Making History!!

Junior Jared Valluzzi (on you'r left) and Senior Alex Rocco (on you'r right) doing St. Anthony's first live sideline broadcast ever. Enjoy the Game!

https://youtu.be/VA7hdlwgxJs

Alex Rocco is a senior at St. Anthony's High School, writing for his fourth year with the Friar Scoreboard.  He plans to study Sports Communications in college and pursue a career in Sports Media. He is also a member of NHS, SALT, Friar Faithful, Special Needs Ministry and Franciscan Youth Ministry.  

Jared Valluzzi is a Junior at St. Anthony’s; this is his third year writing for Friar Scoreboard. He has earned his certificate from Hofstra's program of Sports broadcasting and Journalism. Jared also plays hockey and lacrosse for St. Anthony's.

On Saturday September 14th the St. Anthony’s Friars took on the Delbarton Green Wave from New Jersey at Metlife Stadium. It was the first annual Battle Of The Bridge featuring three teams from New York versus three teams from New Jersey.  Friars Running Back SR. Mario Escobar Jr. said before the game, “It is really surreal, we get the opportunity to play here and take the same field as the players we look up to.''  

The Friars came into the game suffering a tough loss 33-15 against Franklin High School, the defending Maryland AAA State Champions. The Friars viewed this game as a must win as they did not want to fall to 0-2 at the beginning of the season. 

The St. Anthony fans were hyped to start the game, within minutes the stadium became quiet as cornerback SR. Nick Alvarado took a solid hit to the head.  He was helped to the sidelines and was unable to return to action. Delbarton is always a tough opponent and now the Friars faced adversity by losing their vocal defensive leader. Alvarado was missed on the field, but his effect was still felt as he was running up and down the sidelines motivating his teammates.  Coach Minucci said, “ I'm really proud of Nick, he did a great job of cheering guys on from the sidelines and making sure everybody knew what was going on.”

The game was scoreless after the first quarter as both defenses were solid. Delbarton would capitalize on a Friar miscue as they recovered a loose ball on a punt attempt in the endzone for the first score of the game.  The defensive battle continued as both teams completely shut down their opponent’s offense. 

The Friars caught a break late in the half as Delbarton muffed a punt setting the Friars up with great field position. SA would make the most of this opportunity as quarterback SR. Robert McGee scored on a two yard touchdown run on 4th and goal.  McGee would later say, “ That play was all grit and determination and I just followed the great blocks by the offensive line.” The Friars would go into the half tied 7-7. 

Delbarton received the ball to start off the third quarter. Looking to grab back the momentum, they took the kickoff and drove the length of the field; scoring on an 18-yard touchdown pass to take a 14-7 lead.  The remainder of the third quarter was a defensive battle as neither offense could mount any drives. Friars punter SR. Jake Messina had some key punts as he pinned Delbarton deep in their own zone on numerous occasions.  The quarter would end with Delbarton holding a 14-7 lead.

SA started the fourth with a third and goal situation but the defensive of Delbarton stood strong not allowing the Friars to score. Coach Minucci decided not to go for the tie and elected to kick the field goal. Kicker SR. Cameron Squicciarini knocked the ball through the uprights cutting the Delbarton lead to 14-10. The Friars strong defense continued as they shut down Delbarton’s offense once again. Now at eight minutes remaining in the game, the offense took over knowing a touchdown was needed if they were going to win.

McGee in just his second career varsity start led the offense down the field with a balance of running and passing plays which caught Delbarton off guard. With time running down, McGee found wide receiver SR. Justin Houston and hit him with a touchdown pass. Houston would later say, “ McGee put it there I made the catch and we celebrated.”  Delbaton blocked the PAT keeping it a 2-point game. With 51 seconds left in the game the Green Wave began to drive down the field to the Friars 35 yard line. On the final play of the game they threw an incomplete pass deep down field giving the Friars a huge 16-14 win they fought so hard for. 

