Two evenly matched teams played a highly entertaining game Friday night at the Graves Family Sports Complex with the Sacred Heart Knights prevailing by 8 points over the Wichita Independent Panthers.

Sacred Heart got off to a fast start holding the Panthers to a 3 and out to begin the contest and then put together a sustained drive that ended with Senior running back Jared McCartney powering his way into the end zone from the one. The two point conversion attempt failed and Sacred Heart led 6-0 with 5:02 to go in the first quarter.

The Panthers would answer that score when Sophomore quarterback Maddon Nguyen hit Freshman Alvin Richard on a 23 yard TD strike to tie the game at 6 all with 11:50 to go till the half.

Sacred Heart would regain the lead at the 7:13 mark of the second quarter when Gormley connected for the second week in a row with Freshman Michael Matteucci on a play that covered 55 yards. McCartney ran in the 2-point try and the Knights took a 14-6 lead.

Right before the half, Wichita Independent had a chance to tie the game when Ngugyen tossed a 37-yard touchdown pass to Senior Dylan Carnley with only 6 ticks left on the clock before halftime. However the Knight defense held again on the conversion attempt and Sacred Heart led 14-12 going into the break.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Knights would strike pay dirt one more time on a spectacular 44 yard touchdown run by Mason Richards. The game would remain interesting when the Knight extra point try was stopped at the one foot line and with 6:59 to play in the game the Panthers remained within one score.

The Sacred Heart defense played well to finish out the contest with the Knights winning 20-12.

Sacred Heart, now 2-4 in 2020, are home again next week when a tough Oakley squad comes to town. Oakley started the season 3 and 0 then lost two in a row before improving to 4-2 on the year crushing Ellinwood 50-0 Friday night.