Honoring Lucas

Chris Carberry has Atiq Lucas on his mind.

BY JASON MOLINET

Because of the weather and travel involved, the St. Anthony’s coaching staff recommended that Atiq Lucas stay home on Saturday. But Lucas was still very much with the Friars as they took on Iona Prep in New Rochelle.

It’s been an emotional week. Lucas, a senior running back, broke his right leg in a Week 7 win over Chaminade. He underwent surgery last Sunday and was released from the hospital on Tuesday.

Lucas and his parents returned to the school for the Thursday night practice. He was in a wheelchair at Cy Donnelly Field. It was one of the few times all year Lucas couldn’t escape the rush. That’s because the entire team reportedly took turns giving Lucas a hug.

Lucas is expected to make a full recovery. But his football season is done.

To honor their teammate, St. Anthony’s added Lucas’ No. 30 to the backs of their black helmets. Some even scawled the number on their eye black patches.

And as the game progressed, it was clear the Friars missed the breakaway threat. It had been suggested that St. Anthony’s could sustain the loss of Lucas because of its unusual depth in the backfield. The Iona Prep game, a rare 41-21 loss, proved that Lucas can’t be replaced.

10-25-08 @Iona Prep 41-21 L

Tom Schreiber runs for yardage against Iona Prep.

BY JASON MOLINET

There was a quiet expectation of a comeback buzzing along the St. Anthony’s sideline. And when Nicholas Flynn sprinted into the end zone for the two-point conversion with 4:58 left in the third quarter on Saturday, the rally seemed inevitable.

The Friars trailed host Iona Prep, 28-21, at that point. The defense followed up with a big stop, and suddenly St. Anthony’s had the ball back and all the momentum. Giants don’t lose and St. Anthony’s has reigned atop the CHSFL for much of the last two decades. But with a steady rain in its collective face and a gusting wind sweeping the field in New Rochelle, the comeback came undone.

Flynn never fully hauled in the pitch from quarterback Tom Schreiber and a defender fell on the wet ball at midfield with 17 second left in the quarter. It took all of seven plays for Iona Prep to find paydirt. One week after a four-touchdown effort, Iona Prep running back Jeff Mack scored for the third time against the Friars, the last on a 5-yard run to essentially put the game out of reach.

With one week remaining in the regular season, undefeated Iona Prep locked up the top seed in the CHSFL Class AAA playoffs and sent a message to the rest of the league by blowing out seven-time champ St. Anthony’s, 41-21.

The Gaels (8-0 overall, 6-0 CHSFL) 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.

“Our defense played horrible,’’ St. Anthony’s coach Rich Reichert said. “We never really stopped them. We never stopped the run.’’

Senior running back Nick Mercurio led St. Anthony’s with 95 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns and one catch for 21 yards.

Last season, the Friars saw their 64-game CHSFL winning streak snapped Week 3 against Mount St. Michael. The Friars rebounded and ripped off 13 league wins in a row in the year since, including a title game win over Mount.

Reichert must once again right the ship. Because of its winning tradition, losses seem to hit this team much harder. The work began on the field immediately afterward.

“It’s one regular season loss,’’ Reichert told his players. “That’s all it is. Now we’ve got to get better.’’

The Friars (6-2, 5-1) close out the season at home at 7 p.m. Saturday against rival Mount St. Michael.

What do the losses to the Mountaineers and Iona Prep have in common? So much, it seems. A game-time decision at quarterback, foul weather and a trip across the Throgs Neck Bridge.

Last season it was James Brady nursing a foot injury. And he proved ineffective in the mud, unable to avoid the rush. The result was a 22-12 loss.

After hurting his right knee against Chaminade, Schreiber had to show the coaching staff he was ready to go on Saturday. Brendan Schroeder warmed up with the offense too. Just in case.

But with a circus-like atmosphere on the Iona Prep campus – there are no bleachers, just a hill where fans set up tents – Schreiber got the nod and took the Friars nowhere on the game’s first possession.

