In the final game of a regular season to remember for the Veritas Christian football team, the Eagles had a Friday night they soon would like to forget.

Among six portable light stands and a smattering of bleachers and lawn chairs in back of the soccer fields at the Youth Sports, Inc. fields, the Eagles’ dream of a championship season was branded with a 68-0 thrashing at the hands of St. Mary’s Academy.

The Crusaders came into the game as perennial eight-man football champions of the Kansas Christian Athletic Assn., but the Eagles were supposed to be serious challengers.

The challenge ended by the conclusion of the first quarter, with St. Mary’s holding a dominating 26-0 lead. And it never got better from there for Veritas. The Crusaders were up 46 points at halftime, leading to a running clock in the second half courtesy of the mercy rule.

“At halftime coach was just telling us we need to go out and play for God — that’s why we’re out here — and kept our attitudes straight,” Veritas junior Mark Randtke said.

After the game, the team members’ attitudes may have been straight, but many of their helmets were pulled off in disgust.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do. (St. Mary’s) played very well. A lot of credit needs to go to St. Mary’s,” Eagles coach Doug Bennett said. “We were ready, but St. Mary’s came out and hit harder and played better than we did. Once you dig yourself in a hole, it’s hard to turn that momentum around.”

Early in the first quarter, the Eagles put on a fourth-down stand at their own 14-yard-line. Then they disappeared.

Veritas Christian (7-2 overall, 3-1 in the KCA) was held to a three-and-out effort on the next possession. As Randtke waited in his end zone to punt, he watched the ball sail over his head and out of bounds for a safety.

Veritas Christian's Paul Kempf evades a tackle from a St. Mary's Academy defender. The Eagles were thumped, 68-0, on Friday at the Youth Sports Inc. fields.

It was to the start of very long night under portable lights.

The Crusaders (6-1, 5-0) mainly used the trio of Joseph Kaiser, Charles Riccomini and William Palmer to juke, spin, reverse and bolt for a total of 362 yards and eight rushing touchdowns.

Kaiser had the biggest night with 182 carries and two touchdowns on 13 carries.

“We need to tackle better,” said Eagles junior Casey Woods, who added that he was surprised the score wasn’t worse based on his team’s effort. “We need to be able to break down and wrap up.

Jessie Schultz made the most offensive progress for Veritas with 60 yards on 16 carries.

The playoffs are next for Veritas. As the third seed in a four-team bracket, the team will take on Christ Preparatory Academy on Nov. 2 at a field in Johnson County to be determined. St. Mary’s will claim the top seed.

“These guys have a lot of heart,” Bennett said. “They’re going to go out and prove they’re a much better team than they showed tonight.”

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