Xavier Thornberry returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown, and Brian Ferguson accounted for four more scores as Holy Cross beat Bishop Brossart 41-14 on Friday, Oct. 9, at Thomas More University’s Republic Bank Field.

The Indians snapped a two-game losing streak, improving to 5-2 overall and opening Class A, District 4 play with a victory.

Ferguson ran for three scores and threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Max Hunt in the third quarter. He finished with 65 rushing yards and 76 passing yards.

"I told them the first six games of the year are scrimmages. This is when it starts," Holy Cross coach Curt Spencer told the NKyTribune after the game. "Our second straight district title is what we want."

Holy Cross won its first district title in program history in October 2025.

The Indians built a 28-0 halftime lead, helped by three Brossart turnovers that gave them short fields. A 55-second stretch across the end of the first quarter and start of the second helped Holy Cross take control, according to LINK nky. Senior Charles Oglesby ripped off a 27-yard run to set up Ferguson's first rushing touchdown. On the next play, senior Dustin Wilson intercepted Brossart quarterback Landon Spaulding. Ferguson then faked a handoff and ran untouched around left end for 17 yards and another score.

The defense forced two turnovers total. Wilson and a freshman each recorded an interception, and Everett Rayburn recovered a fumble. Spencer told the NKyTribune that two of his starting defensive players are freshmen, a group he leaned on after senior end Jacob Rieselman was sidelined by injury.

Holy Cross piled up only 206 total yards of offense. The turnovers did the heavy lifting, setting up scoring drives that started near the end zone. Oglesby led all rushers with 70 yards.

Brossart (3-4, 0-1) got both of its touchdowns from Spaulding, who ran for two touchdowns and added a two-point conversion. The senior completed 12 of 22 passes for 80 yards but threw two interceptions. The Mustangs lost leading receiver Brady Boruske and leading tackler Quinten Tischner to second-half injuries.

Brossart coach Jacob Martin told LINK nky that Holy Cross jumped on his team early and the Mustangs dug themselves into a 21-0 hole. He praised his players for continuing to fight despite the injuries.

Wilson capped the scoring with a late fourth-quarter rushing touchdown. Holy Cross surpassed 40 points for the third time this season.