James Williams ran for 83 yards and three touchdowns, and Cardinal Newman overcame five turnovers to defeat Christ School of Arden, NC on Friday, August 29 by a score of 21- 14. Cardinal Newman 21 Christ School 14

Statistically, this game appeared to be a blowout by Cardinal Newman. The Cardinals outgained the Greenies 320- 70; Cardinal Newman completed 15 passes to Christ School's 2; and the Cardinals ran 72 plays to 44 for the Greenies. But the score was so close because of the turnovers. Cardinal Newman threw three interceptions and lost two fumbles, allowing Christ School to stay in the game.

The game started with Christ School's Mo Martin returning the opening kickoff 67 yards to the Cardinal 25. But the Cardinal defense was stout all day, beginning with a fourth- down stop on this drive. The Cardinal defensive line of Greg Regan, Will Rainwater, Philip Thompson, and Williams ended the day with 22 tackles and five sacks.

After the fourth- down stop, Cardinal Newman (1- 0) drove the ball to the Greenie 25 with some short passes by Tommy Winterstein and some runs by Davis Lemon. But Winterstein underthrew one of his receivers, and Martin picked off the pass and ran it back 77 yards for the game's first score. After the extra point the Greenies led 7- 0.

The teams traded punts on the next few possessions, and the Cardinals got the ball back at their own 25 early in the second quarter. But the new Cardinal quarterback, Timmy Cunningham—the Cardinals went with a rotation by quarter at quarterback— threw an interception to Mar- tin, who ran this one back 23 yards for another Greenie score and a 14- 0 lead.

The Cardinals refused to roll over and play dead, and they drove 45 yards after a poor punt by the Greenies, capping the drive with a one- yard run by Williams with just over two minutes left in the first half. The kick was blocked, though, and Christ School (0- 1) went into the locker room leading 14- 6.

In the second half, the Cardinal defense was even tougher than in the first, allowing fewer yards and creating the only turnover by the Greenies. Following the turnover, the Cardinals drove for another touchdown, this one a six- yard run by Williams. Cunningham threw a pass to Rush Tompkins, who caught it for the two- point conversion and a 14- 14 tie with 10 minutes left in the game.

After a Christ School punt, Lemon took a handoff and ran 44 yards to the Greenie 16 with just over five minutes left. But on the ensuing play, Williams was stripped while going for extra yardage, and the Greenies took over at their own four. The Cardinal defense forced another punt, and when given a second chance, Williams did not disappoint, bouncing into the end zone for a two- yard touchdown with just under a minute left.

Lemon, last year's leading rusher, led the Cardinals with 95 yards. Cardinal quarterbacks combined for 123 yards. Martin led the Greenies with 218 all- purpose yards.

The Cardinals begin their home slate this Friday, September 5, against Wilson Hall.