11-22-08 CHSFL Class AAA Final 48-35 L

Senior Kevin O’Malley found the end zone against Iona Prep.

BY JONATHAN WALTER

It was a big day for Jeffery Mack and the top-seeded Iona Prep Gaels as they defeated No. 2 St. Anthony’s, 48-35, in the CHSFL Class AAA championship on a cold and windy Saturday evening at the Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale.

Mack rushed for 396 yards and scored all seven of Iona Prep’s touchdowns. The Gaels ended their season a perfect 12-0, beating St. Anthony’s (9-3) for the second time this season and ending St. Anthony’s seven-year championship run.

The Gaels started out strong, scoring on their first possession of the game. After getting the ball at their 20-yard line, Mack burst through the pile and with his great speed, outran the Friars defensive backs for a 50-yard run all the way into the end zone.

The Friars offense on the other hand, looked nothing like the impressive unit that dominated all season. After catching a short pass from quarterback Brendan Schroeder, Nicholas Mercurio fumbled the ball and Gaels defenders fell on top of it. Iona Prep capitalized upon the Friars’ error, and with the help of a 16-yard run from Mack, took a quick 14-0 lead.

Nicholas Ferrara put the Friars on the board with time running down in the first quarter and with the howling wind at his back. He nailed a 37-yard field goal.

But that didn’t change the game plan of Iona Prep. The Gaels continued to hand the ball off to Mack, who ran for 55 yards on the next drive. Mack’s 6-yard score, his third of the game, made it 21-3.

The Friars made things interesting going into halftime. On an 8-minute, 18-play drive starting at their own 25, the Friars ate up the second quarter and scored on an 8-yard Kevin O’Malley touchdown. The Friars scored again after linebacker John Burk intercepted a pass from Iona Prep quarterback Tyrae Woodson-Samuels.

A 31-yard run from Nicholas Flynn pulled the Friars to 21-16 going into halftime.

An eighth straight title was not meant to be. The Gaels ran away with it in the second half. Mack added two more long touchdown runs, including a 71-yarder, to increase the lead to 19 points.

The Friars rallied late and scored 19 points in the fourth quarter, including a 78-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Flynn, but would fall short.

SCORING
TEAMS………………..1…..2…..3…..4 — FINAL
St. Anthony’s…………3….13…..0….19 — 35
Iona Prep……………14…..7….14….13 — 48
IP – Mack 50 run (Carthy kick)
IP – Mack 16 run (Carthy kick)
SA – FG Ferrara 37
IP – Mack 6 run (Carthy kick)
SA — O’Malley 8 run (run failed)
SA – Flynn 3 run (Ferrara kick)
IP – Mack 47 run (kick failed)
IP – Mack 71 run (Mack run)
IP – Mack 19 run (kick failed)
SA – Flynn 78 kickoff return (run failed)
SA – Martin 4 pass from Schroeder (pass failed)
IP – Mack 38 run (Carthy kick)
SA – Mercurio 48 run (Ferrara kick)