READING – When junior lineman Jesse Varduro’s interception inside the Bishop Fenwick 10 was followed by Peabody native and Austin Prep Cougar running back Pat Delaney’s one-yard touchdown run, Austin was on its way to a victory similar to their previous eight in 2008.The Cougars’ 8-2 season entering Thanksgiving was built on stalwart defense and Delaney’s uncanny ability to find the end zone, and the duo proved to be stellar yet again as Austin vanquished the Crusaders, 20-12, to take sole possession of second place in the Catholic Central League Large.The Cougar defense shut out six opponents while allowing a stingy 64 points in total. Twenty of those points came in one game. The opposition scored in double figures four times including the 12 points Fenwick (5-6) put on the board yesterday.”They play great base defense. They don’t blitz a lot, but they play their positions well and don’t miss tackles. When they walk on the field, they don’t look intimidating, but then they come out and kick everyone’s butt,” said Fenwick coach Dave Woods prior to his team’s loss.Coming into Thursday, Austin’s 52 points against was 167 less than the second best defensive team, Arlington Catholic, in terms of points allowed in the CCL Large. The statistic is especially impressive considering 167 points is 54 less than the difference between AC and Archbishop Williams, the team in the CCL Large that allowed the most points (334).”Our defense only gave up eight TDs all year so we really can’t complain,” said Cougar coach Bill Maradei. “We’ve been a great defensive team all year. If you can give up six points per game, you’ll have a great season.”When the Austin defense wasn’t punishing opposing offenses, its attack ran as Delaney did. The senior tri-captain scored his CCL Large best 18th and 19th touchdowns (72,1) on his way to rushing for 80 yards on 11 carries (7.2 yards per carry).”Delaney has been a great player all year,” Maradei said. “He was the highest scorer in the league. That’s quite an accomplishment.”Delaney admitted that being a Crusader was his first choice, but he opted to become a Cougar based on his desire to play hockey for Austin Prep. Delaney was pleased with his team’s performance over his hometown school.”It’s huge,” the running back said. “This is the first time we’ve ever beat Fenwick on Thanksgiving. It’s absolutely huge. That’s the only way I can explain it.”Delaney’s first score came on a third-and-twelve from the Cougar 28 and forced the Crusaders to play from behind, a position no Austin opponent wanted to find itself in.”It was a counter, a reverse handoff. They jumped on the other back and the hole opened up. It was huge. I was like, ‘just run as fast as you can.'”When the Fenwick players and staff sat down at the dinner table, they may not have been as hungry as usual as they may had already been full from heaping helpings of Delaney and the Austin D.