The Knights are once again the champions of the SPC 4A division.
Since 2014 Episcopal has been relentless to take back the title. For the third consecutive year, the Knights would be facing off against rivalry school, Kinkaid, whom they had lost to within the previous past two years.
This time around the Knights wanted to switch it up with a different ending to a season.
The first half of the game consisted of both teams fighting for a lead. Episcopal received the opening kickoff, enabling them to set the tone for the night. By the middle of the first quarter on a third down, Nick Mayberry was able to find Cailen Graham open wide in the endzone to score first. This would assist the Knights offense to have a lead over the Falcons.
This lead wouldn't remain for too long as the Falcons responded quick with a 95-yard kick return from Cameron Henry, tying the game up 7-7.
The Falcons took matters into their own hands advancing the lead with a flee flicker pass of 35 yards by Victor Garza. Just as the Falcons thought they would maintain the lead, the Knights responded fast. On another third down, Quon Marion gets a handoff and had a run of 72 yards to tie the game up back to 14-14 ending the first half of this nerve wrecking game.
Steve Leisz wanted to wear out the Falcons and turn things into a different gear second half.
Starting the third quarter off like the first, Episcopal's offense pressed a 30-yard touchdown by Adrian Cormier, making it 21-14. Kinkaid came back with a short touchdown; once again evening up the score, 21-21.
With two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Quon Marion successfully drove into the endzone from the 1-yard line obtaining the lead once again. Just when things would be over in the third quarter, Cormier takes a pitch from Mayberry and took it 25 yards into the endzone extending the Knights lead 35-21 only leaving 15.8 seconds.
By the fourth quarter, Quon Marion made another play as he dove into the endzone to silence the Falcons with a 42-21 final. This would leave Marion with a total of 270 yards and Cormier of 199 yards and the Knights offense breaking through the second half. Also, the defense holding strong only allowing one touchdown to slip by.
At Butler Stadium, the Kinkaid Falcons fell short of the three-peat, crowning new champions the Episcopal Knights.
The stars of 2025-26 Stratford VolleyballBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
