Article by Matt Diano
#1 St. Anthony’s (8-1) vs. #4 Chaminade (5-4)
When: Saturday November 12th, 2022 @7pm—–NOTE: Date Change
Where: Cy Donnelly Field on the St. Anthony’s Campus (275 Wolf Hill Rd, Melville, NY 11747)
Previous Meeting: 35-10 St. Anthony’s on September 9th (Week #1)
Synopsis: After yet another absolutely explosive showing in their quarterfinal victory (57-42 over Christ the King), if you are Friars’ Head Coach, Joe Minucci, and staff, you have to be asking herself, “Can anybody stop our offense in 2022?”….Establishing a new season-best in the points’ column in the playoff triumph over the Royals, the top-seeds out of Suffolk were able to accumulate 531 yards of total production, with five different student-athletes combining to register seven touchdowns to deliver the opening-round dub…Senior, QB, Dante Torres, was darn-near perfect in the game, completing 19 of 20 attempts in the air for 369 yards and 5 TD passes; He’d also add a pair of short TD runs…As an illustration of the depth possessed by the Black & Gold at the WR position, it was Timmy Longo & Alex Menghi doing the most damage as back-end targets, as the former [Longo] set career-highs in receptions (8) and touchdown hauls (2), while the latter added had his own breakout night, re-writing his personal record book with a 5-grab, 72-yard outing….Nicholas Matos (2 receptions for 51 yards), Ian Strong (1 catch for 66 yards), and KJ Duff Jr. (1 reception for 17 yards) all registered a TD snatch….While he did not get to taste the joy of crossing the goal line, senior RB, Frank Ruta, was equally stellar, rushing for 108 yards on 14 carries to notch his second century-mark appearance of his swan song….
When the Friars and Flyers kicked off their respective falls all the way back on September 9th, the hosts from Melville/South Huntington got off to a slow start in the contest, as Torres was intercepted on his first attempt of the game and STA found themselves trailing 3-0 at the end of the initial 12 minutes….However, as soon as the sleeping giant awoke, they put on a show, scoring 28 combined points between the 2nd and 3rd quarters, and then added an insurance touchdown in the 4th!!!….Duff Jr. (7 for 209) & Jaeden Jenkins (4 for 101 yards) combined for 11 grabs for 310 yards, with each recording a pair of TD receptions to spearhead the aerial attack…After the shaky start, Torres rounded out an otherwise outstanding evening by connecting on 20-of-27 for 340 yards and 4 TD throws (he tacked on 27 yards + 1 additional score on the ground)!!
For the visiting gents clad in Crimson & Gold, their quarterfinal moment was one that you’d find in a storybook, as it was senior field general, Matthew Dieguez, finding fellow 12th grader, Patrick Bruno, on a 21-yard TD hook-up on the last play of the game (Chaminade trailed 17-13 with :09 remaining in the 4th) to pull off the dramatic, 19-17, comeback at the 11th hour over their Marianist rivals, Kellenberg Memorial…The only occasion all afternoon in which #5 and #82 connected with each other, one was all it took for victory to ensue!!!….Gavin Creo, as he has done pretty much from beginning of the year till present time, continued to be the focus of the vertical strike, as he 50% of Dieguez’s completions (10-for-14, 142 yards, 2 TDs) were put into in his possession, as he ended the affair with 5 grabs for 79 yards, including a 20-yard TD reception that tied the showdown at 10-10 in the 3rd quarter…Junior running back, John Tully, had a solid day on the ground, notching his third 100+-yard outing behind a 19 carry/107-yard display!!!….Benjamin Mann (11 stops. 3 TFLs, 2 sacks), Matthew Rappa (10 tackles, 1 TFL), Luke Ventura (6 stops. 2 TFLs, 1 sack), and Dean Aquilina (5 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack) all did a masterful job of invading the opposing backfield and making plays that put the Firebirds’ talent-rich offense in tough spots!!!
As they turn their attention to trying to punch their ticket to the AAA finals for the first time since going there back-to-back years in 2012/2013 (split the two title games with St. Anthony’s), the word of the day for the Mineola-based cohort must be “FINISH”…There were multiple occasions in which the Flyers looked to be in a prime position to score on the Friars in the first meeting; but they simply did not execute inside the red zone. They will not have the luxury of allowing history to repeat itself….Dieguez (4-for-13. 55 yards), Creo (0 credited receptions) have to put the “O” on their backs and set the tone by playing pitch-and-catch early and often to generate momentum from which the rest of the team can feed…The good news is that as someone who has watched every game of his two-year career, I can testify to the fact that the Dieguez that is stepping on the field this Friday is a much different leader than the one we saw two months ago. He has grown in confidence and is much more poised and decisive…He has at least one TD pass in 5 of his last 6 appearances (3 of 6 being multiples)…Tully (93 yards on 18 hand-offs) was a bright spot in his varsity debut in early-September and will definitely need to be as good in the semifinals in order to provide balance….Defensively, the men of the hour are going to be the secondary comprised of Bryan Freel (4 tackles, 1 INT), John Marshall (4 stops), Nick Marino (4 tackles), and Michael Maggio, who imperatively need to slow down the murderer’s row of WRs boasted by the Friars…Front-7 members—Charlie Battaglia (17 stops. 2 TFLs), Rappa (12 tackles, 1 TFL), Ventura (9 stops, 1 TFL), Claudio Pinto (9 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack), Seamus Miller (8 tackles), and Mann (7 stops) all did their jobs on September 9th; if they can further elevate, it will go a long way towards taking some of the heat off of their allies in the “no fly zone”.!
