Spartans Seek Redemption & Advancement Against SLUH

The last time the and St. Louis University High football teams got together, it was a

The Spartans will seek redemption Friday night with more on the line than just revenge. The winner of tonight's rematch in a Class 6 state quarterfinal matchup at SLUH earns the right to take on either CBC or McCluer North in next week’s semifinals.

The Jr. Bills (8-3) are led by 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior quarterback Trevor McDonagh, who threw for 424 yards and five touchdowns in last month’s victory over DeSmet. On the season, McDonagh has thrown for 2,728 yards with 23 touchdowns to nine interceptions.

The Spartans (9-2) are led by senior running back Durron Neal, a University of Oklahoma recruit who rushed for 165 yards on 13 carries against SLUH earlier in the year, despite missing time in the second half and the overtime periods due to injury. He has 460 rushing yards and 589 receiving yards with 23 total touchdowns and a 7.2-yards-per-carry average on the season. De Smet quarterback has thrown for 1,611 yards with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Latif Adams leads De Smet in rushing with 676 yards on 92 carries – an average of 7.3 yards per attempt.

The Spartans will try to force McDonagh into mistakes. They had trouble getting to him in the first game, as he converted a number of third and long opportunities for first downs and touchdowns, but De Smet does have 12 interceptions on the season – led by John Grigone’s four. De Smet also has 22 sacks with Darian Harris and Donnie White tied for the team lead with six apiece.

The game begins at 7 p.m. at SLUH and can be heard online at prepcasts.com.