Talking about timing.

As a two-way player, Benilde-St. Margaret’s linebacker/offensive lineman Braeden Fitzgerald doesn’t normally rush the punter on the punt return team.

“I don’t usually don’t go because I have to go both ways and that’s my breather,” Fitzgerald said. “I stay outside and look like I’m blocking.”

This time, however, Fitzgerald saw something that made him change his mind. He charged and blocked a Holy Angels punt with less than two minutes left in the game. Two plays later, the Red Knights turned Fitzgerald’s big play into a game-winning 31-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Anderson to Turner Wine, lifting them to a 20-19 homecoming victory over the Stars.

“What [coach Jon] Hanks says every day is ‘Don’t wait for someone else to make a play. Do it yourself,’ ” Fitzgerald said.

The game Friday pitted two undefeated teams that hadn’t trailed at any point all season. The defending Class 4A champion Red Knights scored first, taking a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a 5-yard run by Anderson.

Holy Angels, led by a core group of experienced veterans, answered quickly, tying the game 7-7 on the ensuing drive on a tough 4-yard run by Jack Anderson. He scored again in the second quarter, this time from 2 yards out, to send the Stars into halftime with a 13-7 lead.

“That was a rough halftime,” Fitzgerald admitted. “This was our best week of practice but we came out flat.”

The Red Knights took the kickoff to start the second half and charged downfield, regaining the lead 14-13 on a 1-yard sneak by Anderson.

Holy Angels bounced back and scored on a 28-yard catch-and-run by receiver Jason Kraus for a 19-14 lead.

The Stars had one last chance at victory, but the Red Knights blocked a 27-yard field goal attempt with 10 seconds left. A video replay showed lineman Dustin Dallman got a piece of the ball with his hand.

“That’s why we practice special teams every day,” Hanks said. “We spend a lot of time on it. It pays off.”

First report

Benilde-St. Margaret’s turned three big plays in the game’s waning minutes — two blocked kicks and a 31-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Anderson to Turner Wine with 1:08 left in the game — to rally for a 20-19 victory over Holy Angels.

The Red Knights blocked a punt to set up the game-winning score and then blocked a 27-yard field goal attempt by Holy Angels’ Andrew Rukavina in the final seconds to preserve the victory.

The games was a matchup of two teams that were not only undefeated but had not trailed at any point this season.

Holy Angels had taken the lead 19-14 on a 28-yard yard weaving catch-and-run by receiver Jason Kraus midway through the fourth quarter. The ensuing two-point conversion attempt proved costly, however, when running back/linebacker Jack Anderson was stopped short of the goal line and suffered an injury to his left knee. He did not return.

Benilde took the lead 14-13 on its first possession of the second half on a one-yard sneak by quarterback Tommy Anderson. 

Benilde-St. Margaret’s found success first, largely due to Anderson’s strong arm. He went 4-for-4 on the Red Knights’ third possession of the game for 21 yards, twice converting on third down. Anderson capped an 11-play, 70-yard drive with his legs on a five-yard keeper around right end for a 7-0 lead.

Holy Angels, trailing for the first time all season, responded immediately. The Stars, relying on the power running of Jack Anderson, scored on their ensuing drive. Anderson finished a 57-yard drive by powering over from four yards out, tying the game 7-7.

The Stars to the air on their next drive, getting completions of 15 and 23 yards from quarterback Joe Heimbold to Peter Laird, before Anderson scored again on a two-yard run.

The extra point failed, but Holy Angels led 13-7 at halftime, the Red Knights’s first deficit of the season.