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#2 Iona Prep (8-2) vs. #3 Archbishop Stepinac (8-2)
When: Saturday November 12th, 2022 @1pm
Where: Wellington T. Mara Field on Iona Prep Campus (255 Wilmot Rd, New Rochelle, NY 10804)
Previous Meeting: 42-35 Iona Prep on October 8th (Week #5)
Synopsis: A game of streaks where the two teams took turns piling up points, the defending Metro Catholic League and State Champions out of New Rochelle [Iona Prep] came out of the gate on fire, building a 28-7 advantage at the half before the visiting Crusaders stormed back in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 28-21…Both perennial powerhouses then took turns striking twice during the final 12 minutes to account for the final tally!!!
A week #5 matinee where offense undoubtedly ruled the roost, in addition to the 77 combined points, the two programs collected 1,041 yards of production (with the Gaels responsible for 583)!!!
A day where stars had a stage in which to perform, for IP, there was no bigger showstopper than reigning Catholic AAA/NYS Offensive Player of the Year, Ajani Sheppard, who had a hand in manufacturing 442 yards, completing 13 of his 28 pass attempts for 250 yards/3 TD throws, while also running for a career-best 192 yards on 17 keepers!…The Old Dominion University committed field general was sharp again in the quarterfinal round, hitting on 9-of-15 for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns in the 56-13 win over #7 Cardinal Hayes…
Senior TB, Colin O’Garro, who continues to see the NCAA offers roll in (Bucknell recently reached out), was the ideal complementary piece, on the ground, gaining 139 yards and scoring twice on 22 carries versus the Crusaders…In his first appearance of the 2022 postseason, the 6’1, 210-pound hometown kid [resident of NR) notched his seventh 100-yard outing of his senior campaign, running for 128 yards and two scores on just 8 attempts (tacked on a 54-yard TD reception to boot against the Cardinals)….
O’Garro, who is a capable receiver out of the backfield, also emerged with a personal-best of 108 receiving yards, as he was one of FOUR different Gaels that hauled in at least three receptions in the victory over Stepinac….Joining him on the stat sheet were Michael Senatore (3 for 53), Ethan Acevedo (3 for 47), and Isaiah Bennett (3 for 36)…Acevedo (2) and Senatore (1) were on the receiving end of TD hurls from Sheppard!….Bennett (3 receptions for 67 yards) led all IP personnel in total catches in the quarterfinal victory; Junior, Jared Evans, followed up a 6-grab/120-yard effort in the regular season finale vs. Chaminade by hauling in 2 passes for 77 against Hayes!!!
Junior OLB, Declan McCauley, transformed “D” into “O” in the championship round of 8, as he posted a 14-yard pick-6 as part of the triumph over C.H. last weekend!
As it pertains to Head Coach, Michael O’Donnell’s Red, White, & Blue machine [Stepinac], a big key will be the ability to get off to a better start!!! If their games this season with IP, Kellenberg, and St. Anthony’s taught us anything, it is that the Crusaders are a 2nd half team that are at their best after they have the chance to make halftime adjustments…If they can just keep the scoreboard close during the first 24 minutes, we feel that the opportunity is going to be present to steal the “w” in the 4th quarter!!
In round of #1 of the saga against the defending champs, it was junior signal caller, Will Currid, emerging with the finest performance of his scholastic career, as he gun-slung his way to a 483 yard/5 touchdown afternoon by connecting on 33 of 48 attempts in the sky!….Extending his run to 10 straight (every outing this season) 200+ yard exhibitions in A.S.’s 35-0 quarterfinal conquest of #6 Monsignor Farrell, Currid surpassed 3,000 yards for the fall when he connected on 15 of 24 for 231 yards and three touchdowns!
Held to just 8 combined yards on land by the Gael defense during the regular season, the junior duo of Jordan Osbourne (3 yards on 1 attempt) and Lorenzo Robinson (5 yards on 3 carries) cannot allow themselves to be invisible this coming Saturday….They don’t need to take over the game and be the catalysts; but they do need to be impactful enough to keep Iona Prep guessing….With the exception of a 67-yard halfback TD pass, Osbourne was quiet again in the quarterfinal win over the Lions; Robinson on the other hand had the most of his handful of carries, averaging 7/per to end the day with 42 yards (1 TD) on six attempts!!
The four-headed monster receiving corps consisting of Gjok Dedvukaj (12 receptions for 127 yards), Jahi Gary (8 grabs for 186 yards, 3 TD catches), Bodhi Ogg (7 receptions for 90 yards + 1 TD grab), and Serge Lagardere (5 catches for 67 yards, 1 TD) all showed up during week #5 and hopefully can be just as dynamic during the rematch…Dedvukaj and Ogg were favorite targets during last weekend’s quarterfinals, with the former making five grabs for 101 yards (1 TD), while two of Ogg’s four total hauls resulted in touchdowns!!!
As they have been counted on to do all season, it was the respective shutdown exploits of JT Krivinskas (10 stops, 2 TFLs), Eddie Palumbo (8 tackles, 1 INT), Isaiah Darby (7 stops, 2 TFLs, 1 sack, 2 QB hurries), Wayne Coleman (7 tackles, 1 sack, 2 hurries), and Samuel Madu (5 tackles, 5 pass break-ups) among others that facilitated the second goose-egg of the year for the Stepinac defense…