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Jonathon Faltynski returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown on the third play of the game as Fort Worth Nolan Catholic's TAPPS Division I state title defense got off to a fast start with a 41-8 domination of El Paso Cathedral at Doskocil Stadium on Friday.
Patrick Rich had touchdown catches of 13 and 75 yards, and Vikings senior quarterback Joseph Prud'homme completed 12 of 17 passes for 197 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.
Joe Montez led the Nolan rushing attack with 65 yards on eight carries while Bo Nicholson added 52 yards and a touchdown on six carries. Rich led with 105 yards receiving on just three receptions as seven players caught passes for Nolan.
The Vikings' next opponent will be determined today when Houston St. Pius X and Corpus Christi John Paul II meet in bi-district.
Nolan rolled up 439 total yards and never punted, while the Vikings' defense bottled up the Irish all night, holding the visitors to just 51 total yards, including minus-26 yards rushing, and intercepted a pair of passes. El Paso Cathedral managed only 13 yards in the first half.
Already leading 7-0, Nolan (9-2) marched 83 yards on their opening offensive possession, which culminated with Rich's first touchdown catch. Prud'homme was 5-of-5 on the drive.
El Paso Cathedral managed to get on the scoreboard through its defense in the second quarter. A penalty on a punt return left Nolan backed up to its own 5-yard line, and Cameron Elias fell on a fumbled pitch in the end zone to give the Irish 2 points.
Rich's second scoring catch came on a two-play, 75-yard drive to make it 20-2. The Vikings then padded their lead late in the first half on a 56-yard drive capped by a 27-yard pass from Prud'homme to Andrew Tittor.
Nolan sputtered a bit to start the second half, turning it over twice on an interception and a fumbled punt return. The Vikings, however, got things going again on a 14-play, 99-yard drive in the third quarter after Faltynski intercepted Cathedral quarterback Diego Bermudez for the second time. Elias capped the drive with a 2-yard scoring run.
Cathedral's defense scored late on Carlos Dominguez's 45-yard fumble return.
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