-yard run on the opening dive, the Knights’ forced a quick three-and-out to put the ball right back in Flannery’s hands.
Needing just two plays to score, Ramar Thomas ran for 34 yards before scoring his third receiving touchdown of the season on a 20-yard pass from Flannery.
“We just kept the intensity up. We knew had to get the job done. Kept driving the ball through the air and on the ground,” wide receiver Isaiah Simmons said.
He caught Flannery’s final touchdown toss of the night midway through the third to make the score 42-10. His 11-yard grab came three plays after a would-be 57-yard run where he spun off multiple defenders was called back due to a holding penalty.
“I knew I had to stay hungry (after getting the touchdown called back). I had to get into the end zone,” he said.
No matter who was out in the field, Flannery was find anyone with receiver gloves on. All five of his touchdown passes went to a different teammate.
“It was more of my receivers and my O-line that helped me get the open passes. I just had to get the ball there. They were the ones that did all the dirty work. They found the open spots,” Flannery said.
Catholic Memorial moves to 6-1 on the season. It faces the undefeated St. John’s Prep next Saturday at 1 p.m. The Pioneers host BC High next Friday for senior night at 6 p.m.
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