Late Warriors Surge Stuns Spires 26-25 on Senior Night

LEAVENWORTH, KAN. - In a heartbreaker for the University of Saint Mary Football team, Sterling College narrowly claimed a 26-25 victory in the Spires' final home game of the season, held on Senior Night.

Saint Mary began the game with intensity, taking a 16-0 lead in the first quarter. Quarterback Cesar Vela connected with Davien Norman on an 11-yard touchdown pass for the game's first score, capping off a 77-yard drive. A defensive effort quickly followed, with Saint Mary securing a safety that pushed the lead to 9-0. Raymond Webster then broke free for a 13-yard rushing touchdown to extend the advantage to 16-0. Sterling responded late in the quarter when Kendrick Bell scored on a short 2-yard run, closing the gap to 16-7.

The second quarter saw the Spires extending their lead once more as Webster found the end zone again on a 1-yard rush. However, kicker Josh Bingham missed the extra point, setting the halftime score at 22-7. Sterling struggled offensively during the first half, but Saint Mary's defense maintained the upper hand by forcing turnovers and limiting Sterling's progress on key drives.

In the second half, Sterling made adjustments and began chipping away at the Spires' lead. Bell scored his second rushing touchdown of the game midway through the third quarter, though Sterling missed the extra point, making it 22-13. Later in the quarter, Sterling quarterback Rocklin Baptist connected with Trevor Carr on a 14-yard touchdown pass, but a failed two-point conversion attempt kept the Spires ahead by a slim margin of 22-19.

In the fourth quarter, Bingham converted a 41-yard field goal to give Saint Mary a 25-19 lead with just under 12 minutes remaining. However, Sterling responded with a 15-yard touchdown run from Baptist, who put his team up by a point after a successful extra point by James Henisey.

Despite strong performances from the Spires, including a dominant 174-yard rushing game by Webster, missed opportunities ultimately defined the game. Three interceptions by Vela and missed extra-point attempts proved costly, leaving Saint Mary unable to reclaim the lead. Sterling's defense held firm in the final moments, sealing their first win of the season.