There were more than enough storylines for the Benedictine football team on Friday night, and they all ended happily for the Cadets in a 48-26 victory over North Oconee in the GHSA Class 4A quarterfinals.
The Cadets are the two-time defending GHSA state champions. They’re No. 1 in Georgia Class 4A in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll, and the Titans, their opponent on this night, are ranked second.
Both teams entered undefeated at 12-0 this season, with Benedictine riding a 23-game win streak. The Cadets also knew if they won that they would be on the road in the semifinals, so it was the final home game for the senior class at Memorial Stadium.
Benedictine (13-0) will play in the semifinals next Friday at Stockbridge (11-2), which beat Spalding 35-14 and has won 11 straight games.
If that backdrop wasn’t enough, the Benedictine sideline included alumni from those last two title teams – some now playing in college and, no doubt, home for the Thanksgiving holiday. They were pulling hard for the current crop of Cadets and didn’t refrain from letting them know it with some choice comments.
“They tend to pick on me,” said Benedictine’s five-star quarterback prospect Luke Kromenhoek, who has verbally committed to Florida State. “It’s all in fun in the end.”
“They were on me all (game),” said fellow senior Bryce Baker. “ ‘You’ve got to make some plays. You’d better get a fourth touchdown.’ I’m like, ‘I’ll try, but I’m not too much into stats. I’ll do what’s right for the team.’ I definitely gave them a show, definitely gave the fans a show.”
Indeed, the Cadets had fun in the end, and Baker and Kromenhoek led a show of force in a game both players said was an even more physical than usual with the stakes so high and the setting of the seniors’ final home outing.
“We’ve been playing since 6 years old,” Kromenhoek said of Baker and himself. “For this to be our last game in Savannah, we wanted to go out with a win. We wanted to sell out, put our bodies on the line to do whatever we had to do to get that next win. I’m super happy with the outcome.”
Baker rushed for four touchdowns – on runs of 28, 12, 4 and 41 yards – in totaling 157 yards on 15 carries at running back or out of the Wildcat formation. He also plays linebacker and recorded a strip sack and recovered the fumble for the only turnover of the game.
Kromenhoek was every bit as impactful with his legs as his arm – and his head, in prudently knowing when to run rather than force throws. He was 11 of 13 for 170 yards and a touchdown, and like Baker, there was a cost for tackling him as he ran 16 times for 83 yards and a score.
The Cadets’ ballcarriers all evening ran at would-be tacklers and delivered punishment. Kromenhoek, for example, fought for extra yards. He didn’t duck out of bounds.
“That’s not Luke,” said Benedictine coach Danny Britt, noting that his QB also plays defensive back and doesn’t shy from contact. “(Baker and Kromenhoek) are physical, and I love it when you say that about your quarterback. He is physical. They get after it.”
North Oconee took the opening kickoff and got after it first, a 77-yard drive culminating in quarterback Max Wilson’s 2-yard run for 6-0. His conversion run failed.
“We were down seven (points) last week, so we kept our composure,” Baker said, noting Benedictine’s 31-7 second-round win over LaGrange. “We’re going to get this, keep going, keep going. Our goal was to start off fast, and we’re not too good at starting off fast. That’s our goal every week.”
The Cadets responded with a 75-yard scoring drive, the last 28 yards on the first of Baker’s four TDs. Connor Ferguson added the extra point for a 7-6 edge with 7:08 remaining in the first quarter.
The Benedictine defense forced a three-and-out, the offense went back to work and Baker was back in the end zone, virtually untouched on a 12-yard score for a 14-6 advantage.
North Oconee closed to 14-13 on Tate Titshaw’s 48-yard scamper to open the second quarter. The Titans blocked the Cadets’ 37-yard field-goal attempt on the next series.
Baker said that after watching film on the Titans, they respected their opponent and knew what to expect.
“Coming into the game, we knew they were going to be a physical, sound, disciplined team,” Baker said. “So we were like, we’ve got to out-physical them, and that’s what we did all night.”
