A Vikings win was certain — this time it was St E’s who beat Christiana 42-12

St Elizabeth Vikings’ Nicholas Mancini returns a punt in their win over Christiana. Photo by Nick Halliday

St. Elizabeth and Christiana played a football game with a little bit of everything, but when the dust settled, St. E’s had a 42-12 win that could prove critical to the team’s postseason chances.

In this Vikings vs. Vikings showdown, the visitors — enjoying their best season in years — jumped out to a 6-0 lead when Jayvion Pollard brushed off a few tackles to take the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown.

St. Elizabeth gave up possession by fumbling the kickoff, but its defense kept Christiana from taking advantage as it did all night. Christiana threatened again the next time they had the ball, but Nick Mancini intercepted a pass and returned it 65 yards to the Christiana 30. A face mask penalty moved the ball to the 15. Jose Maldonado tied the game at 6 with his first touchdown, an 11-yard run.

Mancini had a huge night for St. E’s. He put his team on top briefly with a 66-yard punt return early in the second quarter, only to see Christiana’s Tre’Von Wilson take the next kickoff to the house and add the two-point conversion for a 14-12 lead.

St. Elizabeth, however, had answers. Their ground game — featuring Mancini, Maldonado, Ryan McCormac, and Ne’Hemiah Hamilton — consistently moved the ball. Mancini, Maldonado, and Hamilton each finished with two touchdowns.

Quarterback Cole Andrews made the plays he needed. He threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Maldonado to put St. E’s in front for good, and he found Mancini for a 31-yard gain on a fake punt. That play helped set up Hamilton’s first score, an 8-yard rush up the middle that put St. E’s on top, 26-14.

St. Elizabeth repeatedly stopped Christiana’s offense after halftime. Offensively, Mancini danced down the right sideline for a 15-yard score in the third, and Hamilton capped a drive that ate up eight minutes of the fourth with a touchdown run from a yard out.

St. Elizabeth stopped a two-game losing streak and improved to 3-4. They travel to Tatnall next Saturday for a 2 p.m. kickoff. Christiana (4-3) will try to rebound next Thursday at Dickinson at 6 p.m.