Missed chances costly for Mustangs

Updated: September 16, 2011 7:49PM

EAST ST. LOUIS – St. Rita’s Zack Soria summed it up best.

“It was frustrating out there, believe me,” the senior said.

A day of missed opportunities resulted in St. Rita dropping a 7-0 game to Whitehaven, from Memphis, Tenn., Sunday afternoon in the second annual City of Champions Football Classic at East St. Louis.

Soria had a pair of interceptions, including one on the first play of the game, and added 11 carries for 71 yards on offense. But the Mustangs couldn’t convert on offense despite numerous opportunities.

“Our defense played extremely well,” St. Rita coach Todd Kuska said. “Our offense moved the ball, we just didn’t put it in the end zone.”

St. Rita (1-1) had first four trips inside the Tigers 25, but couldn’t convert. Soria’s first interception set the Mustangs up at midfield. They drove to a first down at the Whitehaven 11, but then went backward and had a 45-yard field goal attempt blocked.

Soria picked off a second pass at his own 5 midway through the first quarter. From there the Mustangs drove to the Whitehaven 23, but were stopped on a fourth-and-1 play.

Two plays later Whitehaven (3-0), which outscored its first two opponents by a combined score of 104-0, got on the board when junior running back Mark Dodson darted up the middle for a 70-yard touchdown run with 10:19 to play in the second quarter.

That play accounted for nearly half the Tigers’ yards and was their only first down of the first half. They finished with 162 yards in offense and had four first downs. St. Rita had 288 yards in offense and 18 first downs.

The Mustangs had a golden opportunity in the third quarter when Max Kurucar returned an interception 25 yards to the Whitehaven 5. But they couldn’t advance the ball and had another field goal blocked. However, the Tigers were offside on the play and St. Rita decided to go for it on fourth down from the 3, but was dropped for a 2-yard loss.

Then in the fourth quarter the Mustangs drove for a first-and-goal at the 9. But quarterback Scott Thomas (14-for-23, 101 yards) threw an interception in the end zone with 8:58 to play. St. Rita never got closer than the Tigers’ 44 after that.

“I thought we played real well,” Soria said. “It’s early, we’ve got a lot of new faces and we’ll learn from it.”

Kuska concurred.

“We’re young, but we’re going to do it,” he said. “It’s only week two and the talent is there, the desire is there. We just have to execute.”

Guerby Ministre had 17 carries for 108 yards for St. Rita.

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