Article by Matt Diano
Forget the Brady Brunch…In New Rochelle, the “Spags Bunch” has DAVIS, DAVIS, DAVIS, DAVIS!!
On an afternoon where the PAT/2-point conversion (1-for-7) was the only element of the game not executed with perfection by Iona Prep (10-2), it would be the top-seeded Gaels utilizing a dominant second half effort to complete a season sweep of the #2 Friars of St. Anthony’s (8-4), 43-22, in the NYCHSFL Triple-A title contest at the Mitchel Athletic Complex!!
The triumph by the Maroon and Gold juggernaut (ranked 1st in NYS by MaxPreps), which snapped a two-year drought (loss 50-18 to STA in 2022; 30-29 last season to Cardinal Hayes) in Metro Catholic finale, marked the eight overall crown that has been delivered to Wilmot Road since 1964!!!
IP enjoying a narrow 18-15 edge with approximately 6:49 remaining in the 3rd quarter, whatever flavor Gatorade the highly-touted Junior RB, Crew Davis, was drinking needs to be tested for “yellow sun cells” because the 205-pound resident of the Nutmeg State truly was SUPERMAN during the last 19 minutes of action…
His four touchdown runs (three in the second half) increasing his seasonal totals to 13 on the ground and 20 as a whole (7 receiving scores entering the day), the multiple-sport athlete (Track & Field, lacrosse) wearing the #5 jersey would answer a St. Anthony’s score on their previous possession by exploding for bookend runs of 17 and 34 yards (to the promised land) to make the score 24-15 with 2:54 remaining in 3Q…The TD was set up by an 8-yard run on 4th &2 by Brennen Pressly (who also had himself a day; 2 rushing TDs; named as the Defensive MVP) one snap earlier!!!
Davis’s TD trek sparking a 25-0 unanswered streak for the Gaels (scores on four straight possessions), after an Orion Trujillo sack on 4th & 6 produced a turnover on downs, it was Junior QB, Julian Guzman, calling his own number (#15) on a 53-yard keeper to further increase the cushion to 30-15 with under 1:00 to go in 3Q…
A ferocious hit by Pressley in the opposing backfield on 3rd &8 inducing a punt; Davis was so unstoppable on Saturday that he could have a TD negated (41-year shovel pass) and shake it off as if it never happened….
After an “on the money” hook-up between Guzman and Joe Wolf moved the chains on 3rd & 12 and moved the ball inside the STA 29, Davis cashed in for his “6” of the day shortly after on a 5-yarder with 6:03 to go in the 4th to make the score 36-16.
The “poker”, “haul” of “four-spot” was emphatically achieved with 4:18 still left to be played, as directly following an INT by super sophomore, Mamadee Sangaray (his 5th pick of 2024), Davis paraded 55 yards untouched on the ensuing snap to round out the scoring for IP!!!
Prior to the era of “Davis insanity”, the two powerhouse squads appeared pretty evenly-matched for the initial 29.5 minutes as the title showdown commenced with an exchange of TDs on respective opening series…
Getting control of the ball first, Pressley capped off an 80-yard 7:08 drive when he punched in from 2-yards away to register his third land TD of the fall to hand Iona Prep the 6-0 lead….
The 15x NYCHSFL champion Friars immediately responded, as it was their own version of a superhero, Senior QB Gary Merrill, accounting for his 50th (!!!) overall touchdowns of his swan song when on 4th & 5 and facing heavy pressure, he tossed the ball up to seldom targeted sophomore TE, Jax Prokop, who came down with the ball for the 15-yard completion to put the Black & Gold helmet in front, 7-6…Merrill extended the drive earlier when he had a 34-yard gain on 3rd & 7 to move the pigskin to the IP 15…
The defenses on both sidelines settling down and trading forced punts (Cam Urso Tackle for a loss on behalf of the Friars on 3rd &5; Pressley returning the favor moments later); the wind would be the friend of the Gaels as they’d regain the ball on the STA 17 with 7:56…
About a minute later, Davis broke into the box score the first of his cited quartet when on 3rd & 12, he found a hole and sprinted 12 years to paydirt to propel his team back on top, 12-7 (6:54 before the intermission) …
Each cohort would have their chances to do further damage before retreating to the locker room for the brief break; but mishandled snaps from each quarterback (recovered by IP’s Jayleel Stewart on own 35 with 3:04 remaining; scooped up by STA’s Dixon Charzuk on own 30 with 1:56 to go), coupled with an INT in the end zone on the last play of the 2nd quarter by Friar 11th grade DB, Kevin Moore, prevented further additions to the scoreboard!
Deja vu was in full effect at the onset of the 2nd half, as both groups were able to log TDs during the first 6:00, as IP capitalized off a shortened field (created by a turnover on downs by Elijah Smith’s stop on 4th&6 on the STA 45) when the short-yardage beast, Pressley, powered his way across the line from 3-yards away to make the score 18-7 (3:15 into 3Q)…
A 60-yard pitch-and-catch between Merrill and Will Hart put STA on the doorstep (1); and Merrill snuck it the last few inches to fire back and set the stage for the saga chronicled above!!!
Friars’ sophomore RB, Xavier Bala, rounded out the scoring in the title game when on his team’s final drive of 2024, he notched his 8th rushing TD of the year on a 35-yard voyage to bring the final verdict a little closer!!!
Up next for Gael Nation will be a road trip to Buffalo on November 30th to go toe-to-toe with Monsignor Martin titlists, Canisius, with the NYS Catholic crown at stake!!
Iona Prep is 1-0 in NYCHSAA State title appearances, as they toppled St. Francis, 38-22, in 2021!
Winners of three in a row, the NYCHSFL region leads MM, 6-3, since the inception of the event in 2014…
Canisius is the only MM representative to win the “Big One”, as they have gone 3-1 in the past, with their shining achievements occurring during the inaugural rendition (23-10 over Stepinac), as well in 2016 (50-44 over Cardinal Hayes) and 2019 (25-24 over Hayes)!