STM came back to beat Carencro 35-28 in a shootout despite backup quarterbacks for both teams.
Carencro dominated the run game in the first half with three 20-plus yard runs ending with a 1-yard scoring run by former WR turned QB Jaylon Johns.
STM responded with a 4th down conversation from receiver Christian McNees followed by Charlie Payton touchdown at the goal line to make it 7-7.
The Golden Bears traded scores with a 34-yard RPO TD pass to Cashmire Batiste and converted a 2-point try to take a 15-7 lead.
After a made field goal by Carencro to go up 18-7, STM ended the 2nd quarter with 14 unanswered points to take a 21-18 lead at halftime. The last Cougar touchdown came before a 55-yard catch from McNees and a 3rd-and-long conversion from WR Jackson Guerin to set up a Jack Stefanski 8-yard TD run.
Carencro got the ball to start the 3rd quarter with 17-play drive that took 10:17 off the clock but ended in a blocked field goal by STM.
“We did some really good things,” Carencro coach Tony Courville said. “We had a 10-minute drive and we didn’t finish. That’s what we’ve got to do. We’ve got to finish those things.”
The Cougars took full advantage of the momentum with a 61-yard pass to Jack Elliot Hines on the first play of the 4rth quarter to go up 28-18.
Carencro refused to go away as the Bears took the ensuing kickoff 60 yards to set up a Gavin Royer 40-yard field goal that cut the score 28-21.
Hines returned the kickoff 50-yard that gave the Cougars ensuing drive across midfield. Hines caught a 25-yard pass from Sam Altman that took the largest lead of the game 35-21.
Hines caught five passes for 114 yards and two scores. The last one help lead seal the win for STM with just over five minutes left in the game.
“We do that play all the time,” said Hines. “We practice that every day in practice. Sam’s (Altman) got the touch for it and he put it right where it was supposed to be.”
Carencro then drove 65 yards on 13 plays in 5:24 to get a 1-yard Kennon Ryan TD run with 1:52 left. CHS attempted an onside kick that went out of bounds as STM ran out the clock to seal the victory.
John finished with 110 yards and a touchdown while Ryan had 89 yards and a score of his own. The Golden Bears offense had 262 yards for the game.