Christian Brothers College runs over Rockhurst to repeat as Missouri Class 6 state football champion

After losing by 35 earlier in the season, Rockhurst made its rematch with Christian Brothers College more interesting than the first game, but ultimately fell 45-21 in the Missouri Class 6 Show-Me Bowl at Faurot Field on Saturday night. The Cadets repeated as state champions, while the Hawklets’ drought extended to eight years.

The Cadets beat the Hawklets 45-7 on Oct. 12, which had longtime Rockhurst coach Tony Severino telling his team to look at Saturday’s game as an upset opportunity.

“That team can beat us nine out of ten times we play them,” he told his team. “We only have to beat them once.”

Severino has been pondering retirement after coaching 36 years at Rockhurst but was noncommittal about his future after the loss on Saturday.

CBC quarterback Brett Gabbert, the younger brother of former MU signal caller Blaine Gabbert, capped off his preps career in style. He threw for four touchdowns and 311 yards while completing 69 percent of his passes. He’s committed to Miami of Ohio.

With starting quarterback Luke Boehm out due to injury, Rockhurst Severino got creative under center, using wildcat formations and jet sweeps to try and move the chains.

Rockhurst’s offense started out slow. After CBC scored on the second play of the game on a 69-yard touchdown run by tailback Bryan Bradford, the Hawklets struggled to move the chains. Rockhurst had 4 yards of offense in the first quarter and didn’t get a first down until there was 1:20 left in the first quarter.

The Cadets couldn’t say the same. Gabbert completed his first seven passes and took advantage of multiple matchups to move CBC downfield. Gabbert set up the Cadets’ second touchdown with a 46-yard completion to senior tight end Niko Hea off a flea-flicker. Four plays later, Gabbert found Zach Hahn for a 4-yard touchdown to extend CBC’s lead to 14-0.

Gabbert found Hea for his third touchdown with 8:04 left in the first half, a 34-yard laser beam off a slant route that extended the Cadets’ lead to 21-0.

That’s when Rockhurst got going. After missing a 46-yard field-goal attempt in the first quarter, the Hawklets responded with 14 unanswered points. Facing fourth-and-3 from CBC’s 8-yard line, Rockhurst went for it and converted on a jet sweep by wideout Joe Coit, thanks to a big block by star recruit Danielson Ike. Danny Stegall capped off the drive on a sneak into the end zone to get Rockhurst on the board with 2:43 left in the first half.

The Hawklets cut the deficit to seven after Gabbert uncharacteristically threw an interception on the Cadets’ final drive of the first half. Safety Cooper Krezek returned it 70 yards to send Rockhurst into halftime down 21-14. The interception was just Gabbert’s second of the season.

“After that we really felt like we were back in the game,” Krezek said. “Going into halftime we felt ready for the second half.”

Rockhurst started the second half with the ball but failed to tie the game on its first drive. Bradford led CBC downfield and found wideout Julian Williams on a post for a 29-yard touchdown to give the Cadets some breathing room.

Hawklets tailback Jalan Crayton led the counterattack, acting as both a wildcat quarterback and running back. A third-down catch from Krezek brought Rockhurst to the Cadets’ 8-yard line to set up first-and-goal. Tight end Andrew Stafford scored a 9-yard touchdown on third down to open the fourth quarter, and that cut CBC’s lead to 28-21 with 11:53 left.

“The game plan was not to throw the ball at all,” Severino said. “To run the clock and try to get the game into the fourth quarter. Once they got the 21-0 lead, game plans change.”

But Bradford put the game out of a reach a minute later. He led BC 80 yards downfield in just just over a minute as the Rockhurst defense had no answer for the 6-foot-1 senior. Bradford entered the game averaging 10.6 yards per carry and finished with 230 yards and two touchdowns in this one. His touchdown with 10:51 left really put the game out of reach as Stegall threw a pick the following drive.

Rockhurt ended its season 11-3, while CBC finished 12-1.

Severino said he hasn’t discussed with his team whether or not he coached his last game for the Hawklets. He added that he used to say five more years but knows that isn’t realistic anymore.

“I’ll go home and I’ll sleep well tonight. It’s getting close,” he said. “I’ll go out when I’m ready.”

In other Missouri state tournament football games involving Kansas City-area teams on Saturday, Fort Osage beat Battle 46-30 in the Class 5 semifinals and advances to face Vianney at 7 p.m. Saturday. Smithville lost 20-14 to MICDS in the Class 4 semifinals. MICDS will play Ladue Horton Watkins for the championship at 7 p.m. Friday.

Alex Schiffer

Alex Schiffer covers University of Missouri athletics for The Star.

This story was originally published November 24, 2018 at 9:12 PM.