By: Joe Haemmerle '86
SEPTEMBER 4 – OLNEY, MD – The Varsity Football Team lost by the narrowest of margins, 41-39 on Friday night at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Maryland. The Crusaders outgained their hosts 496 yards – 494, but it was the last yard at the Falcon 1 that BC needed to secure their first win of 2026. As time expired, it was just a mere couple of inches that separated victory from defeat. But was it?
For those following TWIBCS, it would be hard to find an article questioning calls, but watching from the goal line, seeing
Trey Tagliaferri on his back with the ball 1+ yards in the end zone before a whistle is blown? It's kind of like that extra second the home team got at the big house when on the verge of losing to Western Michigan. QUESTIONABLE.
That said, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger and despite what many may believe, this VERY GOOD Crusader team has a very bright future.
The Crusaders forced the Falcons backwards for 4 yards on their first three plays behind strong defense from
Anthony Alfano, Nick Mauro,
Rocky Rosenberg and
Nate Wortley. BC moved the ball, but three offensive penalties ultimately created enough friction to stall the drive bringing punter
Brody Carnahan onto the field. Carnahan's punt was a thing of beauty, rolling out of bounds at the 3-yard line, pinning the Falcons deep in their own end.
A holding call of their own, backed up OLCG to their own 1. Then on first and twelve from the 1, BC was called on a pass interference penalty on a PERFECTLY DEFENDED PASS. Good Counsel ran off two big runs and one long pass later, they were in the end zone with a touchdown pass and a 7-0 lead.
Jamel Hammary answered with a 43-yard touchdown reception on a beautiful pass from
Trey Tagliaferri.
Austin Busso went 55 yards for a touchdown from Tagliaferri and after
Brody Carnahan's second PAT, the Crusaders were up 14-7.
With 8:15 remaining in the half, the Falcons scored to tie the game at 14, but BC was having success on offense. After strong running from
Anthony Willis,
Anthony Cristiano and
Gavin Anderson moved to a fourth and one situation at the Falcon 29. Tagliaferri's complete pass yielded no yards and the drive stalled with 5:28 remaining in the half.
The Crusader defense yielded 21 yards but made the key play when
Darnell Wilson tackled the Falcon ball-carrier for a 1-yard loss on 4
th and one with 2:27 remaining.
On first down from midfield, Tagliaferri was sacked for a 17-yard loss, so on second and 27, the Crusaders looked to run the clock.
Anthony Cristiano was stopped for a two-yard loss and then on third down and 29, the BC ball carrier ran of bounds for a one-yard loss, stopping the clock with 1:39 remaining in the half.
Carnahan sent his punt 30 yards and it was returned 6, giving OLGC the ball at their own 39 with 1:27 remaining in the half. BC's defense forced a 47-yard field goal attempt with 2 seconds remaining in the half. His kick was down the middle and the Falcons entered the halftime with a 17-14 lead.
BC fumbled the kickoff return, giving GC the ball first down at the Crusader 27. Two plays later, they had a 10-point lead.
Senior WR,
Bryan Porter played arguably his best game as a Crusader on Friday. It started with a touchdown reception to cut the lead to 24-21. For the second time in two weeks, the senior hauled in 10 catches, this week for a team leading 147 yards and a touchdown. But it was in special teams that Porter truly shined! A pair of long kick-off returns for touchdowns kept the heartbeat alive as BC hung in the game for 48 minutes.
Cruz Araujo made a number of key plays on the subsequent drive, knocking down a third down pass. After a missed field goal by the Falcons, BC drove the length of the field behind big plays from Busso, Hammary and Porter before a couple of rule misunderstandings were called against the Crusaders inside the 5. That set up a FG attempt which led to Busso being injured by a GC lineman falling on his ankle. Enter kickoff returning specialist
Bryan Porter who then took TWO to the house, 93 yards and 100 yards! The second came with 1:43 remaining in the game, cutting the score to 41-39. Tagliaferri rolled to his right, but his pass fell short of the receiver at the goal line and BC remained down two points.
Enter Brody! Carnahan laid down, and recovered, a perfect, dribbling onside kick-off ten yards to the fifty yard-line. On the next play, Trey threw a perfect, spiraling pass to
Bryan Porter who hauled it in, sliding to the 7-yard line. From there, yards were at a premium and ultimately the game was decided with Tagliaferri in the end zone, none of the significant people on the field raising their hands to the sky and a difficult defeat for the Crusaders.
This coming Saturday, BC hosts the Hawks of St. Joseph Prep of Philadelphia, PA at The Jack. While the teams have met through the years on the freshman level, this marks the first time these two north-east powerhouses will line up against one another.
| TEAMS |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
FINAL |
| Bergen Catholic |
0 |
14 |
13 |
12 |
39 |
| OL Good Counsel (MD) |
7 |
10 |
14 |
10 |
41 |
NOTES:
- Trey Tagliaferri completed 30 of 35 passes for 419 yards, shattering Jon Germano's previous single-game passing yardage record of 380.
- Seniors Nick Mauro and Tristan Herring and sophomore Nate Wortley led the Crusaders with 9 tackles. Herring led the team with 5 solos.
- Sophomore Cruz Araujo had a monster game at linebacker for BC with 8 tackles and two passes defended.
- The 0-2 start marks the first time the Crusaders have lost their first two opening games since 2004. BC went on to win 10 straight, ultimately defeating Don Bosco Prep in the State Final, securing Coach Fred Stengel's school-record ninth state championship.
| GAME STATS |
BC |
OLGC |
| 1st Downs |
21 |
19 |
| 1st Downs R / P / Pen |
6 / 14 / 1 |
12 / 6 / 1 |
| Rushing Yards |
76 |
234 |
| Pass Comp / Att - Pct |
30 / 35 - .857 |
13 / 17 - .765 |
| Passing Yards |
419 |
260 |
| Passing TD's / Ints |
3 / 0 |
4 / 0 |
| Total Plays |
61 |
59 |
| Total Yardage |
495 |
494 |
| Fumbles / Lost |
2 / 1 |
1 / 0 |
| Sacks / Yards Lost |
0 / 0 |
2 / 18 |
| Time of Possession |
21:22 |
26:38 |
| 3rd Down Efficiency |
5 of 8 |
4 of 9 |
| 4th Down Efficiency |
0 of 1 |
0 of 1 |
| Punts / Avg. |
2 / 33.0 |
2 / 33.0 |
