Crusaders Slay Lions to Complete an Undefeated Regular Season
For the first time in Stepinac High School football history, the team has won nine straight games in the regular season and gone undefeated in the CHSFL AAA. Stepinac trounced Monsignor Farrell High School, 49-0, on Saturday, to complete their regular season undefeated at 9-0.
Despite the fact that the Crusaders went undefeated at 12-0 and won the CHSFL Championship in 2010, it was while competing in AA A. This is the first time in the school’s history that Stepinac has had this level of success in the CHSFL AAA AA.
The Crusaders charged the Lions quickly and decisively to assure that they maintained their undefeated regular season record. Stepinac scored 21 points in the first quarter and five seconds into the second quarter scored another seven points.
Crusaders running back Malcolm Major starting the scoring by bursting through a hole and running 52 yards for a touchdown at 10:51 of the first quarter. “It was a great start, making big plays. Brandon (Coleman) and I and a few other players are the tone setters, we get the offense going,” said Major.
After cornerback Tyquan Ennis blocked a punt on defense; six seconds later, junior quarterback Tyquell Fields flipped an 11-yard pass to Andrew Geni for a touchdown at 4:51 in the first period.
Ennis would again exploit the Lions offense by recovering a fumble on Farrell’s 31-yard line. Then Naval Academy bound quarterback Brendon Coleman, who has the seamen salivating, waiting for his arrival next year, ran 31 yards for a touchdown on a quarterback keeper.
The referee blew the whistle to end the first quarter with Stepinac leading 21-0, after Ennis showed off his offensive skills, while running 24 yards to the seven-yard line of the Lions. Then five seconds into the second quarter, Coleman decided to show the fans why Navy had come calling and threw an 11-yard strike to wide receiver Jesse Brown for a TD.
Before Farrell could even get their bearings or footing on the wet Turf Field at Stepinac, the Crusaders were in command of the game, 28-0. Crusaders fans who weathered the rainy, cold and windy day could now forecast that they were going to get what they came for, which was a 9-0 record and an undefeated regular season.
“It is an awesome feeling, because last year we were young and we ended 7-4. To turn it around and beat some of the teams that we beat this year and end the regular season like this, it is just a great feeling,” said Coleman.
Stepinac’s offense scored seven touchdowns and seven extra points in the game, while their defense tamed the Lions. It was Stepinac’s second shutout of the season, while blanking St. Francis Prep, 56-0, on September 26.
Even the one time in the game when Monsignor Farrell was threatening to score on Stepinac’s 17-yard line; the Crusaders forced a fumble, which was recovered by cornerback Gavin Heslop to end the first half.
While the Stepinac offense has racked up 396 points in nine games this season, their defense has relinquished a stingy 83 points to opponents thus far this year. “It feels really good; we have a lot of people talking about our defense. We just try to stay humble and keep doing our job,” commented senior linebacker Brain Malone.
The seven extra points in the game are credited to steadfast place-kicker senior Matthew Tierney, who has kicked 26 of 30 PAT this season, while his partner junior kicker Liam Butler has booted 26 of 27 extra points.
Heslop, whose brother Garfield played on the 2010 undefeated CHSFL AA A team, is a game-changer on the field. Heslop blocked a punt, recovered a fumble and ran 53 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to make the score 42-0. Malik Crawford scored the final touchdown for the Crusaders on a five-yard run.
“My brother Garfield is always bragging about how his team won the Championship his junior year. I just want to show him that our team can do it also,” smiled Heslop said smiling.
Stepinac (9-0 overall, 7-0 AAA) earned the number one seed in this year’s CHSFL AAA AA Playoffs. The Crusaders will host the number eight seed Cardinal Hayes High School, (3-6 overall, 3-4 AAA) in the CHSFL AAA Quarterfinals, on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 1 p.m. at Stepinac High School.
“We knew we had talent this season. But we are not getting too ahead of ourselves, as we have not won anything yet,” commented Stepinac Head Coach Mike O’Donnell. “The next two weeks is a very difficult tournament. We want to be the last ones standing, as they do not give out any trophies for winning the regular season,” a cautiously optimistic O’Donnell emphasized.
