By halftime, the crowd was as divided as the teams were close, with Team Grimm leading, 14-12. The teams exchanged touchdowns, but Team Mering then grabbed the advantage with a Luke Atkinson (’26) interception followed by Jozef MacKinnon (’26) touchdown run. From that moment on, Team Mering never gave up the lead, despite a fierce battle, winning the game by a final score of 31-27.
Players and spectators reunited on the sidelines afterward amid smiles, laughs, and congratulations. Mering’s team was elated. “He’s quick and he’s smart, and he’s good at organizing a team,” lauded teammate Joseph Emrich (’27). Team Grimm, meanwhile, was forlorn but bore the defeat graciously. “It was disappointing to lose,” said Kevin Guinee (’26), “but in the end, it’s just a game.”