Win over Shamrocks may be enough for Notre Dame

Updated: May 9, 2012 9:54AM

After an 0-3 start with a young and inexperienced roster, the season looked bleak for Notre Dame.

But the Dons did not quit and are now just one win away from a potential playoff spot.

“We’ve done a pretty good job of adjusting,” said receiver Connor Gavin. “We still feel like we haven’t hit the complete potential that we should be playing at, which hopefully happens on Friday and should. We’ve done a great job of bouncing back from being down 0-3, but it’s tough to squeeze even one out against those three teams who have clearly shown that they are the top three of the better teams in the state in the past couple years.”

Notre Dame (4-4, 3-3 ESCC) has strung together four wins in its last five games, including a 27-21 victory over Marian on Friday.

Nick Pieruccini threw for 144 yards and two touchdowns on 10-for-22 passing. The starting quarterback also sparked the rushing attack and ran for 108 yards on 14 attempts and a 55-yard touchdown.

Gavin was on the receiving end of one of Pieruccini’s touchdown passes, but was also ND’s leading tackler on the night with 14.

The team’s other two scores came from a 14-yard reception by Billy Hirsch and a 60-yard run by Chris James, who finished the day with 82 yards on 11 carries.

With such a youthful lineup, the underclassmen have had to step up. Sophomore defensive back Tom Simon did just that with a fourth-quarter interception.

“Defensively, we played all right and offensively, we were able to move the ball a lot so it was a little bit closer than we wish it would have been, but we’ll take a win in this conference any day,” Gavin said. “It’s do or die for us from here on out, so we were happy and we took a lot of good things from the game to move forward next week.”

Friday’s opponent, St. Patrick, is in a situation that is polar opposite to that of the Dons.

The Shamrocks began the season 3-0 and have imploded with five straight losses. Their offense still poses a big threat to Notre Dame’s playoff chances.

“It would be good for us to control the football, to keep it in our hands and to keep it out of their offense’s hands, because they’ve scored a lot of points,” said head coach Mike Hennessey. “I know that we don’t want to get into a track meet with them in that we’re scoring one after the other. We’re going to have to play a very good defensive game and be sound up front.”

The Dons’ crucial match-up with St. Patrick’s will kickoff 7:30 p.m. Friday in Niles.

So far, 171 of the 256 playoff berths are wrapped up. To grab one of the 85 remaining spots, the Dons must beat St. Pat, then hold their breaths. They have 38 playoff points — based on wins by opponents — and last year 39 served as the cutoff.

“With it being potentially the last game and because we’re playing against Pat’s, it doesn’t take a lot to get up for the game,” Hennessey said. “It’ll be a packed house here, both sides will be up for grabs and it will be a very good high school football atmosphere.”

Notre Dame exited the playoffs last season in the first round with a 47-0 loss to eventual state champion Maine South. Looking that far ahead to the playoffs is premature, Hennessey warned.

“Even thinking about being in is jumping the gun,” said Hennessey. “We’re just going to wait and see and we’re just happy that we’re making the progress that we’re making right now. If we get in and wherever we’re sent, we’ll come ready to play and take it one day at a time.”

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