Schreiber ran for 75 yards on 18 carries and completed 8 of 14 passes for 119 yards. He took a pounding on every play and Reichert eventually pulled his starter late in the fourth once the reality of the situation sank in.

Behind Mack and Woodson-Samuels, the Gaels marched 64 yards on nine plays. Woodson-Samuels, as he would do all afternoon, confounded the Friars’ defense with his elusiveness and straightaway speed. He opened scoring with a 24-yard touchdown.

St. Anthony’s responded on the next series. Nick Mercurio did much of the damage, highlighted by a 23-yard run down to the Iona 8-yard line. He scored on fourth-and-goal from the 1 with two seconds left in the opening quarter. Nick Ferrara’s kick tied the teams at 7.

Ferrara put the Friars in front 10-7 with a 20-yard field goal early in the second quarter.

Iona Prep took the lead for good, 14-10, with 5:50 left in the half. The Gaels moved 80 yards on five plays with Mack (156 yards) bowling into the end zone from 1 yard out.

St. Anthony’s fumbled away a prime scoring opportunity at the Iona Prep 17 just before halftime. Once again, Iona Prep ripped through the St. Anthony’s defense, going 83 yards on nine plays. Woodson-Samuels hit Chris Alfano on a 21-yard post pattern with 1:22 left.

Schreiber moved St. Anthony’s from his own 16 to the Iona Prep 29 with nine seconds left. After a pair of time outs meant to ice the kicker, Ferrara went out and nailed – with plenty of room to spare – a 46-yard field goal to close the gap to 21-13.

Woodson-Samuels picked up where he left off in the second half. His 23-yard keeper, sandwiched between 29- and 21-yard runs by Mack, set up a 1-yard Mack touchdown and 28-13 lead.

With Schreiber running the option, the Friars moved 82 yards on the ensuing possession. Marcurio finished the time-consuming series with a 1-yard dive with 4:58 left in the third. The two-point run made it a one-possession game.

But Iona Prep had other plans. The Gaels ran away from the Friars and now have the inside track to the title game. If the teams meet again, it will be at Mitchel Athletic Complex one month from now with the title on the line.

SCORING
TEAMS………………..1…..2…..3…..4 — FINAL
St. Anthony’s…………7…..6…..8…..0 — 21
Iona Prep…………….7….14…..7….13 — 41
IP – Woodson-Samuels 24 run (Carthy kick)
SA — Mercurio 1 run (Ferrara kick)
SA – FG Ferrara 20
IP — Mack 1 run (Carthy kick)
IP – Alfano 21 pass from Woodson-Samuels (Carthy kick)
SA – FG Ferrara 46
IP – Mack 1 run (Carthy kick)
SA – Mercurio 1 run (Flynn run)
IP – Mack 5 run (kick failed)
IP – Woodson-Samuels 5 run (Carthy kick)

Football Preview: Iona Prep

Not only has the St. Anthony’s football team been forced to deal with the emotional fallout this week of losing its most dynamic and well-liked player in senior running back Atiq Lucas, who broke his leg in Saturday’s win over Chaminade. But how do you replace someone who has proven to be a threat running the ball, catching the ball and as a return man?

That’s the challenge Saturday against unbeaten Iona Prep. Friars coach Rich Reichert said Nicholas Flynn and Jaffrea Corley-Woods would get more playing time as a result. But the reality is running back is the deepest position on a talented team. Senior Nick Mercurio and Chris Carberry will be the featured backs with Mercurio proving particularly dangerous catching passes out of the backfield.

The real question this week is the health of junior quarterback Tom Schreiber. He hurt his knee in the fourth quarter against Chaminade and did not return. Schreiber is expected to play, but quarterback is one position that’s already taken a hit. Preseason backup James D’Aprile was lost for the season with a back injury before the first game.

That said, this one is all about the defense. The Friars (6-1 overall, 5-0 CHSFL) are on the road for the fourth straight week, facing Iona Prep (7-0, 5-0) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in New Rochelle.

