Chris Williams

DeLaSalle hung on to the last second, defeating Benilde-St. Margaret’s 27-23 Friday in a wire-to-wire thriller.

The Class 4A, Section 6 championship matchup at DeLaSalle began a lot like the regular-season game between the two teams, won by the Islanders. DeLaSalle intercepted the Red Knights’ quarterback Keaton Studsrud on the first play from scrimmage and scored shortly after.

Benilde-St. Margaret’s then moved the ball deep into Islander territory, but lost a fumble at the Islanders' one-yard line. DeLaSalle then marched on a 95-yard scoring drive.

A pair of Studsrud passes to Jack Sims and a steady Red Knight rushing attack, however, evened the score to 14-all heading into halftime.

The third quarter began with a pair of flashes, as Chris Williams broke off a 45-yard touchdown run untouched on the Islander’s opening drive. Studrud answered by breaking tackles and then breaking a 67-yard touchdown run up the middle.

With the score 21-20 midway through the fourth quarter, DeLaSalle faced a fourth down and one. The Red Knights' Jay Weber broke through the line, tackling Islander quarterback Billy Hart in the backfield. Studrud then hit Nathan Hanks on a 44-yard pass, setting up a 33-yard field goal by Matt Arnason to take the lead.

Trying to run out the clock, the Red Knights turned the ball over with a Studrud fumble at midfield. The Islanders then moved the ball inside Benilde-St. Margaret’s 30-yard line before going for it on fourth down and seven from the 26-yard line. Hart completed a pass to Chris Williams just past the first-down marker, before Williams did the rest on his way into the end zone.

The Red Knights got the ball back and moved it to the Islander 27-yard line before a fourth-and-seven pass fell incomplete in the end zone to end the game.

Recap: The Islanders intercepted Red Knights quarterback Keaton Studsrud on the first play from scrimmage and scored shortly after, setting off a back-and-forth game to the final seconds. Islanders running back Chris Williams scored on a 45-yard run to open the third quarter. Studsrud responded on the following drive with a 67-yard touchdown run. Down by four, Studsrud’s pass to an open Nathan Hanks in the end zone fell incomplete as time expired.

Key of the game: On fourth and seven from the 26-yard line, Islanders quarterback Billy Hart scrambled and found Williams in the flat. Williams wove his way down the sideline for the game-winning score.

Quote: “I knew I had to make a play. We go for it all, we were going for the touchdown.” — DeLaSalle’s Williams on his game-winning touchdown catch.

One thing to know: Hart finished with 157 rushing yards on 28 carries while adding a touchdown. Studsrud finished his senior year with 156 rushing yards and 238 yards passing and two total touchdowns.

DAVID HOUFEK