Massi Returns in Carmel Rout of North Rock, Rams Earn No.1 Seed

By Ray Gallagher, Examiner Sports Editor @Directrays

While he was standing on the sidelines rooting on his teammates the previous three weeks, CARMEL senior RB/LB Josh Massi underwent a rigorous rehabilitation after having some meniscus on his knee cleaned up. All the while, you could see him chomping at the bit under his jersey — his helmet and pads under lock and key — while his state-ranked (No.12), undefeated Rams (7-0) reeled off three wins without him.

Carmel Coach Todd Cayea took the leash off Massi in Friday’s 38-0 league rout of visiting North Rockland, and the lead dog delivered a ferocious three-TD effort to go with 162 yards.

“He’s a difference-maker,” Coach Cayea said after his Rams wrapped up the No.1 seed in the upcoming Section 1 Class AA playoffs where Carmel will open against visiting Fox Lane Friday.

Getting off that leash was a team effort, according to Massi.

“It was amazing to be back with my boys and play for our community,” said Massi. “I only get into that end zone because of my awesome team and group of coaches. I was able to stay fresh during the three games off with the help of an elite support team. We found our gear and never let off the gas against a very athletic North Rockland team. My coaches and teammates are amazing talents driven to go all the way!”

By “all the way” Massi means the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, home of the NYSPHSAA championships since 1993. Carmel has never been there, but the Rams are driving under the influence of effective and efficient teamwork, stoked by big-play capability, an unusual willingness to grind and a defense second to none.

Tied with Class A Somers for the fewest points allowed (28), Carmel pitched its third shutout of the season in an overwhelming performance against North Rockland (3-4). Rams FB Nick Rosaforte rushed four times for 47 yards and hauled in a 14-yard Kevin Dal aerial for a score. Dall hit on 6-of-13 passes for 63 yards and added 12 rushing yards from under center. Matt Risley added a one-yard TD plunge. Thomas Keating rushed eight times for 72 yards as the Rams amassed 334 yards on 39 carries (a whopping 8.6 yards per pop) behind the section’s top offensive line — Owen Boland, Scott Danvin, Anthony Briante, Jack Kane, Nick Oster, Ryan Lagan and TJ Fusco.

The top-seeded Rams will host No.4 FOX LANE Friday in the opening round of the Class AA playoffs.

CLASS A

SOMERS waltzed through LAKELAND in a 38-0 win over the banged-up Hornets (1-6) when Tusker QB Matt Fitzsimons connected on 6-of-8 passes for 162 yards and a pair of TD strikes to Trey Mancuso (3 grabs for 69 yards) and Ravi Dass Jr. (53 yards).

Tusker RBs Derek Marcus (33 yard TD), James Balancia (12-yard TD) and Luke Savino all found paydirt and Savino also kicked a 44-yard field goal and went 5-for-5 on PATs.

No.4 Harrison will visit top-seeded Somers, ranked No.11 in NYS, Friday (7 p.m.) in the opening round of the sectional tournament.

No.3 Clarkstown North will visit No.2 MAHOPAC after Coach Dom DeMatteo’s Indians (5-2) made short work of visiting PANAS (0-7) in a 44-6 runaway. Mahopac QB Anthony DeMatteo (8-of-10, 249 yards, all in first half) completed what is believed to be a school record five TD passes. Two of those strikes went to senior WR Patrick MaMahon (2 catches, 102 yards). Steven Perrone (2 catches, 55 yards), Michael Callahan and Ryan Rondeau all caught a TD pass while RB Joey Koch rushed for 83 yards and a TD on 10 carries. It was his 11th rushing score of the season.

BREWSTER (5-2) will visit No.2 Pelham (6-1) after the Bears (5-2) posted a 28-7 win over John Jay CR. Brewster senior QB Chris Donohue did not misfire a pass, hitting on 7-of-7 for 110 yards while rushing for a score and firing a 42-yard acrobatic catch by Matt Dunn to set up another score. Brewster RB/LB Massimo Parrello returned an interception 68 yards for a score and Jack Golinello had two sacks for Brewster defense that stepped up when it needed to against a Jay offense that attempted 41 passes.

“Matt Dunn was completely laid out horizontally and stretched to make a pivotal catch at a pivotal time,” Brewster Coach Ed Mulvihill said of the big grab. “It was one of the best catches I’ve seen in a while.”

Martinez walked it in from the two-yard line and the Bears were up 14-0 going into halftime.

“We were able to run the ball and control the clock in the first half,” the coach said. “(Jay Coach) Jimmy Clark’s teams are explosive. They come into the game averaging 30 points per game, and our game plan was to try and keep them off of the field as much as possible because they roll downhill and are very tough to stop when they are executing their offense. He’s one of the top coaches in the section, so we needed to have a great week of practice to get ready for them and the players did everything we asked of them.”

Nick Sayegh paced the Bears with 10 tackles but Golinello had the game of the night. He finished with eight tackles (5 for a loss) and two drive-crushing sacks.

“Jack was constantly in the backfield,” Mulvihill said. “We moved him to d-end this season (he played safety last year) and the move has paid off. He is very fast and is a matchup problem for some tackles.”

YORKTOWN did not make the playoffs but the Huskers (3-4) showed no quit on senior night in a 35-24 win over visiting Lourdes. Yorktown senior RB Marco McKnight had a career day, rushing 20 times for 220 yards and three TDs. McKnight also took a fumble 90 yards to the house. Versatile Husker DL Vincent Cappelli was in on 27 tackles and Jack Carlin added 11.

CLASS B

HEN HUD (4-3) will be hosting a playoff game for the first time since 1999 (unofficially), according to A.D. Tom Baker after the Sailors sunk Briarcliff, 28-7. Sailor RB Anthony Panettieri had 30 carries for 175 yards and two touchdowns. Chris Parkes added a score and Will Richer had a 28-yard pick-6 for the second-seeded Sailors, who will host No.3 Byram Hills, the reigning Class B champions.

“Panettieri is the kind of kid every coach wants,” Hen Hud skipper John Catano said. “He’s the kind of kid that goes out there every day and does his job, never complains, runs hard, plays hard and is just a great all-around football player. He’s just a fantastic kid.”

CLASS D

HALDANE is cooking good. The state-ranked (No.13) Blue Devils improved to 6-1 after QB Rayn Van Tassell’s two fourth-quarter TD strikes championed a 20-14 come-from-behind win over Blind Brook Saturday. Julian Forcello (5 grabs, 38 yards) and Ryan Irwin (5 for 60 yards rushing) each hauled in a TD pass from Van Tassel (10-of-19, 112 yards). RB/LB Evan Giachinta was the horse the Blue Devils rode in on. The 6’2” 180-pound sophomore did it on both sides of the ball, rushing for 51 yards and a TD on 18 carries while making four tackles (2 for loss), a sack and an interception on defense.

From this point forward, everything Haldane does will be with one eye on state-ranked (No.9) Tuckahoe, as the two embrace their annual challenge for Class D supremacy in the weeks ahead.

Haldane will visit Class C heavyweight Dobbs Ferry, ranked No.11 in NYS, Saturday (1:30 p.m.) in what might be their biggest test of the season.