IONA PREP WINS FIRST NYCHSAA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
By Matt Diano: Destiny has been fulfilled in New Rochelle!!! First the first-time in program history, the Gaels of Iona Prep are your New York State Catholic Football Champions!!! In the clash of the #1 and #3 ranked schools in the Empire State (per the MaxPreps polls), it was the hosts from the NYCHSFL building a 38-9 advantage before withstanding very late rally to upend Monsignor Martin representative, the St. Francis Red Raiders, by a score of 38-22!!! A fierce contest that was always more competitive than the scoreboard indicated, the Joe Spagnolo mentored cohort responded to a St. Francis touchdown (7-yard run by Pittsburgh bound Jimmy Scott) on their first series of the 2nd half that made the score 17-9, but stringing together 21 unanswered points between the final 2:00 of the 3rd and the first nine minutes of the 4th to seize the commanding edge! The major turning