CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- In their first regular season game, the Charlotte Catholic Cougars (1 – 0, 0 - 0) held off the South Mecklenburg Sabres (0 – 1, 0 - 0) in overtime, 28-27. The Cougars struggled to find their momentum before their home fans at Jim Oddo Field in the first and fourth quarters, but came out strong in the overtime period to win.

The Sabres, who run a Wing-T offense similiar to the Cougars', started out the game by capitalizing off a Cougar fumble, giving them great field position to eventually set up a Tim Palmer three-yard run later in the quarter. The extra-point kick was botched though, only gaining the team 6 points. In what turned out to be such a close game, that extra point could have been beneficial to the Sabres at the end of regulation.

With a completely new backfield this season, the Cougars would soon find plenty of offensive energy with senior Wes Stringfield, who sparked the Cougar offense with three touchdowns, including an explosive 80-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and an eventual game-winning score in overtime. He finished with 177 combined yards rushing and receiving, as well as 77 yards in punt and kick returns.

“I think we’re going to open [our offense] up a lot more on the outside,” said Stringfield, when asked about what to expect from the fresh offensive faces this year.

RJ Sweeney and Joseph Felts, combining for over 90 yards, also assisted the Cougars’ running game.

Cougars quarterback Christian Culicerto, converting from the defensive back position in his senior year, also made a respectable showing with five completions for 71 yards for the seldom-used pass offense.

The Cougar defense had a strong showing in the second and third quarters, holding the Sabres to less than 50 yards offense, but opened up holes for their opponents to come back in the fourth.

The Sabres finally showed some signs of life in the final six minutes of the game, assisted by 37, 14, and 15-yard runs by quarterback Jey Yokeley and running back Spencer Shuey, setting up a Yokeley 1-yard touchdown run.

With less than 100 seconds to play, Yokely found Donte Williams in the end zone for the 2-point conversion, tying the game and sending it into over time.

“A lot of us did a lot of bad things, I know I messed up,” said Cougars senior linebacker Jeff Lavasseur, when asked about the defense’s troubles in the fourth.

The nail-biting overtime period saw an exchange of four touchdowns on four possessions between the two teams, but a failed Sabre two-point conversion run that just fell short of the end zone locked up the victory for the home team.

Even with mistakes, Lavasseur, who contributed a momentum stopping interception in the second quarter, knew his team’s tenacity, combined with a little help from the home crowd, would eventually get them through the game.

“We fought hard, we got our fans back – that’s our core – and we stopped them on the last play of the game,” Lavasseur said.

Cougars coach Jim Oddo, acknowledging many of his team’s mistakes in their first game, was well aware of just how close the game turned out to be.

“It’s a war [out there], it could’ve gone either way at any time,” he said.

Next week, Charlotte Catholic hosts Myers Park, fresh off a 65-0 blowout win over Garginer at home, while South Mecklenburg hosts their first home game of the season against Waddell, owners of a 38-6 loss against East Mecklenburg.