The Cardinals capped off a perfect season with a blowout championship win in Vermillion on Thursday, November 13th. It was all St Mary’s from the very start. Seniors Lincoln Lebrun, Trimmier Hanson, and Carlo Pica were monumental in the game, ending their careers on top of class 9B. Cardinal junior Alex Lindeman took home the games Most Outstanding Lineman award. Lebrun took home the Most Outstanding back as well as the Joe Robbie MVP awards in the 54-6 win over the #2 seeded Avon Pirates.
First Quarter; all Cardinals, Lebrun, Hanson, Lavoy punch in
As the pregame clock hit zero, the state championship was ready to go full swing. It would be Avon to receive the opening kick. However, Josh Liebl kicked the ball short, when his freshman cousin Jacob Geraets would fall on the ball, giving the Cardinals the opening possession. Quickly in trouble, the Cards faced fourth down and four yards to go when Hanson found a wide-open Kade Lutt for 33 yards. Two plays later, Hanson bounced off of a tackler for a five-yard touchdown. Hanson threw to Lebrun for the two-point making it 8-0. Avon fumbled on their very first offensive play, turning it over. It was Thomas Lavoy going 41 yards for a touchdown on the very next play. Hanson threw to Bauer for the two point. Two plays later, C. Pica jumped on a fumble.
Shortly after St Mary’s pounced on another Avon fumble, it was Lebrun punching in from 22 yards out for the touchdown. Lavoy punched in for the two-point making it 24-0. Although the Pirates would drive into the red zone on their next possession, Lavoy defended two passes to help force a turnover on downs. It would be Lebrun again, carrying the ball 62 yards to the end zone making it 30-0. The two-point was no good and St Mary’s would hold a 30-0 lead ending the first quarter.
Second Quarter; Avon takes a score back
To start the quarter, Avon quarterback Easton Sees punched in from a yard away to take a score back from St Mary’s, making it 30-6. The Cardinals couldn’t get anything going and turned it away to Avon on their next possession. The Pirates looked good on their next drive, but Sees would look to the end zone on a first down. Jaxon Baumberger picked off the pass in the end zone giving it back to St Mary’s. The Cards ran out of time in the half, and would go into halftime up 30-6.
Second Half; Lutt, Lavoy defensive touchdowns, Bauer adds a score
St Mary’s would start with the ball in the third quarter. The Cards drove down the field, but their drive would stall out. Shortly after the start of Avon’s first third quarter drive, three plays in to be exact, they would fumble. Lutt correspondingly took the fumble 35 yards into the end zone. Hanson would run in for the two-point conversion making it 38-6. On the next Pirate drive, they felt they needed to go for it on fourth down from their own territory. Lavoy intercepted the next Avon pass and returned it for a 33-yard touchdown. Hanson would run in for the two-point afterwards, making it 46-6. As Avon drove down the field, Baumberger would break up a pass in the end zone on fourth down, giving the ball back to the Cards.
The one and only score of the fourth and final quarter of the season came on the very first play of the quarter. Logan Bauer took a pass from Hanson 63 yards into the end zone. It was C. Pica catching a pass from Hanson for the two-point ending the scoring for the game.
Cardinals Cap off Undefeated Season
It was a big day for Lebrun, who took home the games MVP in his last ever prep football game. Lebrun carried the ball nine times for 154 yards and two touchdowns to lead with Lavoy’s five carries for 58 yards, a two-point conversion, and a touchdown. Hanson totaled 44 yards on 15 carries with a touchdown and two two-point conversions to show. Hanson was 4-6 through the air, finishing with 114 yards and a touchdown as well. Bauer had two of those catches for 59 yards and a touchdown. Lutt and Lebrun each had a catch for 33 yards and 22 yards. Lebrun, Bauer, and C. Pica each had two-point conversion receptions.
Defensively, Lebrun led the way with 10 tackles. Lindeman and Lutt would tie at eight a piece. Baumberger had seven along with Hanson, Bauer, and Josh Liebl finishing with five each. Lavoy had four to show with C. Pica’s three. Gavin Pica, Isaac Griffin, Pano Skliris, and Jacob Geraets had two tackles each. Gus Herber, Liam Barr, and Theo Miller each had a tackle. Miller and Lindeman each added a sack. Lebrun, C. Pica, and Miller each recovered a fumble as well as Lutt who ran his back for a touchdown. Baumberger and Lavoy each had interceptions, Lavoy’s going for a touchdown in the route.
Closing
As the Cardinals cap off their undefeated season, we have officially wrapped up fall sports for St Mary’s in 2025. Congratulations to the 2025 9B champions, the 12-0 team who outscored their opponents 614-111, average of 51 points per game to only nine points allowed per game, the St Mary’s Cardinals.
