Barrett Rallies Burroughs, 42-28

Late in the second quarter of Friday night’s game at Burroughs High, the St. Francis Golden Knights, a 2-7-1 team last year, looked as though they might start the 1987 season in familiar fashion.

Two quick scores by the favored Burroughs Indians had put the Golden Knights down. Then, quite suddenly, St. Francis caught fire, driving for a touchdown to tie the score, 14-14, and go into halftime with momentum.

“Revolution is finally here!� cried Father David, the St. Francis principal who prowls the sidelines at the Catholic school’s games.

Close, Father, but not quite.

In a back-and-forth struggle, Burroughs summoned its own miracle worker in the form of quarterback Jeff Barrett to score a come-from-behind win at home, 42-28.

Barrett, who completed 15 of 28 passes for 219 yards, marched the Indians 90 yards with four minutes remaining for the go-ahead touchdown.

“In a situation like that, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,� the 6-1, 180-pound senior said.

Barrett’s heroics upstaged a strong performance by St. Francis’ William Stavropoulos, a 5-10, 190-pound tailback who ran 18 times for 94 yards and 1 touchdown. Quarterback Bill Morris completed 4 of 13 passes for 54 yards and turned a naked bootleg play into a 46-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown play.

All of which almost put a damper on opening night for Burroughs, which reached the Northwestern Conference semifinals last season and finished the year with a 10-2-1 record. Barrett passed for a school record 2,766 yards in ’86.

Burroughs’ defensive game plan called for quickness on the line against St. Francis’ offensive line, which averages 218 pounds. But with bodies that big, there aren’t many gaps to find. The Golden Knights pushed Burroughs around for most of the evening.

And, on defense, St. Francis’ linemen constantly pressured Barrett, collecting three sacks and hurrying many throws.

St. Francis took a 7-0 lead in the second quarter on a two-yard run by Stavropoulos.

Burroughs took a 14-7 lead in the period on an 86-yard kickoff return by Bruce Luizzi and a 13-yard scoring pass from Barrett to Kevin Strasser.

Enter St. Francis’ last-second, second-quarter drive and smiles from Father David.

In the second half, the teams traded early touchdowns. Barrett then fumbled at midfield and St. Francis drove 48 yards to take a 28-21 lead.

Thereafter, Barrett was the game’s dominating figure. After suffering a string of dropped passes in the first half, he completed 11 of 14 throws for 170 yards after intermission.

With Burroughs leading, 35-28, with less than two minutes remaining, Sean Perry intercepted a St. Francis pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown to supply the death blow.

Father David could only shake his head.