Catholic Central Erases 14-Point Deficit, Stuns Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 27–20 to Stay Unbeaten

By Caleb Bushell | DVS Lead Reporter

ORCHARD LAKE, Mich. — Detroit Catholic Central’s undefeated season was on the line Friday night.

Playing without starting quarterback Duke Banta and trailing Orchard Lake St. Mary’s by 14 points entering the fourth quarter, the Shamrocks faced one of their toughest challenges of the season.

But Catholic Central wasn’t finished.

Behind two fourth-quarter touchdowns from Gideon Gash, a crucial defensive fumble recovery and a game-winning touchdown from Ryan Jaafar in the closing seconds, the Shamrocks rallied to defeat Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 27–20 on Friday, October 9.

The victory improved Catholic Central to 7–0, while St. Mary’s fell to 5–2.

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Controls the First Half

The Eaglets entered Friday’s matchup looking to hand Catholic Central its first loss of the season, and they wasted little time establishing momentum.

St. Mary’s opened the scoring with a quarterback rushing touchdown. A missed extra point left the Eaglets ahead 6–0.

Catholic Central responded with a promising drive, but a touchdown by Gash was erased by a holding penalty. The Shamrocks eventually settled for a field goal, cutting the deficit to 6–3.

Gash continued making an impact defensively, intercepting a St. Mary’s pass later in the opening quarter.

Despite the turnover, Catholic Central remained behind entering the second quarter.

Special teams mistakes then created additional problems for the Shamrocks.

A mishandled punt snap resulted in a safety, extending St. Mary’s advantage to 8–3.

Another bad snap gave the Eaglets possession, and St. Mary’s capitalized with another quarterback rushing touchdown to take a 14–3 lead.

Catholic Central managed another field goal before halftime but entered the locker room trailing 14–6.

St. Mary’s Extends Its Lead Before DCC Responds

The Eaglets continued applying pressure in the third quarter.

A touchdown pass extended St. Mary’s lead to 20–6. Following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, the Eaglets attempted a two-point conversion, but Catholic Central’s defense stopped the play.

With one quarter remaining, the Shamrocks faced a two-touchdown deficit.

What followed was one of the most dramatic finishes of their undefeated season.

Gideon Gash Sparks a Fourth-Quarter Comeback

Early in the fourth quarter, Gash found the end zone to bring Catholic Central within seven points, 20–13.

After forcing a St. Mary’s punt, the Shamrocks put together another scoring drive.

Once again, Gash delivered.

The standout playmaker scored his second touchdown of the quarter on a handoff, bringing Catholic Central within one point.

However, the extra-point attempt was blocked, leaving St. Mary’s ahead 20–19.

The Eaglets still held the lead with just over two minutes remaining, but Catholic Central’s defense produced the turnover the Shamrocks desperately needed.

A St. Mary’s fumble was recovered by DCC, giving the offense one final opportunity.

Despite a holding penalty during the ensuing drive, Catholic Central continued moving the football. A facemask penalty against St. Mary’s helped extend the possession before a big rushing play moved the Shamrocks inside the 10-yard line.

With just 14 seconds remaining, Ryan Jaafar (#5) scored the go-ahead rushing touchdown.

Catholic Central successfully converted the two-point attempt to take a 27–20 lead.

St. Mary’s had one final opportunity with 10 seconds remaining, but the Shamrocks held on to complete the comeback.

Catholic Central had scored 21 unanswered fourth-quarter points to preserve its perfect season.

Duke Banta Praises Teammates Following Emotional Victory

Although he couldn’t take the field Friday night, starting quarterback Duke Banta remained one of Catholic Central’s most passionate supporters.

Banta, who was injured during the Shamrocks’ previous matchup against Toledo Central Catholic, watched from the sidelines as his teammates rallied for the victory.

Speaking exclusively with Detroit Varsity Sports reporter Caleb Bushell following the game, Banta became emotional while discussing the support he has received from the Catholic Central community.

He explained that teammates, coaches and others reached out immediately following his injury to check on his physical and mental well-being.

“This community means the world to me,” Banta said.

Banta also praised Gash, whose fourth-quarter performance helped turn the game around.

He called Gash “the best football player in the country,” expressing admiration for the impact his teammate continues to make.

But perhaps his most emotional comments came when discussing quarterback Peyton, who stepped into the starting role in Banta’s absence.

“That’s my quarterback, man,” Banta said.

Banta explained that the two have been together since their freshman year and described the emotional conversation they shared following the victory.

He said he thanked Peyton for putting his body on the line for the team and told him how proud he was of his performance.

For Banta, the victory represented something bigger than another win.

It was a reminder of the relationships and brotherhood that have developed within the Catholic Central program.

When Will Banta Return?

Banta also addressed his recovery during the postgame interview.

When asked when he expects to return to the field, the quarterback offered an encouraging but brief response.

“I’ll be back soon,” Banta said.

He did not provide a specific return date or additional medical details.

For now, Catholic Central continues its undefeated season while awaiting the return of its starting quarterback.

Shamrocks Remain Perfect at 7–0

Friday’s victory demonstrated Catholic Central’s ability to overcome adversity.

The Shamrocks committed costly special teams mistakes, played without their starting quarterback and trailed by two touchdowns entering the final quarter.

Yet when the game mattered most, their defense delivered a critical turnover, their playmakers responded and their offense completed the comeback.

For Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, the loss was a difficult finish after controlling much of the contest.

For Catholic Central, it was another statement victory in a season that continues to build momentum.

FINAL SCORE

Detroit Catholic Central 27
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 20

Records: Catholic Central (7–0) | Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (5–2)

Detroit Varsity Sports was on site for Friday’s showdown. Stay connected for game highlights, postgame interviews and additional coverage.

Your Game. Your Story.