Stepinac Crushes St. Francis, 49-7, to Defend CHSAA NYS Football Title
The Stepinac High School Football Team’s Coaching staff led family, fans and supporters in a rendition of the Queen song “We are Champions” at Dunnes Pub, after beating St. Francis High School, 49-7, to capture their third CHSAA New York State Football Championship in four years at Stepinac on Saturday.
After starting the season 1-4, the Crusaders won their second consecutive Catholic High School New York State Football Championship. The Crusaders ran-off seven straight wins including beating Iona Prep in the CHSFL AAA Semifinals and defeating Cardinal Hayes High School in the CHSFL AAA Championship to advance to the NYS Title Game.
“It feels good with all the adversity we went through at the beginning of the season; it just feels good,” celebrated senior wide receiver Shawn Harris.
The Monsignor Martin Conference Champion Red Raiders from Buffalo proved no-match for the Crusaders offense or defense. Stepinac scored six touchdowns and sacked St. Francis quarterback Jake Ritts nine times in the first half.
At 10:14 of the first quarter when Crusaders linebacker Kevin McKenna blocked a Red Raiders punt and cornerback Mekhi Green recovered and ran it for a 20-yard touchdown; it was a sign of things to come in the Championship game.
Stepinac quarterback Joey Carino bootlegged around right-end for a 5-yard TD. Carino also hit “Big Play” Harris twice with 52-yard and 62-yard touchdown passes in the first half. Carino also hit junior wide receiver Quentin McCauley, a player you will see a lot of next season, with a 33-yard touchdown strike in the first half.
When running back Malik “Workhorse’ Grant ran eight yards and plowed his way into the end zone to end the first half, the game was all but over with Stepinac leading 42-7.
Carino threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns, while hitting McCauley again in the fourth quarter for a TD. The junior quarterback also ran for one touchdown. Harris, who is on his way to Stoney Brook University, had nine receptions for 205 yards and two touchdowns. Grant put his work in as usual while carrying 17 times for 124 yards and a touchdown.
The Stepinac defense stymied Red Raiders quarterback Ritts at a rate of 12 sacks in the game. Senior defensive end Joe Garbowski led the attack with five sacks and on the other end Dougie Simmons complemented him with three sacks.
Also, let’s not forget Place Kicker Nate Henderson, who converted on all seven extra-point attempts. “When we were 1-4 people were throwing dirt on our coffin. For these players to show so much resiliency and work so hard to come back and win the State Title; it is a great day at Stepinac,” stated O’Donnell, completing his 31st year as Head Coach of the Crusaders.
Congratulations to the Stepinac High School Football Team from White Plains, the back-to-back CHSAA NYS Football Champions!
