In a thrilling display of determination and teamwork, Holy Cross High School celebrated a significant milestone on Friday night, capturing their first 6A football provincial title in three decades. The championship match took place in Saskatoon, against their long-standing rivals, Miller High School, who had previously defeated Holy Cross in the provincial finals in both 2021 and 2023.
Holy Cross entered the game with momentum, having secured a hard-fought 20-15 victory over St. Joseph in the city finals last week. Meanwhile, Miller edged out Riffel 36-27 in their last challenge, setting the stage for an intense showdown.
With a blanket of snow covering the field, the game began with Holy Cross making their mark first. Josh Ayur opened the scoring with a touchdown, establishing a 7-3 lead by halftime, as Miller managed only a field goal in response.
Tom Schnitzler, head coach of Holy Cross, praised his defense, calling it a “generational level defense” and stated, “The players we had that came together … this group is going to go down in history.” His confidence in the team’s defensive prowess was evident throughout the match.
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As the game progressed, it wasn’t until the final minutes of the third quarter that Holy Cross further solidified their lead. Jack Tuck found the end zone, pushing the score to 14-3. Tuck wasn’t finished; shortly thereafter, he completed a second touchdown, extending the lead to 21-3. Schnitzler highlighted Tuck’s performance, noting that it was one of his best games of the season, attributing the success to their strategy of going “over the top.”
In a spirited comeback attempt, Miller rallied to score late touchdowns from Ben Kostiuk and Noah Finkledey. However, despite their efforts, they fell short, resulting in a final score of 21-16 in favor of Holy Cross. Schnitzler celebrated the victory, saying, “We’ve prepared for those situations. The defence stepped in, they played tremendous, able to eat some clock and then make them force it down the middle.”
The victory carried significant emotional weight, particularly for former Holy Cross head coach Scott Hundseth, who had not enjoyed a provincial title despite numerous appearances in the finals. Reflecting on the team’s journey, he stated, “(We’ve had) some heartbreakers especially against Miller and LeBoldus … Our boys played hard today, and they deserve it.” Hundseth was one of the first to lift the championship trophy, expressing pride as he acknowledged the hard work of the athletes: “What the boys did there is phenomenal. They’re just great kids and they’ve been trying hard for this for a long time and (it) finally came true for them.”
This victory not only marks a historic achievement for Holy Cross High School but also serves as a testament to the relentless spirit and dedication of its players and coaches.
