Football Preview: St. Joseph Sea

It will be up to St. Anthony’s linebackers such as Storm Harris to stop the Vikings.

BY JASON MOLINET

One down. Three to go. The St. Anthony’s football team is in the midst of a brutal four-game stretch of road games. And not just any opponents. After dispatching Farrell last week, the Friars return to Staten Island to face St. Joseph by the Sea.

The game is 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. (At least the traffic on the Verrazano Bridge should be light.) And while St. Anthony’s (4-1 overall, 3-0 CHSFL) can’t afford to look ahead, showdowns with Chaminade and Iona Prep await.

This week is all about the Vikings. St. Joe’s (3-1, 2-1) was unbeaten and ranked ahead of St. Anthony’s by the state Sportswriters Association just one week ago. Chaminade jumped on the Vikings early and scored a 31-14 knockout.

That bodes well for the explosive Friars, who have outscored foes 55-21 in the first quarter and 71-33 in the second so far this season.

The defense stepped up and shut down the Vikings’ often-times confounding single wing offense a year ago. The Friars will need a similar effort to slow the Vikings’ impressive ground attack. Lyle McCombs and Andrew Armarto have each rushed for at least 500 yards and five touchdowns this season.

The Vikings are one-dimensional. But they will have to stop a St. Anthony’s team that’s scored on special teams, and with the run and pass. Get Atiq Lucas in open space and he’ll break a big play. Junior Tom Schreiber — who Newsday’s Gregg Sarra called the top quarterback on Long Island this week — has great field awareness.

It all adds up to another Friars win. And a long bus ride home.