9-13-08 DELBARTON 52-14 W

Friars quarterback Tom Schreiber made his home debut a memorable one.

BY JASON MOLINET


There was a moment when doubt crept into the mind of junior quarterback Tom Schreiber. One week after the St. Anthony’s offense struggled to move the ball in a downpour against nationally-ranked St. Joseph Prep in Philadelphia, the Friars found itself challenged once again.

New Jersey power Delbarton had threatened to turn Cy Donnelly Field into its own private retreat. There was the RV in the parking lot, a hub for tailgating Green Wave fans. And the painted teenagers in the stands made their presence known. But that was all just window dressing to what Delbarton did on the field.

Barely five minutes into Saturday night’s non-league football showdown in South Huntington, quarterback E.J. Schneider threw a short touchdown pass to put the Green Wave in front 14-7. Could St. Anthony’s keep up? Schreiber, making just his second career start, wondered. So did virtually everyone else among the crowd of 2500.

Boy, did St. Anthony’s ever respond. Schreiber threw two touchdowns and senior Atiq Lucas found the end zone three times as the Friars scored the game’s final 45 points in a stunning 52-14 victory. But there’s no time to enjoy the offensive output.

The CHSFL schedule begins with a big date with rival Holy Trinity at 7 p.m. Friday.

Schreiber’s night began ominously enough. He threw an interception to end the first series of the game and give Delbarton the ball at the Friars’ 17-yard line.

But after the Green Wave scored, Lucas took back the momentum with an electric 84-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Nick Ferrara, who missed last week’s game with a foot injury, kicked the first of seven extra points to tie things at 7.

Schneider hooked up on a 79-yard pass to set up another Delbarton score.

“I was a little worried to be honest,’’ said Schreiber, who completed 5 of 9 passes for 187 yards and two scores. “But we responded. Big time!”

As if shot out of a cannon, senior running back Kevin O’Malley took the first carry of the next possession 69 yards to the end zone. Once again, the Friars had answered.

The turning point came late in the opening quarter when linebacker John Burk reached out and pulled in an interception, giving St. Anthony’s the ball at the Delbarton 23-yard line. Junior Nicholas Flynn scored on a 1-yard run four plays later for a 21-14 edge.

With Delbarton driving, the Friars’ Ryan Fumai hauled in an interception near the goal line. It was the first of two picks for the senior defensive back.

St. Anthony’s responded with a crushing blow. Schreiber found Lucas open behind the coverage and the fleet back did the rest, turning the hookup into a 69-yard touchdown pass for a 28-14 lead with 7:58 left in the half.

It was a laugher from there.

MVP
One week after St. Joseph Prep (Penn.) shut down Atiq Lucas, the speedy senior back managed just 1 yard on three carries against Delbarton (N.J.). Really! Lucas might not have carried the load out of the backfield, but he found other ways to impact the game. First off was his 84-yard kickoff return for the Friars’ first touchdown. Then Lucas broke a 69-yard score on a catch and run. He also added a 3-yard touchdown run. His rushing stat line might not look impressive, but performances don’t come much bigger.

KEY PLAY
Any of Lucas’ three scores might fit the bill. But nothing was more jaw dropping than watching unheralded senior Kevin O’Malley burst through the line and jet through the Delbarton secondary en route to a 69-yard touchdown run. It helped forge a tie at 14 and change the dynamic of the game.

SCORING
TEAM…………………..…1……2…..3…….4 — FINAL
Delbarton (N.J.)………….14…..0…..0…….0 — 14
St. Anthony’s……………14…17…21…….0 — 52
DEL – NA 1 run (NA kick)
SA – Lucas 84 kickoff return (Ferrara kick)
DEL – NA 1 pass from Schneider (NA kick)
SA – O’Malley 69 run (Ferrara kick)
SA – Flynn 1 run (Ferrara kick)
SA – Lucas 69 pass from Schreiber (Ferrara kick)
SA – FG 30 Ferrara
SA – Fiorvanti 64 pass from Schreiber (Ferrara kick)
SA – Lucas 3 run (Ferrara kick)
SA – Carberry 14 run (Ferrara kick)

Football Preview: Delbarton

Recent history has been against St. Anthony’s when it plays a non-league football game. From Poly Prep (Brooklyn) to Don Bosco (N.J.), the Friars historically open the season against a quality foe — and lose.

The result was no different this season. St. Anthony’s lost a 7-6 road slugfest with St. Joseph’s Prep (Penn.) last Saturday. But an unprecedented ninth game, thanks to the early Labor Day, has given the Friars a chance to play one more non-league opponent.

Consider it a do-over. The home opener in South Huntington Saturday at 7 p.m. features a New Jersey power.

Delbarton, the favorite in New Jersey’s Suburban Division with a 27-1 league record since 2004, featured a potent offense a year ago. Wideout Jason Seifert is a threat to score. E.J. Schneider steps in at quarterback. The Green Wave will try to build on lat season’s 8-2 record, which included a first-round playoff loss to St. Joseph (Montvale, N.J.).

Give the Friars an edge here. Not only because st. Anthony’s will play at home. But because it is coming off a physical 7-6 loss to a nationally-ranked team. So the Friars have a game under their collective belts and have been tested by a quality foe.

The priority will be getting the running game established after a poor showing — albeit in a downpour — in Phiadelphia. The three-headed monster of Atiq Lucas, Chris Carberry and Nick Mercurio need to make something happen.

If the running game can gain traction, the Friars move into the CHSFL schedule with a W.

– Jason Molinet

Home Opener Rescheduled

Hope you don’t make plans too far in advance, Friars fans. The varsity football game featuring Philadelphia power Delbarton in South Huntington has been rescheduled — by one day. That’s the home opener for St. Anthony’s. Instead of Friday night lights, the Friars will host Delbarton on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m., according to athletic director Don Buckley.