Georgia Bulletin

The Newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta

  • St. Pius X kicker (#17) Michael Matthews’ field goal attempt is blocked in the first half, but he was redeemed when he kicked the game winning field goal with 20 seconds remaining in the game. The victory gave Marist School its first loss of the season. Photo By Rob Buechner
  • St. Pius defensive end Chris Benjamin (#52) and defensive tackles Andrew Jacon (#53) and Kyle Lewis (#76) look to contain the Marist triple option as Marist quarterback Sam Phelts (#16) pitches the football to running back Griffin King (#34). Photo By Rob Buechner
  • St. Pius X quarterback Reed Egan (#18) hands off to fullback Dalton Wilson (#42). His rushing yards during a final offensive drive were crucial to setting up the game winning field goal by Michael Mathews. Photo By Rob Buechner
  • St. Pius cornerback Grant Holloman (#3) trips up Marist running back Griffin King (#34) during the Oct. 10 game at Marist School’s Hughes Spalding Stadium. Photo By Rob Buechner
  • St. Pius running back Ransom Klinger (#31) stiff arms a Marist player as he runs through a hole created by the Pius offensive line. Photo By Rob Buechner

St. Pius X kicker (#17) Michael Matthews’ field goal attempt is blocked in the first half, but he was redeemed when he kicked the game winning field goal with 20 seconds remaining in the game. The victory gave Marist School its first loss of the season. Photo By Rob Buechner

Atlanta

St. Pius X hands Marist its first loss of the season

By MICHAEL ALEXANDER, Staff Photographer | Published October 17, 2014

ATLANTA—For the first time since 2009, Atlanta’s Marist School and St. Pius X High School met on the gridiron at Marist’s Hughes Spalding Stadium Oct. 10. Unlike the 2009 game—then the season opener for these schools—St. Pius entered the game with a 3-2 record, while Marist was undefeated and had outscored its opponents in the previous five games 206-7.

St. Pius X running back Ransom Klinger (#31) is met on the edge by Marist cornerback Christopher Martel. Klinger scored the game’s sole touchdown in a 10-9 victory over Marist School Oct. 10. Photo By Rob Buechner

St. Pius X running back Ransom Klinger (#31) is met on the edge by Marist cornerback Christopher Martel. Klinger scored the game’s sole touchdown in a 10-9 victory over Marist School Oct. 10. Photo By Rob Buechner

This year’s game was a low scoring, defensive slugfest. St. Pius scored all 10 of its points in the fourth quarter to eke out a 10-9 victory over Marist. For St. Pius, it took a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Reed Egan to running back Ransom Klinger with less than six minutes left in the fourth quarter and a 30-yard field goal by senior kicker Michael Matthews with 20 seconds left in the game to capture its third consecutive win over Marist.

The rivalry between the two Catholic schools dates back to 1962. According to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association, Marist still leads the overall series with 30 wins, 16 losses and three ties. In fact, the first game in 1962 was played to a 12-12 tie.

On Friday, Oct. 17, Marist (6-1) travels to midtown Atlanta to take on Grady High School (3-3) and St. Pius (4-2) will host Chamblee Charter High School (1-5).