The secondary had been playing injured. But cornerback Matt Metalios and safety Ryan Fumai are expected to be close to full strength. They will be tested in run support and against the pass. Iona Prep might be the most complete offense the Friars have faced.

Remember Chris Alfano? The wideout proved impossible to cover in last season’s 23-20 semifinal won. Alfano caught touchdown passes of 35 and 62 yards. He’s now a senior and just as fast.

And the Gaels got a four-touchdown performance last week from running back Jeff Mack in a 27-12 win over Holy Trinity. Quarterback Tyrae Woodson-Samuels left the game with a concussion, but he is expected to play against St. Anthony’s. The undersized signal caller has proved to be deadly accurate.

The winner likely locks up the top seed in the CHSFL Class AAA with one game left in the regular season. As if the Friars didn’t have enough motivation, no doubt they will dedicate the Iona Prep game to Lucas. This one should be emotional.

– JASON MOLINET

State Football Rankings

State Football Rankings

Football Preview: Chaminade

After two straight trips to Staten Island, the St. Anthony’s road tour continues this week. But at least the Friars won’t have to leave Long island.

St. Anthony’s faces Chaminade in a CHSFL showdown of 5-1 teams at 7 p.m. Saturday at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale. Football games don’t get much more intense.

The Friars (5-1 overall, 4-0 CHSFL) are coming off a 37-28 win over St. Joseph by the Sea. As usual, Tom Schreiber directed a potent offense and Atiq Lucas and Nick Mercurio proved to be versatile weapons out of the backfield. But the defense has continued to show a disturbing trend of surrendering big plays.

Chaminade (5-1, 3-1) rallied from down 13-0 in the fourth quarter to edge Holy Trinity, 14-13. The Flyers have platooned quarterbacks in their newly-installed spread offense. While the running game couldn’t get traction against Holy Trinity, wideouts Michael Ehrhardt (6-4, 185 pounds) and John Urbank (6-3, 185 pounds) proved to be dangerous downfield threats.

While St. Anthony’s has arguably the top cornerback in the league in Matt Metalios, the Friars had to do without safety Ryan Fumai last week. He was named CHSFL player of the week for his performance against Farrell, but sat out last week with a foot injury. If he remains sidelined, the Flyers have a spot to exploit.

Last season, St. Anthony’s shut out the Flyers, 17-0, in a Week 8 downpour. The Friars own a 30-11 series edge dating to 1974 and have won the last 14 meetings. Chaminade last beat the Friars, 31-19, in 1998. That’s a lot of history for Chaminade to overcome.

– JASON MOLINET

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.

State Football Rankings

 

Reichert Nears Milestone

St. Anthony’s coach Rich Reichert.

BY JASON MOLINET

Rich Reichert recorded his 175th career win last Saturday. It was a signpost on the road toward another championship, just another way to mark the success that is St. Anthony’s football.

While the Friars (4-1) face their toughest CHSFL test yet with a Sunday 1:30 p.m. date in Staten Island with 4-1 St. Joseph by the Sea, another road win would tie Reichert for fourth place on the Suffolk all-time football wins list.

Reichert, 56, is 175-45-3 in 22 seasons at St. Anthony’s, good for a .795 winning percentage.

With another win, he’ll tie Seton Hall of Patchogue coach Henry Read. That’s significant because before there was St. Anthony’s, Seton Hall was the Suffolk private school football power. And Read was its only coach, guiding the Eagles from 1940-73.

In fact, Reichert was a member of the inaugural Friars football team in 1967 and actually faced Seton Hall. St. Anthony’s lost it’s first five meetings to Seton Hall and Read. Seton Hall is 5-2 all-time against the Friars, one of the few programs with a winning record.

So whenever Reichert does get won No. 176, he and the program will have come full circle. Longtime Comsewogue coach Tom Cassese is the winningest coach in Suffolk history with 209 victories.

