Crusaders overpowered by AC

PEABODY – Any outside hope for a Catholic Central Large title the Bishop Fenwick football team entertained may have gone by the wayside last night as the Crusaders were overwhelmed by suddenly-resurgent Arlington Catholic at Donaldson Field, 51-26.AC51Fenwick26 The aerial show that is the Crusaders’ offense was on full display. Senior quarterback Brett Kidik completed 27-of-54 attempts for 409 yards and four TDs. Sixteen of those completions went to Ryan Lipka (250 yards, TD) while Tyler Thomann had touchdown receptions of 52, 28 and 41 yards.However, without the semblance of a running game – Fenwick (1-2; 3-6) attempted three designed running plays all night – the Crusaders were one-trick ponies and AC was able to limit the big-play damage. The Cougars (2-2; 2-7) intercepted Kidik four times, returning two for scores.Lipka’s TD, a 76-yard bomb, came on the final play of the first half after AC was flagged for a penalty on a Fenwick punt on the previous play. When Zach Nardone hauled in Kidik’s two-point pass on a tackle eligible play, the Crusaders had closed to within 23-20 and seemingly had momentum.”That was wild at the end of the first half. It gave us a lot of momentum and, even though they had scored a lot of points on us in the first half, I liked our effort and thought we were playing well,” said Fenwick coach Dave Woods. “That team (AC) can beat anyone. That’s how this league is – there is a lot of parity and I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a bunch of 3-2 teams at the end.”The teams matched scores in the game’s first two minutes with Thomann rumbling 52 yards with a Kidik pass and AC responding on an 80-yard strike from Aaron Swenson (13-of-25, 188 yards, 2 TDs) to Peter Barsam. Thomann’s second of the game, a 28-yarder from Kidik on a wheel route out of the backfield, gave the Crusaders a 12-8 lead after one.Bernard Lynch punched in from two yards and Swenson added the conversion rush to put AC up for good, 16-12, midway through the second. On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Barsam returned an interception 35 yards for the score and added the PAT for a 23-12 lead. Lipka’s score to close the half made it 23-20.AC, though, put the hammer down with three third-quarter scores on Pat Donnell’s six-yard run, Swenson’s five-yard pass to James Connolly and Lynch’s six-yard run for a 44-20 lead after three.