Article by Matt Diano More important than what a scoreboard read on a dreary Wednesday night at Mitchel Field, the memory that will last a lifetime is that for one final occasion, the best and brightest of the NYCHSFL’s class of 2023 got to strap on some pads and play the game they love…It is this sense of camaraderie, of passion, and of sportsmanship that defined us on November 30th, as former rivals were transformed into teammates and brothers!!! That having been said, a score was kept and when the final horn sounded after 60 minutes (running time) of fierce action that witnessed both sidelines pour their entire being into the pursuit of victory, it was Team Long Island owning the gridiron, as they piggybacked off of the St. Anthony’s Catholic State title win (27-20 over St. Francis) by emerging with a 38-21 triumph over the contingent from New York
Article by Matt Diano WHAT A COMEBACK!!!! For the first 34:49 of action, a St. Anthony’s offensive attack that averaged in excess of 40 points per game this season just could not get anything going…But in the last 13:11, they refused to be denied as they stormed back from a 20-0 deficit to score 27 unanswered points en route to claiming the program’s first Catholic State crown, 27-20, over the host Red Raiders from St. Francis High School… A Black & Gold juggernaut that had grown accustomed to passing at will on their foes, despite the best efforts of senior field general, Dante Torres, the blistering winds simply prevented the vertical game from ever finding its rhythm, as for the first time all season, the Fordham bound signal caller was held without a passing touchdown (snapped a streak of 20-straight appearances with at least one “6” in the air)…ENTER FRANK