AAA: Iona Prep Gaels
OFFENSE: Crew Davis (Jr. RB)
Two title games…TWO MVP TROPHIES now sitting on the mantel of the Davis family home!!!
Fresh off of delivering a 222-yard/4 TD performance on the ground (an additional 62 yards as a receiver via four grabs) in the NYCHSFL “AAA” league finals on November 23rd; the 11th-grade Nutmeg State resident somehow managed to find a way to surpass even himself in leading the Gaels to their second NYCHSAA State title in program history…
Racking up a career-best 333 yards on just 17 carries; the stud in the #5 jersey was exceptional during the opening 24 minutes of action (132 yards + 1 TD on 9 carries); but he was nothing short of “magic” during the second half, amassing 211 yards and a pair of “6’s” on eight attempts to transform a 21-20 barn-burner at the break into a comfortable 42-26 triumph over their host from Buffalo, Canisius…
Responsible for IP’s final two scores of the game (to complete a streak of 21 answered points between the 3rd and 4th quarters), Davis struck for his second TD of the day when just moments after he picked up a 36-yard trek (on 4th &2) to extend the drive; he tacked on a 9-yarder to the paydirt to increase the New Rochelle based squad’s margin to 35-20 with 1:55 to go in the 3Q…
The verdict all but decided in the last 5:00 of the 4th quarter; for good measure, he’d complete his overall hat trick when after the defense forced a turnover on downs inside their own 11; he’d post back-to-back runs of 35 (to the CHS 46) and 54 yards to hammer the proverbial nail in the coffin (42-20) with 4:04 to go in regulation…
Earlier in the morning, with the Maroon & Gold machine holding a modest 7-6 edge; he’d notch his first TD of the title contest when he issued an immediate response to the Crusader touchdown by taking the first snap of the ensuing possession (after AJ LaMotta had a squib kick return to the IP 42) right of center, hit the hole, and then galloped 58 yards (nearly untouched) to the bank to make it 14-6 in the final 3:50 of the 1st quarter..
One of those special and rare players that leaves his mark on every offensive series; even when Davis was not scoring himself; he was doing the prep work/setting the stage for Gael TDs…
Hauling in both of his receptions of the game (2 for 28) on the initial drive of the contest for pick-ups of 7 and 21 yards (on 3rd &6); he’d move the ball to inside the Canisius 11 where moments later, Julian Guzman, connected with Matt Davitt on the TD hook-up 2:01 into 1Q!
On the 1st possession of the 2nd half (generated by an INT on the CHS 38 by Geoffrey Galloway), Davis’s 14-yard run advanced the ball to the opposing 24; Mamadee Sangaray later caught a 24-yard TD pass to change the scoreboard to 28-20 approximately 5:20 into 3Q!
The one occasion in which IP came up empty (3rd possession of the 2nd half; early 4th quarter; 35-20 score) was also graced by Davis as his runs of 52 and 13 yards respectively enabled the Gaels to travel from their own 16 to the enemy 15 before a lost fumble prevented the offense from registering the perfect half (TDs on all available opportunities)…
Concluding the 2024 postseason with an accumulation of 835 yards (689 on the ground on 49 carries; 146 as a pass-catcher on 10 snatches) and 8 touchdowns (all rushing), Davis elevated his seasonal resume to the following: 2,076 yards (1,347 with his legs on 127 hand-offs; 729 with his hands via 52 receptions) & 23 touchdowns (16 rushing, 7 receiving)!!!
A scholarship offer to West Point already in his pocket; we would be remiss if we did not proudly exclaim that this “freak” needs to be given serious consideration by FBS power-5 institutions!…He belongs with the creme de la creme!
This is Davis’s third POTW distinction of his junior year (previously in Week #3 and last weekend’s NYCHSFL AAA finale)…
DEFENSE: Matthew Plunkett (Sr.; LB)—
27 TACKLES IN TWO TITLE GAMES!!!
One week removed from leading all Gaels with 13 stops in the Triple-A conquering of St. Anthony’s; the 5’11, 200-pound LB hailing from Tarrytown [Plunkett] was even more disruptive in anchoring an IP defense that succeeded in limiting a very capable and gifted Crusader attack to a full touchdown below their fall 2024 average of 32 ppg….
Setting the example and willing his school to a triumph in what was his last game as a leader on the gridiron for Iona Prep; no one worked harder on Saturday morning than the future collegiate lacrosse at the College of the Holy Cross!!!
Tallying 14 cumulative stops, including five for either no gain or a loss of yardage, of the 11 offensive possessions enjoyed by Canisius, Plunkett was credited with at least one disruptive action on more than half (6)…
In a groove and hunting from the first beginning of the championship matinee; he’d stuff a run for 0 yardage to create a 3rd & long that eventually resulted in an induced punt…
On CHS’s second drive, he’d force a 3rd & 7 when he made a hit on a run attempt for –1….
The third series of the day witnessed another TFL; this time for –2 to bring up a 2nd & 12 scenario…
The aforementioned sequences all fitting into the “highlight reel” category; Plunkett’s most valuable contribution during the opening 24 minutes came in a capacity that more times than not may have gone overlooked and/or underappreciated…
With the Gaels clinging to a 21-20 advantage, but the host Crusaders mounting a promising drive in the last 5:30 prior to the intermission; it was Plunkett making an ankle tackle (on 3rd &10) on the sidelines to limit the gain to just 5 yards and put CHS in a 4th &5….His teammates would then gang tackle the opposing ball-carrier short of the sticks to earn the turnover on downs and halt the march at their own 44…
Fast-forwarding to the 4Q and the scoreboard sitting at 35-20 as the clock dripped below 5:30 remaining in regulation…
A combination of big plays having surged the Monsignor Martin champs [Canisius] all the way down to the IP 11; it was Plunkett sniffing out a reverse attempt on 2nd & 15 for a six-yard loss; and then firing up the gut with the pass rush on a WR Reverse pass try on 3rd down to produce a 4th & 21 predicament that the Crusaders fell well short of converting one snap later….In many ways, this defensive stand was a quasi back-breaker for CHS!!!
Davis’s third TD run less than 1:00 later formally icing the dub; Plunkett would tack on final TFL on Canisius’s last possession…
Plunkett at the head of the table inspiring the dialed-in and collaborative effort; it ought to be noted that after allowing Canisius’s top-2 runners—Elijah Kimble (NCAA power-5 prospect) & Amir Hernandez to chew up 189 yards and score three TDs in the 1st half; the D-Unit surrendered just 19 yards to the duo, including holding the former [Kimble] to zero, during crunch time (3rd/4th quarters)!!!
Plunkett heroics in the biggest appearance of his carry sends him out as a first-time Player of the Week nominee!!