St. Thomas Aquinas gets running game going in home victory over rival Bishop Miege

It’s one thing to be be part of a football coaching staff and shout instructions to your players from the sidelines.

It’s a different matter altogether being one of those players on the field.

The St. Thomas Aquinas Saints learned that the hard way Friday night but managed to make adjustments and rally to beat the visiting Bishop Miege Stags 41-35.

Aquinas senior running back Tyron “Tank” Young scored four touchdowns on 32 carries for 223 yards ... and commanded the attention of the Miege sideline all evening.

At one point, with Aquinas sitting deep in its own territory, the Saints’ assistant couches shouted frantically:

“Watch the play-action! Watch number 2! Watch number 2!”

As if those assistant coaches had been reciting from a script, the Stags ran a play-action that allowed quarterback Timothy Dorsey to roll out into space.

And who did he pass the ball to? None other than that aforementioned “number 2” — senior tight end Mack Moeller, who ran a slant across the end zone and reeled in a 3-yard touchdown pass.

“It’s frustrating, trust me,” Aquinas coach Randy Dreiling said of trying to get his players to listen. But learning from their mistake, Dreiling’s defensive staff instructed senior defensive back Dajni Brooks on Moeller for the rest of the night.

The move helped stymie the Stags’ offense.

“That helped,” Dreiling said. “It didn’t totally stop (Moeller), but it helped.”

The hosts took an early lead on their opening drive. The Saints threw the ball just twice all night, completing one pass.

“We’re just trying to run the ball and establish the run, and I’m not sure we completed a pass tonight, it’s been a long time since that hasn’t happened,” Dreiling said. “Whatever it takes to win.”

Young rolled down the field relentlessly on the Saints’ opening drive. The senior running back finished the march with a 4-yard carry up the middle for a touchdown.

Bishop Miege responded with a TD four minutes later, then took the lead on the first play of the second quarter. Miege quarterback Dorsey rolled out into space before seeing Moeller on the slant.

The Dorsey-Moeller connection was the Stags’ response to Young’s dominance. Dorsey connected with Moeller seven times for 153 yards and two touchdowns.

“Our game plan is to try and slow them down and keep them from making big plays, but that didn’t always happen tonight — it’s tough to do,” Dreiling said.

The Saints’ Tank train kept Aquinas churning. Young scored both of Aquinas’ touchdowns in the second quarter. He then gave the Saints their first lead since 7-0 with a 1-yard touchdown plunge late in the third.

Saints quarterback Blake Anderson would take it from there. In a drive that didn’t include Young, who’d sustained a foot injury, Anderson scored to make it 34-28.

Anderson finished with 89 yards on 23 carries, with zero passing yards. His back-to-back quarterback sneaks on fourth and 1 from the Miege 1 sealed the deal.

A late Miege touchdown pass, Dorsey to Moeller with 6 seconds remaining, did little but make the score a tad closer.

“They’re a great program, great team,” Dreiling said. “(Bishop Miege) Coach (Jon) Holmes is one of the best that there is, and his record speaks for itself over the years.”

This story was originally published September 18, 2020 at 11:28 PM.