North Oconee’s dual-threat QB Wilson came out during the next series and was replaced by Harrison Faulkner, who is more of a pocket passer. The Titans failed to score as a 38-yard field-goal attempt was wide left.
Benedictine then mixed runs and passes to drive 80 yards, with Kromenhoek connecting with senior La’Don Bryant, who stretched out to break the plane of the end zone on a 14-yard score for a 21-13 lead with 1:17 left before halftime.
The lone score of the third quarter followed Baker’s strip sack and recovery, which set up the offense on a short field of 30 yards. Kromenhoek completed the series with a 1-yard plunge to the end zone.
Benedictine freshman Isaiah Jones blocked a punt to give the offense the ball at the North Oconee 35, and the Cadets finished the drive with Baker’s third score, a 4-yard run in which he straight-on ran over a Titan at the goal line.
It was a three-score game at 34-13, but North Oconee responded quickly with a 43-yard completion and Faulkner’s 10-yard touchdown run for 34-20 with 11:14 left in the fourth quarter.
The Cadets then went 80 yards, with Baker showing quickness, speed and power in slashing through the line, cutting to the left sideline and running through intended tacklers for a 41-yard TD.
“Every time they did something pretty good, we answered,” Britt said. “I felt like for a while there we dominated the game.
“I think the difference tonight for us was the physicality. We physically continued, play in and play out, taking care of business and doing things that way. I think that’s what it came down to. Whatever it was, and whatever area it was, we were more physical.”
The Titans got new life on a dropped interception and scored on a TD pass with 5:32 left, but the Cadets answered with Ack Edwards’ 2-yard score for 48-26. That last drive included Baker’s bruising 8-yard run on third-and-seven – getting what the team needed through physical play.
The Cadets’ football alumni on the sidelines had to be impressed and reminded of recent history.
“They showed us how to win and they showed us how to be class acts,” Kromenhoek said. “We wanted to show them that they passed the torch to a good group. We’re following in their footsteps.”
Britt said the 2023 team learned from the classes that came before them.
“They learned to follow what they do and play Benedictine football,” Britt said. “They worked their behinds off. This senior class has just been tremendous for us.”
BENEDICTINE 48, NORTH OCONEE 26
NO | 6 | 7 | 0 | 13 | -- 26
BC | 14 | 7 | 6 | 21 | -- 48
First quarter
NO – Max Wilson 2 run (run failed)
BC – Bryce Baker 28 run (Connor Ferguson kick)
BC – Baker 12 run (Ferguson kick)
Second quarter
NO – Tate Titshaw 48 run (Elijah Brice kick)
BC – La’Don Bryant 14 pass from Luke Kromenhoek (Ferguson kick)
Third quarter
BC – Kromenhoek 1 run (conversion failed)
Fourth quarter
BC – Baker 4 run (Ferguson kick)
NO – Harrison Faulkner 1 run (Brice kick)
BC – Baker 41 run (Ferguson kick)
NO – Landon Roldan 26 pass from Faulkner (pass failed)
BC – Ack Edwards 2 run (Ferguson kick)
FINAL SCORES - GHSA Quarterfinals
GHSA Class 5A
Cartersville (13-0) 35, Jenkins (5-8) 0
GHSA Class 4A
Benedictine (13-0) 48, North Oconee (12-1) 26
GHSA Class 3A
Calvary Day (13-0) 42, Wesleyan (9-4) 21
Savannah Christian (11-2) 42, Lumpkin County (12-1) 21
GHSA Class A Division I
Bryan County (12-1) 24, Commerce (11-2) 16
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Optim Orthopedics supports Prep Sports and the following schools: Benedictine Military School, Bradwell Institute, Calvary Day School, Liberty County High School, Richmond Hill High School, Savannah Country Day, South Effingham High School, and St. Vincent's athletics. Benedictine Military School, Bradwell Institue, and Liberty County's team doctor is Dr. David Sedory. Dr. David Palmer is the team doctor for Calvary Day School, South Effingham, and Richmond Hill. Savannah Country Day and St. Vincent's team doctor is Dr. Thomas Alexander. Remember, Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game.
