Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009

Don't doubt Aquinas, QB says

The St. Thomas Aquinas Saints want people to start giving them credit.

Quarterback Richard Davila wants the respect right now. At least that was his tone after the Saints defeated Shawnee Heights 42-21 on Friday night in a Kansas 5A quarterfinal playoffs at Aquinas.

“People always doubt us,” Davila said, “but we always come through.”

After the Saints struggled in the first half, Davila made the plays in the third quarter in order to keep Aquinas' season alive. Twice, Davila found receiver Shane Nachbar for touchdowns of 15 and 60 yards. Those two scores gave Aquinas enough of a lead to cruise in the fourth quarter.

Unlike most games Aquinas has played this season, the Saints started the second half tied 14-14 with Shawnee Heights.

In the first half, Aquinas, 10-1, had multiple opportunities to take control of the game. The Saints recovered three fumbles — all in Shawnee Heights territory — but scored just seven points off the turnovers.

What was even more alarming for Saints fans was how easily the Thunderbirds, 4-7, moved the football down the field. Entering the game, the Aquinas defense had held opponents to 12 points per game, but Shawnee Heights' no-huddle offense kept the Saints off-balance.

“I think the biggest thing was everybody was doing their own thing,” Aquinas coach Mike Thomas said. “The message at halftime was this: Do your job, be a team and that will take care of everything.”

The Saints did come came together on both sides of the ball in the third quarter, as the offense scored 21 points. Aquinas' defense also improved in the second half, stopping the Thunderbirds three times on fourth down.

“We've always been a second-half team,” Davila said “People always criticize us and say we should be here or there, but we always improvise and come out successful.”

Aquinas will meet Gardner Edgerton, who handed the Saints their only loss of the season, next Friday with a berth in 5A championship game at stake.

“We played them well, and we could have won,” Davila said. “Without a doubt, we'll be ready.”

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