Thomas More set six single-game school records in a 75-6 win over across-the-river rival, the College of Mount St. Joseph in Bridge Bowl XVII at The Bank of Kentucky Field in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
Thomas More set the single-game record of most yards in a game (703), most passing yards (404), most first downs (35), most points in a game (75), most touchdowns in a game (10) and biggest margin of victory (69).
With the win, the Saints finish the season at 7-3 and gave Head Coach Jim Hilvert his 50th career victory. With the loss, the Lions end the season at 4-6.
The Saints never trailed in the game as they led 20-0 after one quarter 48-0 at halftime and 62-6 after three quarters.
Thomas More took a 7-0 lead when sophomore quarterback Luke Magness (Pleasureville, Ky./Henry County) scored on a 10-yard run and junior place kicker Tim Gormly, Jr. (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas) added the point-after-attempt at 10:57 in the first quarter. The Saints increased the lead to 14-0 with 5:15 to play in the first quarter when freshman running back Scootie Middleton (New Albany, Ind./New Albany) scored on a two-yard run and Gormly added the PAT. Senior wide receiver Mercier Doucette (Florence, Ky./Boone County) scored on a 39-yard pass from freshman quarterback Jensen Gebhardt (Kings Mills, Ohio/Kings) and Gormly's PAT was blocked to increase the lead to 20-0 with two-seconds to play in the opening half.
Thomas More increased the lead to 27-0 with 12:26 to play in the second quarter when freshman wide receiver Goose Cohorn (Independence, Ky./Dixie Heights) caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from Gebhardt and Gormly added the PAT. Senior defensive back/return specialist Kenny Veal (Hamilton, Ohio/Hamilton) returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown and Gormly added the PAT to increase the Saints' lead to 34-0 with 10:08 to play in the first half. The Saints extended the lead to 41-0 when freshman tight end Cody Hinkel (Eminence, Ky./Henry County) caught a three-yard pass from Gebhardt and Gormly added the PAT with 6:44 to play in the second quarter. Thomas More took a 48-0 lead into halftime when junior running back Adam Rauch (Yorkville, Ky./East Central) scored on an 11-yard run and Gormly added the PAT at the 2:20 mark of the second quarter.
Thomas More increased the lead to 55-0 with 14:06 to play in the third quarter when sophomore wide receiver Bobby Leonard (Edgewood, Ky./Dixie Heights) caught and 80-yard touchdown pass from Magness and Gormly added the PAT. Mount St. Joseph cut the lead to 55-6 when James Clay caught a 12-yard pass from Brian Pitzer and Daniel Dipps missed the PAT with 12:56 to play in the third quarter. Middleton increased the Saints' lead to 62-6 when he scored on a two-yard run with 7:08 to play in the third quarter and freshman place kicker Bill Rose (Louisville, Ky./Christian Academy) added the PAT.
With 11:05 to play in the fourth quarter the Saints increased the lead to 68-6 when Rauch scored on a 21-yard run and Rose's PAT failed. Thomas More closed out the scoring with 9:28 to play in the game when Middleton scored on a one-yard run and Rose made the PAT for the final score of 75-6.
Thomas More had 703 yards of total offense (299 rushing/404 passing) and held the Lions to 192 yard of total offense (100 rushing/92 passing).
Gebhardt led the Saints' offense as he was 16-of-20 passing for 240 yards and three touchdowns and had two rushes for 15 yards. Rauch led the Saints on the ground as he had 21 carries for 150 yards and two touchdowns and Magness had seven carries for 53 yards and a touchdown. Doucette led the Saints' receivers has he had four catches for 108 yards and one touchdown and Cohorn had four catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, the Saints were led by senior defensive back Zach Autenrieb (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder), who had eight tackles (seven solo, one assisted). Senior linebacker Nick Gramke (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) finished the game with six tackles (all solo), including one sack and three tackles for a loss, sophomore defensive lineman Erick Butler (Eminence, Ky./Henry County) had five tackles, including three and a half sacks and junior linebacker Alex Taylor (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) had five tackles.