At his current pace, Reichert could catch Cassese by the end of the 2011 season. Where does Reichert stand elsewhere? He’s second in CHSFL history behind St. Francis Prep’s Vinnie O’Connor (316). But O’Connor, in his 55th season, is 3-1 and has shown no signs of slowing down. The Long Island and state record belongs to Bethpage’s Howie Vogts, who has 355 wins.

SUFFOLK’S WINNINGEST FOOTBALL COACHES
COACH……………SCHOOL………….YEARS……………………WINS
Tom Cassese……Comsewogue……1973-2006……………….209 
*Joe Cipp Jr……….Bellport…………..1976-92, 1996-2008……193
Fred Fusaro………Sachem…………..1971-2002……………….192 
Henry Read………Seton Hall………..1940-73………………….176
*Rich Reichert……St. Anthony’s…….1987-2008……………….175
* NOTE: Active  

10-4-08 @Farrell 41-27 W

Friars quarterback Tom Schreiber tossed a pair of second-quarter touchdowns against Farrell. [FILE PHOTO]

Under the glare of light towers and a hostile crowd Saturday night in Staten Island, St. Anthony’s junior Tom Schreiber put all comparisons to his predecessor to rest. Already a renown lacrosse player, Schreiber showed he is a worthy successor to 2007 CHSFL offensive player of the year James Brady.

Schreiber engineered a 24-point second quarter as St. Anthony’s pulled away from rival Farrell, 41-27, in a CHSFL game. He completed 8 of 16 passes for 130 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Each time Schreiber answered a Farrell scoring drive with a touchdown pass of his own.

His 32-yard strike to Nick Mercurio tied things at 7.

After Farrell senior Anthony Evangelista, the program’s all-time leading receiver, hauled in a 7-yard scoring pass to go up 13-7, Schreiber responded. He hit Atiq Lucas for a 25-yard touchdown. Nick Ferrara’s point after kick put St. Anthony’s (4-1 overall, 3-0 CHSFL) ahead for good, 14-13.

James Brady’s legacy is hard to shake. In fact, Brady is starting at Georgetown. The two-year starter at quarterback was a special player who ran the offense with ease and showed true character and grit whenever the Friars needed it most.

Schreiber stepped into the vacuum left by Brady and never looked back.

But Farrell (1-4) had to deal with more than Schreiber. The Friars took a 21-13 edge when senior defensive back Ryan Fumai took an interception 65 yards for a touchdown. Maryland-bound Ferrara converted a pair of field goals and four extra points.

Lucas, who added a fourth quarter touchdown run, finished with 86 yards on six carries. One week after hauling in a touchdown against Xaverian, Tim Wine added 73 yards on 6 receptions.

St. Anthony’s coach Rich Reichert reportedly wasn’t happy with his team’s execution. But he’ll take the win anyway, the 175th of his career. Reichert, in his 22nd season, is 175-45-3 (.795 winning percentage). Just one coach in CHSFL history has 200 wins.

The victory also sets up a showdown for first place with another Staten Island power in St. Joseph by the Sea, currently ranked fifth in the state by NYSSWA, one spot ahead of the Friars. Sea (3-0, 2-0) faces Chaminade in Mineola on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and then hosts the Friars next Saturday.

NOTE: No photos this week.

– JASON MOLINET

 
SCORING
TEAMS ……………………….1…..2…..3…..4 — FINAL
St. Anthony’s…………………0…24…..7…10 — 41
Farrell…………………………0…13……7.….7 — 27
F — Derbyshire 3 run (Evangelista kick)
SA – Mercurio 32 pass from Schreiber (Ferrara kick)
F – Evangelista 7 pass from Derbyshire (kick failed)
SA – Lucas 25 pass from Schreiber (Ferrera kick)
SA — Fumai 65 INT return (Ferrara kick)
SA – FG 27 Ferrara
F – Boshnack 48 pass from Derbyshire (Evangelista kick)
SA – Lucas 40 run (Ferrara kick)
SA — FG 24 Ferrara
SA – O’Malley 14 run (Signa kick)
F — Evangelista 27 pass from Derbyshire (Evangelista kick)

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