The Phoenix football team is closing in on a win.

The Pirates were hoping it would take place at home when they hosted nearby rival St. Mary's in what ended as a tough 10-6 loss at Jack Woodward Stadium.

Phoenix (0-3 on the season) was competitive for the entire contest as it looked to end a streak of losses dating back to 2019. The Pirates trailed 10-0 in the first half before stopping the Crusaders for the remainder of the night. Meanwhile, the PHS offense got untracked when sophomore Cody Martin broke free for a 65-yard scoring run int he second quarter. Martin finished the game with 125 yards on 12 carries.

The Pirates were on the verge of taking the lead late in the first half but a drive was stopped inside the five-yard line as time expired. The score stayed the same for ther rest of the night as both teams threatened but were unable to hit paydirt again. Junior Derek Corder, who had a big defensive game (finishing with 11 tackles), recovered an onside kick to open the second half, igniting a drive that was highlighted by a 45-yard reception by Wyatt Dean from Payton Turner. A pair of holding calls and an interception stalled the drive in what was the Pirates best chance to score for the rest of the night.

Turner threw for 107 yards on the night.

Phoenix returns to action on Friday when it visits Douglas. Kickoff is set for 7 pm in Winston.