A third quarter touchdown was just enough to secure victory for Bishop Ireton in the Cardinals’ season opening matchup against Bishop O’Connell at home Friday night. 

Junior running back Brandon Williams-Prince got the ball rolling for the Cardinals early on, waltzing into the end zone on a six-yard run in the first quarter. Not to be outdone, the Knights responded with a 24-yard touchdown run a quarter later.

But Ireton would not be denied. Junior quarterback P.J. Zingler scored on a one-yard, goal line run in the third quarter, putting Ireton ahead in the final half of the game. When the game clocked stopped, it was 14-7 in the Cardinals favor. 

The win puts the Cardinals on better footing than a season ago, when the squad dropped their 2011 opener also against O’Connell 20-13. Ireton heads to Bullis, a team that beat them 20-17 last season, on September 10. Play is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.