By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Cair Paravel Latin football coach Doug Bonura said he never set a goal for his Lions to post a perfect 2021 season.
He didn't have to because the Lions did it for him.
"I didn't set that as a goal but these guys actually did,'' Bonura said earlier in the week. "Last spring they said, 'Hey, we're going to go undefeated.'
"That has been something that's been in their mind that that's what they wanted to do.''
Cair Paravel achieved that lofty objective Saturday afternoon at Highland Park, capping an 11-0 campaign with a 64-16 win over St. Mary's Academy in the Kansas Christian Athletic Association state championship game.
Registering their second win of the season over 7-2 St. Mary's, a perennial KCAA power, Cair Paravel jumped out in front 16-0 in the first quarter and led by a 30-8 margin at halftime.
The Lions scored 22 third-quarter points to take a 52-8 advantage over the Crusaders and Cair Paravel outscored St. Mary's 12-8 in the early stages of the fourth quarter to end the game by way of the 45-point spread rule.
Cair Paravel seniors Noah Hastert (left), Carter Brian and Max Colombo hoist the KCAA championship trophy after Saturday's 64-16 win over St. Mary's Academy. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Star senior quarterback Carter Brian completed 30 of 45 pass attempts for 336 yards and three touchdowns and he had a hand in six touchdowns overall, carrying the ball 15 times for 31 yards and three touchdowns.
Sophomore Jesiah Bonura scored three Lion touchdowns on the day, carrying the ball six times for 34 yards and two scores and catching six passes for 57 yards and a TD.
Cair Paravel Latin junior Jachin Bonura caught 13 passes for 176 yards and a TD and had six tackles and an interception in Saturday's 64-16 over St. Mary's Academy. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Junior Jachin Bonura had a huge day for Cair Paravel, including 13 pass receptions for 176 yards and a touchdown. He also was in on a team-high six tackles for the Lions and had one of Cair Paravel's five interceptions.
Senior Noah Hastert caught five passes for 51 yards and a TD and also intercepted a pass.
Sophomore Evan Will had five tackles and a pass interception while Simon Everhart picked off a pair of passes.
Brian finished the season with 2,515 passing yards and 51 touchdown passes while Hastert caught 46 passes for 921 yards and 22 TDs.
CAIR PARAVEL LATIN 64, ST. MARY'S ACADEMY 16
St. Mary's Academy (7-2) 0 8 0 8 -- 16
Cair Paravel Latin (11-0) 16 14 22 12 -- 64
