October 10, 2009

Playing before a national-TV audience on ESPNU, Bell ran for three scores and threw for another and rallied Bishop Carroll past Kapaun, 36-34.

But for as good as Bell was, it was the Carroll defense that save the day, stopping a two-point conversion in the closing minutes to preserve the victory.

Bell's final two rushing touchdowns - both in the fourth quarter - gave Carroll its first lead of the game.

Trailing, 28-21, Bell went in from 1-yard out in the middle of the fourth quarter. Carroll then went for and got a two-point conversation to take its first lead of the game. Bell then helped extend Carroll's lead with a 2-yard run with 2:18 remaining.

Kapaun scored in the closing minutes on a long TD pass but was unable to convert a two-point that would have sent the game to overtime.

The game marked the first time two Wichita schools had played against each other on ESPN, according to a preview story by the Wichita Eagle on Kansas.com. (Wichita East played Dodge City on ESPN in 2007).

And don't think for a second both schools didn't realize the significance of their opportunity.

"This game is already a big deal because it's a rivalry, but it adds a lot more excitement when you get the opportunity to showcase your school on national television," Carroll coach Alan Schuckman told the paper. "That makes it special."

Bell agreed.

"Being on national TV will add a little more pressure, but I'm going to try to keep it as cool as I can," Bell told the paper. "People might think that (ESPNU) is coming here be-cause of me, but the country is going to see the Bishop Carroll football team. I'm just a part of that."

Earlier on, there wasn't much of Bell to be seen.

Kapaun opened the scoring when scored first when Lewis hit Tyler Nulik for a 25-yard touchdown but it missed the extra point. It made up for it on the next score, using a two-point conversion to go up 14-0 following Jonathan Truman's 38-yard interception return.

Carroll finally got on the board when Bell hit Tyler Nance on a 72-yard touchdown pass, but Kapaun extended the lead back to 14 on a big play of its own, a 97-yard touchdown run by Keaton Lewis.

Carroll, trailing 21-7, then rallied to tie the game. It pulled within seven on Thomas Woodard's 23-yard interception return, then tied it on Bell's 8-yard run with 6:41 left in the third quarter.

Kapaun answered, taking its final lead of the game when Truman capped a 14-play drive on a 1-yard TD run on fourth-and-goal.

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