St. X rocks Trinity

Herald-Leader Staff Report

Top-rated St. Xavier rolled past No. 2 Trinity 32-7 before 26,614 fans at Louisville's Papa John's Cardinal Stadium Saturday night.

Tigers quarterback Brian Buehner threw for 118 yards and a touchdown, and ran for 110 yards. Jermiah Neal added 103 rushing yards for the winners.

It was St. Xavier's third consecutive regular-season victory over its archrival, but Trinity has won the rematch in the playoffs the last two years.

St. X and Trinity will be favored to meet again in the Class 6A state finals in Bowling Green in two months.

The Tigers led 13-0 midway through the second quarter thanks to two big plays — Neal's 80-yard touchdown run, and Buehner's 50-yard TD pass to Bryan Noltemeyer.

Trinity pulled to within 13-7 on Brad Kragthorpe's 10-yard TD pass to Darick Nix.

But St. X controlled the second half and gave Coach Mike Glaser his 301st career victory.

The Tigers sealed it with three fourth-quarter scores, including a 99-yard interception return by Daylen Hall in the closing minutes.

Kragthorpe, son of Louisville Coach Steve Kragthorpe, had his best game of the season for Trinity, despite a nagging turf toe injury. He completed 29 of 41 passes for 323 yards and a TD. He had three interceptions.

St. X leads the 53-year-old rivalry 35-31-2.

St. Xavier 32, Trinity 7

St. Xavier 6 7 0 19—32

Trinity 0 7 0 0— 7

StX—Jermiah Neal 80 run (kick failed). StX—Bryan Noltemeyer 50 pass from Brian Buehner (Wyatt Gray kick). T—Darick Nix 10 pass from Brad Kragthorpe (Nick Robertston kick). StX—Lamont McMurry 6 run (kick failed). StX—Michael Montano 18 run (kick failed). StX—Daylen Hall 98 interception return (Gray kick).

Records—St. Xavier 5-1, Trinity 2-4.