Top 10 games of 2019: No. 7: St. Francis ends IC Catholic's streak

As we close out the 2019 season at Friday Night Drive, we're counting down the top 10 games of the year.

Games were nominated by our staff and voted on by our editors. Without further ado, No. 7 in our list of the top 10 games of 2019: St. Francis ends IC Catholic's 33-game win streak.

It was a high enough hill to climb for St. Francis trying to knock off IC Catholic from the ranks of the unbeaten.

It looked near-impossible when starting quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse went down with an injury in the third quarter.

Backup quarterback Michael Baffa was ready.

With the Spartans already trailing late in the third quarter and chance of knocking off powerhouse IC Catholic Prep seeming unlikely, Baffa led St. Francis to a come-from-behind 20-19 victory to clinch the Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division title, ending IC Catholic's 33-game winning streak.

The Knights had won three state championships, two in Class 3A and last year in 4A, and four straight MSC titles during that run.

“This is probably the biggest win this program has ever had,” Baffa said. “That was probably one of the best teams in [Class] 4A, well, the best team in [Class] 4A, until us, now.”

Baffa entered the game with his team down, 19-7 and led two second-half touchdown tries for the win.

“Michael Baffa has been working so hard in practice to understand what we’re trying to do here,” said St. Francis coach and ICCP graduate Bob McMillen. “We don’t know what’s going on with Tommy [moving forward], but you can’t say enough about the way Michael Baffa came in and took over, how [running back] Ben Radel ran the ball and how great our offensive line stepped up tonight.”