Cathedral football beats Warroad, starts season with win for first time since 2019

COLLEGEVILLE – The ride back home will be a little more pleasant this year for the St. Cloud Cathedral football team.

The Crusaders beat Warroad 38-0 in Week 1 action Friday at St. John’s. They lost last season on the road by a score of 24-22.

“Now it’s like a 20-minute ride back to Cathedral,” junior quarterback Henry Schloe said. “On that ride last year it got dark, everybody wasn’t happy about losing and now we get to be happy about winning.”

The win is Cathedral’s largest margin of victory since a section semifinal win over Mora in 2013 and it’s the Crusaders’ first time over .500 since their 2019 Week 1 win.

“We felt like this is the team that we could be,” coach Andrew Leintz said. “We showed up and we took care of business. Next week it gets a little tougher, but that’s the fun part.”

Cathedral had 33 players come out for football, but the team doesn't think too much about numbers or depth. The Crusaders return a lot of skill, including starting QB junior Henry Schloe and receivers like junior Jack Hamak, senior Aiden Marin, senior Brody Schneider and junior Nick Plante.

Plante scored twice in the win against Warroad. His second TD, a catch on a flat route from Schloe rolling right, came with minutes left in the fourth quarter and was just icing on the cake. But Plante’s first broke the Warriors' competitiveness.

Junior Camden Kroll had put Cathedral up 7-0 on the team’s first drive and on Warroad’s ensuing possession the Crusaders punched through the line to score a safety.

If that wasn’t demoralizing enough, Plante returned the ensuing punt 35 yards to the house. He credited his blockers for the TD and Cathedral led 17-0 at half.

“It was a float from there,” Schloe said.

Schloe said in addition to speedy weapons out wide, his line's play gave him confidence and composure.

Cathedral’s energy started with its ferocious defense. With many guys playing both sides of the ball for both teams, they set a tempo that the Warriors weren’t prepared for.

Hamak and junior Andrew Doschadis both helped tackle Warroad's QB for the safety and Kroll, senior Timmy Lawal and senior Jack Nellans had big impacts on the game. Kroll caught interceptions on back-to-back drives against a desperate fourth-quarter Warroad offense. The second pick led to Plante’s second TD.

“Last year we had a thing about three shutouts in a row and we’re looking to open that up more this year,” Plante said.

Cathedral beat Payneville, Royalton and Maple Lake by a combined score of 57-0 in Weeks 5-7.

“I think in all three phases we can be a a really good football team,” Leintz said. “Our margin for error isn’t great but we had a defensive score – a safety – and obviously the offense put up points, but we got a special teams touchdown too.”

Cathedral did have mistakes – there were a few drops and Marin had an inconsequential fumble on Cathedral’s last drive.

“If we stay focused, we’re going to be really good,” Leintz said when asked what could be improved from the day. “sometimes you lose focus, I get it, but that’s where you miss a tackle and then they get another 10 yards, or you drop a pass or you false start."

One of the Crusaders’ biggest problems was their own hydration. Multiple players needed attention for cramps on several drives. It was over 80 degrees in the direct sun on the turf at Clemens Stadium and playing two ways limits rest time. Plante said Cathedral’s coaches had been discussing the heat with the team all week and that the Crusaders would be better prepared for their upcoming games. None of the Crusaders were more seriously injured.

Carrying the momentum from the win will be difficult. The Crusaders next play defending Class 2A champion Eden Valley-Watkins, which last year went undefeated and beat Cathedral 52-13. The Eagles beat Melrose 44-14 in Week 1.

Contact reporter Reid Glenn at rglenn@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Cathedral football beats Warroad, starts season with win for first time since 2019