On a moderately chilly Sunday afternoon where all donned a NYCHSFL jersey for the last time; and many put on a uniform for one final occasion period; it would be an imposing effort by the defense that propelled New York City to a 21-7 victory in the 2024 Metro Catholic Senior Bowl at the Mitchel Field Athletic Complex!!
The offenses on both sidelines stalemated for the entirety of the 1st half; the only touchdown recorded during the initial 30 minutes of action came courtesy of the NYC “D”, as it was Monsignor Farrell DB, Rocco Del Giorno, scooping the ball up in the end zone off of a mishandled snap to give the “Apple” reps the 6-0 lead (PAT No good) 3:05 into the 2nd quarter…
Prior drives from each team showing some promise, but inevitably halted; monster contributions were delivered by the likes of Dixon Charzuk (LI; St. Anthony’s DL), Joe Giovanelli (NYC; Monsignor Farrell LB), and Giancarlo Viscardi (LI; Chaminade DL) to keep the game scoreless at the end of the 1st quarter…
After several runs for solid yardage advanced the ball to the NYC 42, it was the Friar [Charzuk] emerging with a sack on 3rd and 6th to induce a punt on the opening series of the afternoon…
On Long Island’s opening possession, as 12-yard run by Chaminade field general, Timothy Murphy, helped moved the pigskin to inside the enemy 35; but then Giovanelli stepped up with a sack of his own to in turn generate a punt…
An All-Lion hook-up between Ryan Walsh and Brendan Mullen for 35 yards on 3rd & 5 during the second possession of the day for NYC propelled the ball across midfield to the LI 42; but then it was Viscardi blowing up the march when on 2nd & 8, he’d sniff out a screen pass and make the hit for a 6-yard loss to create a 3rd & 14 from which the City could not recover and would kick away two snaps later…
The beautifully placed boot from 2023 NYCHSFL AAA/NYS Offensive Player of the Year, Rich Belin (Cardinal Hayes), buried Long Island inside their own 10, thus setting up the aforementioned Del Giorno fumble recovery touchdown…
Following the defensive TD, each squad would have opportunities to either even the game and/or expand the lead; but those effort proved futile, as Long Island got to their own 46 (approximately 6:10 to go before the break) and then to the 50 (20-yard connection between Holy Trinity’s Josiah Patrick and KMH’s Donovan O’Toole on the last play of the half) before their two drive were halted by either the opposing defense or the clock…
In-between the pair of unsuccessful drives from LI’s finest, NYC reached its own 40, but back-to-back highlights from HT Titan personnel— Nehemiah Hicks (tipped a screen pass on 2nd & 9 to spoil what could have been a big gainer) and Justin Hogan (QB bag for –11 to bring up 4th & 20) resulted in a punt with just under 1:00 before the brief retreat into the locker room!
The 2nd half commenced with some fireworks for LI, as Enoch Thomas (Holy Trinity) returned the kickoff to the NYC 43…
But the momentum was short-lived as the first snap of the possession was mishandled and then pounced on by St. Joe’s by the Sea DL, John Munson, on his own 49…
The costly turnover from LI enabling NYC to have ideal starting field possession, the gents from Manhattan/Staten Island/Brooklyn/Bronx made certain not to squander this gift, as consecutive runs of 15 yards each by Stepinac tailback, Jesse Osborne, advanced them to the LI 15…SJS Viking/2024 AA-1 Offensive MVP, Thomas DiGregorio, took a hand-off 15 yards to the 1-yard line; and then it was Cardinal Spellman’s Bryan Johnson (note: not confirmed) cashing in on the short carry to double the lead to 14-0 (Belin to Xavier’s Jackson Lent on the 2pt conversion pass) with 6:15 remaining in 3Q!!!
The Nassau/Suffolk/Queens contingent [LI] would finally find some sustained groove on offense on the ensuing series; as another long KO return by Thomas (this time to his own 39) served for a catalyst on an effective 61-yard march…
A 10-yard run by St. John the Baptist QB, Maxwell Bowers (moved the ball to the opposing 45); A 9-yard completion from KMHS’s Jack Durso to STA’s Will Hart on 3rd &8 to extend the drive; and an ill-timed personal foul against the City defense put “Strong Island” in business on the enemy 15…
Breaking out the trickery inside the red zone, a double-pass from Murphy to Hart to 2024 AA-2 Offensive Player of the Year recipient, Brayden McMahon (Holy Cross), for the 15-yard TD exchange cut the deficit to 14-7 with :38 remaining in the third stanza…
Allowing a trade-off of scores seemingly motivated both defenses; it was the likes of Kyle Toppin (Holy Cross DL), Christian DaCosta (Kellenberg DB) for LI, and Cardinal Hayes teammates– Kahmari Valentine/Blake Belin responsible doing the deed for NYC in posting respective stands on the next two drives at the onset of the 4th quarter…
With the opponent having marched to their own 37, Topping stuffed a run on 2nd & 6 for a 2-yard loss and then DaCosta made an essential pass break-up down field (on his own 41) on the next snap (3rd &8 scenario) to bring up 4th/Long and cause NYC to punt…
The Georgia Tech bound Belin and 2024 AAA Metro Catholic DPOY selection, Valentine; then in turn quelled what would be Long Island’s last-ditch attempt at an equalizer, as they registered sacks on consecutive snaps for losses of 9 and 8 yards to push a drive that started on the LI 31 all the way back to the 15 and produce a boot away with just over 7:40 to go in regulation…LI never got another opportunity with the ball!!
Needing only to retain possession and milk the clock to hang on for the triumph; New York City had no intention to settle in their last hurrah as NYCHSFL student-athletes…
Instead, after taking over at midfield with approximately 7:31 to go in the contest; it would be a clutch 12-yard pitch-and-catch from Belin to Stepinac’s Zaire Spellman on 4th & 4th that kept the drive alive (to the LI 32); complemented by a 22-yard WR screen-pass to Hayes Cardinal turned Yale Bulldog, Reid Jones (to the LI 10); and then a run of 9 yards by 2x AA-1 OPOY, Jeremiah Williams (St. Eagles), that put NYC on the doorstep…
A stuff of Belin on a QB draw temporarily keeping hope intact for Long Island; Williams punched across the line on his last snap as an Eagle living legend for the “icer” with 90 seconds to go to round out the output!
All that was left to do was “row the boat” and get the celebration started!!
Williams and Del Giorno were named as the Outstanding Offensive and Defensive Players for the victors; while Hart and Kellenberg’s Nicholas Kramer were recognized for their efforts on behalf of LI!