AUGUST 28 – TURTLE CREEK, PA – The 2026 Varsity Football Season started explosively for the Crusaders as just 39 seconds in and 80 yards in two plays, they were in the end zone.  Trey Tagliaferri connected with Austin Busso for an 84-yard scoring strike and Jacob Soltys drove home the extra-point, giving BC an early, but short-lived 7-0 lead.
     BC would go onto gain 478 yards on 86 offensive plays, taking up 34 minutes in time of possession, but BC's 30 points fell just shy of the 45 needed to defeat Central Catholic of Pittsburgh (Dan Marino's alma mater) on a clear-skied Friday night.
     The Vikings generated a 63-yard drive to answer the Crusaders, but BC's defense held on the goal line, led by a tackle for a loss by Anthony Alfano on second and goal from the 9.  A second incomplete pass set up 4^th and Goal from the 12 and the Vikings settled for a field goal, BC leading 7-3.
     BC started fast once again, with Trey Tagliaferri connecting with Anthony Willis for a 29-yard completion, setting up 1^st and 10 at the BC 49.  After a short loss running, Jamal Hammary pulled in a Trey Tagliaferri strike for a 10-yard gain, setting up a 3^rd and 2.  BC lost a yard on the following third down attempt, but good team discipline earned a 5-yard offsides penalty against the Vikings and a BC first down.
     Bryan Porter made the biggest rushing play to date in the early game with an 8-yard scamper to the Viking 31.  Tight end JD Adamek snagged a pass on 2^nd and 2 and picked up 12 yards, moving the ball to the CC 19.
     After a second 5-yard penalty called against the Vikings, Anthony Christiano carried the ball 8 yards for a first down to the 5-yard line.  After a four-yard loss, BC threw a pair of incomplete passes on the goal line which led to a 22-yard FG attempt from the right hash.  The kick was pulled wide to the left and the score remained 7-3 in favor of the Crusaders.
     The Vikings answered with an 80-yard, 11-play drive resulting in a touchdown toward the end of the first quarter, giving CC a 10-7 lead.  Freshman defensive back Mason Chadwick and sophomore DE/OLB Nate Wortley made a couple of plays each on the drive for the Crusaders.
     Central Catholic consistently forced the Crusaders to start from deep inside their end of the field via touch backs on the first three kickoffs.  After no gain on 1^st down, Trey Tagliaferri found Nate Wortley for a 16 yard completion.
    Brody Carnahan drove a 39-yard punt, fielded at the CC 34 yard line.  After eluding a number of defenders, Carnahan made an heroic, touchdown-saving tackle at the BC 21.
     Tristan Herring knocked away one pass and made a key tackle as did captain defensive lineman Kenneth Hackney, but the Vikings connected on a 14-yard touchdown pass.  CC led 17-7.
     CC entered their locker room with a 24-7 lead at half and the Vikings opened the second half scoring, giving them a 31-7 advantage.  BC showed, they weren't finished.  Anthony Christiano rushed for an 8-yard score and Trey Tagliaferri found Austin Busso for the 2 point conversion, closing the gap to 31-15.  Anthony Willis then caught an 8-yard Trey Tagliaferri pass and Bryan Porter bullied his way into the end zone, closing the deficit to just one score, 31-23.
     BC's final score of the game came with a Joe Garcia reception for 21 yards from the hand of Trey Tagliaferri.  Jacob Soltys kicked the thirtieth point of the day, making the final score Central Catholic 45 – Bergen Catholic 30.
Notes:  Trey Tagliaferri set Junior QB records for most completions in a game (31), outperforming Johnny Langan's 2016 best of 30 completions vs. St. Peter's Prep.  He also recorded the most yards passing of any junior quarterback with 373.  Current QB Coach, Jon Germano's 15-year record of 348 vs. Friendship Academy (DC) is now history.  The 300-yard effort is the 7^th of Trey's career, two fewer than the 9 single-game efforts of Germano.
     The Crusaders out-gained the Vikings 478-392 in total offense.  The rushing game stats told a different story.  CC ran for 246 to BC's 105.
     WR Austin Busso caught 5 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.  Bryan Porter led Crusader receivers with 10 catches.
     Defensively, sophomore Nate Wortley (aka Nate The Great) led BC with 7 tackles in his varsity debut.  Mason Chadwick recorded 6 tackles in hist first varsity game...just a freshman at CB.  BIG Mike, Michael Tremarco, had five tackles in his first game for the Crusader D.  Two of the biggest tackles came from punter Brody Carnahan! 

TEAMS	1	2	3	4	FINAL
Bergen Catholic	7	0	16	7	30
Central Catholic	10	14	14	7	45

 
GAME STATISTICS
 
 

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