It wasn’t the ending UPIKE football coach Al Holland Jr. wanted but it was a season which was better than league coaches predicted.
Thomas More quarterback Justin Post passed for 293 yards and three touchdowns to lead his team to a 34-21 victory over the Bears on Saturday
UPIKE finished 5-5 overall and 4-3 in league play, finishing third in the Bluegrass Division after being picked sixth in the pre-season voting.
Bear quarterback Xavier Malone passed for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns, a 14-yard reception to Robert Sims III and 21-yard scoring play to Damian Sutton.
Running back Derius Gibson paced the ground attack with 67 yards on 14 carries and Johran Broadnax returned a fumble 53 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown which pull the Bears to within 28-21 with 8:31 remaining.
UPIKE graduates 21 seniors.
At Crestview Hills
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
UP (5-5)……0 14 0 7 – 21
TM (4-7)……7 7 7 13 – 34
Scoring:
First Quarter
TM – Da’marco Canty, 13-yard pass from Justin Post (Alex Barnhardt kick), :32
Second Quarter
UP – Damian Sutton, 21-yard pass from Xavier Malone (William Chandler kick), 11:09
TM – Da’marco Canty, 9-yard pass from Justin Post (Alex Barnhardt kick), 5:32
UP – Robert Sims III, 14-yard pass from Xavier Malone (William Chandler kick), 2:59
Third Quarter
TM – Johnny McNally, 17-yard pass from Justin Post (Alex Barnhardt kick), 1:41
Fourth Quarter
TM – Dillon Powell, 1-yard run (Alex Barnhardt kick), 10:39
UP – Johran Broadnax, 53-yard fumble return (William Chandler kick), 8:31
TM – Dillon Powell, 11-yard run (Alex Barnhardt kick), 1:40