By: Joe Haemmerle '86
ORADELL, NJ – The Crusader JV Football Team tied the Paladins 6-6 in Super Football Conference JV Football Game on a rainy Monday afternoon at the Jack.
The Paladins faced fourth and four with 2:34 remaining in the first quarter. They opened the scoring on a seven yard run. Defensive back Jacob Gross, defensive lineman Billy Lyons and lineman Luke George combined to stop the ball carrier to prevent the two-point conversion, holding the Paladins to a 6-0 lead.
Nicholas Lisitano scored from one yard out with just under a minute to go in the first quarter to tie the score at 6. A strong kick-out block by Shaylen Christian, and blocking by Rockwell Rosenberg and Timothy Guinan at the point of attack helped to create a nice seam. The interior linemen Luke George, Eamon Errity and Hunter Gillon did a nice job of eliminating penetration so Lisitano could read the hole. The Crusaders attempted the PAT, but the snap was high over the holder's head and the point attempt failed.
Brody Carnahan drove the ensuing kickoff into the end zone. His talent on the JV team is definitely a luxury and certainly a rarity for most high school football programs on the JV level.
Darnell Wilson, younger brother of Brandon, made a stellar TFL to set up 2
nd 14 on the last play of the first quarter.
The Paladins went four and out from their own 16-yard line and turned the ball over to the Crusaders there. The gamble paid off for PC as the Crusaders were unable to move the ball from there the score remained 6-6.
After a PC first down, Luke George drove his guard four yards deep in the backfield and enveloped the running back for a 3-yard tackle for loss. Wilson made the next TFL followed by corner back Andreas Michelas. Rosenberg made a nice TFL on swing pass and Lisitano got in on the TFL action on tunnel screen on 4
th down, giving BC the ball.
Ralph Tristani demonstrated nice poise and execution as he began leading a drive with just 39 seconds remaining. After a 7-yard completion on first down, he hit a kid named 21 on a seam pass, good for a first down with 39 seconds. To clarify, Jordan Thomas is #21 and I am quite sure Coach Campanile was not going to have his Ohio State-bound senior captain playing in this game. BC was unable to score after four incomplete passes. The Paladins ran the ball once and the clock ran out on the half.
The teams played a scoreless second half, though the Crusaders did move into the red zone with 5:27 remaining in the game. Tristani threw a beautiful pass just beyond the reach of Quinn Dunleavy in the back of the end zone, ending the Crusader drive. PC drove the ball to the Crusader 10 with four minutes remaining in the game, requiring the BC D to step-up.
Suffice it to say, Darnell Wilson and the boys were not going to let up. On first down, he read the counter, got off his blocker and made a tackle after a 5-yard gain. Billy Lyons drove off the backside from his end position and recorded a tackle on second down, setting up a third and goal from the three. Eamonn Errity grabbed the Paladin runner low and Logan Poleshuk finished him off high to prevent a score and set up a fourth and goal from the Crusader two-yard line with just 1:50 remaining in the game. Freshman Justin Golden showed exactly why Syracuse University is seeking his talents on fourth and goal by slicing through the Paladin line and tossing the running back before finishing him off with a plethora of his teammates.
The Crusaders were still in a dangerous situation with the ball at their own 3. Lisitano ran the ball out to the 10 before a pair of penalties against the Crusaders backed them up to their own two-yard line. The second penalty was especially disappointing as Tristani hit Dunleavy for a big play that would have been a first down outside the twenty.
Tristani made his most important throw of the day on a tunnel screen to Brady Galligher who picked up 28 yards, bringing the ball to the BC 30-yard line. Tristani hit Galligher again along the sideline picking up 8 yards with 42 seconds remaining.
The Paladins had one last ditch effort to score and threw the ball long, but defensive back Christopher Smith intercepted at the BC 8 to stop the threat.
Of course, never settling for a tie with out going for the win, Tristani needed to elude a pair of defensive linemen while in his end zone (which could have resulted in a safety if he was tackled) and made a nice pass, but the Crusaders did not come down with it and the game ended.
| TEAM |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
FINAL |
| Paramus Catholic |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
| Bergen Catholic |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
