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ST. THOMAS HIGH SCHOOL
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HOUSTON, TX
Winter was “blown away by the
sea of red” pre-game tailgating
scene which swelled to more than
a thousand in the shadows of
NRG Stadium.
“We brought in a smoker, alumni
groups added another and
then two more huge cookers
showed up,” Winter said. “At
first I thought we were going
to be overwhelmed with food
and by the time we closed in
on kickoff, we actually ran
short. Great atmosphere. Great
barbeque. Great stories. Great
camaraderie. Even a plane flying
overhead with a “Beat Strake”
banner. Electric setting. An
unforgettable night we will talk
about for years to come.”
Thanks in large part to the hard
knocks which proved better
than the hype. During a second
half stretch of six combined
touchdowns in seven possessions,
the Eagles took their first lead
since early in the second period
with a play call outside the
prescribed game plan.
Offensive Coordinator Keith
Page noticed the Strake defensive
backs committing hard to defend
the punishing Eagles rushing
game. He had Keating roll left
in what appeared to be the latest
in a series of stretch runs with
wide receiver Landon Malouf
‘15 entertaining a down-the-field
block before breaking alone up the
left seam.
Keating rode behind the line of
scrimmage, suddenly planted and
delivered to an uncovered Malouf
in stride, who raced 63 yards
untouched to give STH a 35-28
lead that would last for only four
plays and 1:52 on the game clock.
It was Malouf who was on the
receiving end during the dramatic
final ticks at Crusader Stadium
in 2014 when he finished a 47-
yard catch-and-run touchdown,
weaving left-to-right, through and
past four defenders, with :04 left
to give the Eagles an improbable
11-5 victory.
“We had run Keating with that
sweep several times,” Fitzpatrick
said. “Their corner was coming
up to make the play but there’s
no help behind him. We saw that
and said sell the run and go up
top. No one within 10 yards of
(Malouf). Just the adjustments
you have to make. Like chess. Set
it up and it was checkmate.”
Keating was responsible for 395
of the Eagles’ 472 total yards ...
throwing for 274 yards on 20-26
with three touchdowns ... and
rushing 28 times for 121 yards and
three more touchdowns.
His eight-yard scoring dart to
Guidroz (career-best 7 catches
for 137 yards) finished the Eagles’
initial series when they drove
just 32 yards for the game’s first
touchdown.
Keating orchestrated a 13-play
drive mid-way second quarter,
including consecutive completions
to Guidroz worth 22 yards. The
Eagles then overcame a first-
and-20 at midfield, got 16-yard
runs from William Heck ‘16
and Rowdy Hinckley ‘16 before
Keating cashed in from short
range to pull STH even at 14-14.
In the third period Keating ignited
a 75-yard drive, highlighted by
a 22-yard pitch-and-catch with
Malouf and an inside slant
completion to Jhamon Ausbon ‘17
(Baylor University) which resulted
in a 32-yard gain after the penalty
yardage for spearing. With less
than 10:00 remaining, Keating
crashed the right side of the end
zone from four yards for the
game’s fourth tie, 28-28.
“In the second half Michael
played with so much poise,”
Fitzpatrick said. “When he didn’t
like what he saw in the passing
game, it was tuck it and go. That
unpredictability makes him so
dynamic.”
Super stage. Fast start. Furious
finish. The latest testament that
Eagle fight never ... ever ... ever
... dies.
INSIDE EAGLE ATHLETICS
Stacy Guidroz, Kate Fitzgerald, John Fitzgerald