CBC Celebrates Conference Title On De Smet Turf

CBC used a powerful display in all three phases of the game at De Smet to capture the school's third consecutive Metro Catholic Conference crown, with a 49-12 win Friday night in Creve Coeur.

"They know what they want, they're pretty hungry this year," Cadets Head Coach Scott Pingel said.

The hungriest player on the field may have been CBC Running Back Jonathan Parker, who rushed 15 times for 118 yards and accounted for 4 touchdowns on the evening. 

Parker, who gave a verbal pledge to play college football at Tulsa last month, dropped a wide open pass on a halfback option in the first quarter, but darted around Spartan defenders on the very next play for a 35 yard touchdown. 

After the teams traded punts, a De Smet drive deep into CBC territory ended with a Damion Baker interception of a Conner Harrison pass at the 3-yard line. On the ensuing Cadet drive, Tyris Lockhart turned the turnover into points 97 yards later with a 12 yard touchdown pass from Tyler Creath for a 14-0 advantage early in the second quarter.

De Smet would use a short field later in the second to convert a field goal to cut into the lead but after a Spartan attempt at recovering a squib kick was negated by a penalty, Parker burned through De Smet defenders on the re-kick 95 yards for a 21-3 lead.

Another De Smet field goal by Alec Wiese made it 21-6 at the half.

In the third, CBC clearly put the game out of reach, thanks in part to a 58 yard touchdown pass which bounced off defensive back Trey Weaver and was corralled by Lockhart for the score.

The teams traded interceptions later in the third before Parker converted a 3rd and 7 from the CBC 28 into a 72 yard touchdown on a swing pass down the far sideline to make it 35-6.

De Smet found the endzone on the next drive thanks to a Marcus Jester 2 yard touchdown after a 58 yard pass play from Harrison to Lucas Nikolaisen early in the 4th quarter. But Parker would hit paydirt for a fourth time on the ensuing drive from 9 yards out, and Bert Birdsall took a De Smet punt the distance from 65 yards out to provide the final margin.

After the game, Pingel praised his offensive star.

"That's the Jonathan Parker we expect. He ran hard, he ran physical, when he runs like that we're pretty special."

De Smet Head Coach Pat Mahoney called Parkery "lightning fast" and said, "In a game of 2 hand touch I don't think we could have beaten them tonight."

While the MCC title is nice, Parker was clear about his focus and hunger for the rest of the season.

"Get to state. Get to state, that's all I got to say, get to state." 

For CBC (7-0 and ranked number one in Class 6), that means a matchup with Class 4 Helias.

De Smet (4-3) hosts Roosevelt.