In the final seconds of the game, the SHS football team, leading 21-18, was playing defense against the Roncalli Rebels in the opening game of the 2016 season. The game seemed in the bag for SHS until a Roncalli receiver found an opening against the Cards defense, allowing them to score a game-winning touchdown.

SHS continued their losing streak against Roncalli by losing in the opening 2017 game, 21-3.

“Our offense was kind of inexperienced,” junior wide receiver Ryan Lezon said.

However, the Cards will look to break the losing streak tonight at 7 p.m. at the Cardinal Stadium.

This year, an inexperienced offense is not the case for the Cards. The team has key returning offensive players, such as senior quarterback Eddie Schott, who has thrown for 4,255 yards and 39 touchdowns during his two years as varsity quarterback, and Lezon who led the team in receiving yards last season.

According to head coach Brandon Winters, other players, like senior running back Jalen Caldwell, will also have to play a more important role, both tonight and for the rest of the season. This is due to the fact that junior LaMarco Yates is out for the season from a torn ACL.

“(Yates) put a lot of stress on the other team to try and defend him,” Winters said.

Another obstacle the Cards will face tonight is that they have a large number of inexperienced players.

According to Winters, the Cards will be heading into the battle against Roncalli with a young offensive line and just one returning varsity defensive player.

This inexperience of the Card’s offensive line and defense may prove to be problematic against Roncalli’s senior-loaded team.

“We’re going to have to do some growing up quickly,” Winters said.

Regardless of SHS’s losses against the Rebels, Roncalli is a big rivalry for the SHS football players. According to Winters, a number of players look forward to the Roncalli game more than the Perry Meridian game.

“Everyone on the team wants to beat (Roncalli) pretty bad.” Schott said