For the first time in four years, Bruce Scifres is able to breathe a winning sigh of relief after the opening game of football sectional competition.

That’s because for the first time in four years, the Rebels didn’t have to play the Cathedral Irish to open up the state football tournament. Instead, the Rebels went up against the Broad Ripple Rockets (6-3), the defending Indianapolis Public School Athletic Association champion. The Rockets were no match for the Rebels, who won its third consecutive game and first sectional contest since the 2005 season.

The Rebels will play the winner between Plainfield and Northwest. Roncalli will host a second round game if Northwest wins, but will travel to play Plainfield it the Quakers prevail in the opener.

Roncalli scored on all five possessions in the first half that was highlighted by a Nick Schwartz pass to Kendall Miller for a 64-yard touchdown in the second quarter. The Rebels went on to score 39 unanswered points on its way to a 39-14 victory over host Broad Ripple in Sectional 14 on Friday night.

Head coach Bruce Scifres said his team turned in a good performance in winning its sectional opener.

“It feels great and it is a good win for us,” Scifres said. “It is nice to be able to walk away with a win in the first game of the sectional.”

Senior runningback Tyler Mohr led the rushing attack with 124 yards on 11 carries and scored two touchdowns while the Rebels gained 323 yards on the ground.

Roncalli led 12-0 after a 5-play, 57-yard drive in the first quarter until Miller’s touchdown catch made it 18-0 on its ensuing possession. The Rebels failed to convert on two consecutive extra point plays.

Brandon Petree scampered 28 yards for his 10^th touchdown of the season with 7:07 left to play in the second quarter. An extra-point kick by Michael Neylon made it 25-0. The Rebels did not look like a team whose last post-season win came against Jasper in 2005.

Junior runningback Sam Otley scored on a five-yard run with just under one minute left to play in the third quarter and Roncalli led 32-0 at the half after the extra point kick by Neylon to culminate an eight-play, 58-yard drive.

The Rebels defense limited Broad Ripple to 69 yards rushing and the Rockets failed to gain one yard with its passing attack. The win gives Roncalli a 10-5 lead in its series against the Rockets.

Broad Ripple did put together two scoring drives in the fourth quarter. David Hurt hauled in a pass from Randy Morton for a touchdown with 9:02 remaining in the game. Josh Beck scored on a three-yard run with 3:28 left in the game, and the Rockets scored on its two-point conversion to pull within 39-14.