Football Preview: Iona Prep

The Friars play for their eighth straight CHSFL title.

BY JASON MOLINET

Once again, St. Anthony’s is playing for the CHSFL Class AAA title. The season ends Saturday one way or another. This situation feels similar to a year ago when the Friars faced off against the one team that tripped them up during the regular season.

Last season St. Anthony’s avenged a crushing Week 3 loss to Mount St. Michael with a memorable come-from-behind victory over the Mountaineers in the final. One year later and the Friars are hoping to work the same magic against Iona Prep, which downed St. Anthony’s 41-21 on Oct. 25.

There is one big difference between this season and last. St. Anthony’s was at full strength by the time it reached Hofstra. When the No. 2 Friars (9-2) face off against top-seeded Iona Prep (11-0) at 4 p.m. Saturday at Mitchel Athletic Complex, it will be without the team’s top two offensive stars. (The game will be broadcast live over the Internet by http://sports.espn.go.com/stations/1050espnradio/)

No Atiq Lucas or Tom Schreiber (each sidelined with broken legs) has robbed an offense of its fire. And while the Friars have proven to be remarkably deep and resiliant, the losses have been felt.

Junior Brendan Schroeder, who opened fall practice as the third quarterback, will make his second straight start. He’ll need to lean on senior running back Nick Mercurio, a threat running or catching the ball. And the offensive line will need a big game.

As St. Anthony’s plays for its eighth straight CHSFL title, there’s no doubt the coaching staff will cook up a winning game plan. The offense will score.

The real question is whether the defense can slow Iona Prep. The Gaels have piled up a division-high 372 points (Class AA team Xavier posted an insane 458).

When the teams met Week 8 in Westchester, the Gaels rushed for a remarkable 343 yards. Quarterback Tyrae Woodson-Samuels had 166 yards on 14 carries and two scores and completed 5 of 9 passes for 101 yards and another touchdown. The defense couldn’t contain the shifty quarterback.

Running back Jeff Mack finished off the Friars, running strong in the fourth quarter. Another threat St. Anthony’s has struggled to contain this season — and in a semifinal win a year ago — is wideout Chris Alfano.

All of which means the Friars need to execute at all three levels, from the defensive line to the linebackers to the secondary. The linebackers and safeties, in particular, will need to make all the right decisions. That means denying Woodson-Samuels running lanes; stringing him out. And for the safeties, aggressively supporting against the run.

It’s a tall order. But in the world of high school sports, all things are possible. And when it comes to the Friars, the possible becomes probable.

NOTE: This is the final game coverage for Friar Sports.com. We are ceasing publication.