This was a special game for coach Minucci as he tallied his first win as a head coach. He said, “ I'm thrilled to get the win and especially here at Metlife Stadium it just makes it that much better.'' The Friar's offense was led by McGee who completed 11 of 15 passes for 122 yards and 1 tochdown while rushing for 77 yards and a touchdown, Escobar Jr. with 19 carries for 73 yards and Houston with 4 catches for 55 yards and a touchdown.

The season continues and the schedule does not get any easier as the Friars will open up league play against Cardinal Hayes on Saturday, September 21th at 3:00pm as they face the number 1 ranked team in the state on the road. 

By Senior Friar Alex Rocco 

By Mike Ruiz Newsday

As Justin Houston glanced around MetLife Stadium, home to the Giants and Jets, he immediately thought back to when he was younger and playing the popular "Madden NFL" video game.

“It was pretty surreal," Houston said. "We were little kids playing 'Madden,' thinking, 'Oh, we’re gonna play [at MetLife Stadium] one day and go to the [NFL].’ It was pretty cool."

Houston, a wide receiver, hauled in the go-ahead 27-yard touchdown reception as St. Anthony’s completed a fourth-quarter comeback and a 16-14 victory over Delbarton (N.J.) in a non-league football game on Saturday.

The Friars (1-1) received the high-profile opportunity to be part of the Battle for the Bridge event, a tripleheader at MetLife Stadium matching three CHSAA teams from New York against three from New Jersey. For St. Anthony’s, the trip couldn’t be taken lightly after a 33-15 loss to defending Maryland AAA state champion Franklin last week.

“It was challenging,” coach Joe Minucci said of the win over Delbarton. “We know everyone’s been looking forward to this game since August, but we have to get ready for a long season. So the kids and coaches did a good job of making sure we stayed focused.”

Trailing 14-10 with three minutes remaining and the ball on Delbarton's 27-yard line, St. Anthony’s quarterback Robert McGee threw a pass toward the middle and connected with Houston in the end zone to cap a 10-play, 86-yard drive. The extra-point attempt was blocked.

The Friars later allowed a deep completion to their 15-yard line, but time expired.

Following the win, Houston, a Giants fan, said his adrenaline was “still pumping” at the thought of scoring a touchdown in his favorite team’s end zone. McGee, who tied the game at 7 with 32 seconds remaining in the first half on a  2-yard rushing touchdown on fourth-and-goal, also expressed excitement about competing in an NFL stadium.

"To think of all the NFL superstars that played on that field, it was just really cool,” said McGee, who was 11-for-15 passing for 122 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 77 yards and a TD on 21 carries.

Mario Escobar also impacted the running game with 73 yards on 19 carries for St. Anthony's.

Delbarton took a 14-7 lead in the third quarter, but a 21-yard field goal by the Friars' Cameron Squicciarini cut the deficit to 14-10 just over a minute into the fourth quarter.

“This was a great experience,” Minucci said. “We gave the kids an opportunity to take in the locker room and the environment . . . It’s something the guys will remember forever.”

2019 Friar Football Season Preview

The Friars Varsity Football team is coming off a very successful 2018 season having gone an impressive 7-1. Falling short of their ultimate goal with a crushing 26-25 loss to Cardinal Hayes in the semi-finals of the NYCHSFL playoffs.  This loss signified the end of an era as legendary Coach Rich Reichert retired after 32 seasons. Taking the helm for the Friars is Coach Joseph Minucci. Coach Minucci is the current Athletic Director and a former NFL Player. Coach stated “he is ready to take the reigns and usher in a new era of Friar Football.”

In the eyes of the players, the transition from Coach Reichert to Coach Minucci has been seamless. Coach Minucci understands the difficulty of his new position as head coach as he is replacing one of the greatest coaches in Long Island history. Over Coach Reichert’s 32 seasons he compiled a record of 265-65-3 and 14 championships. Coach Minucci has previously stated that Reichert did a great job preparing him for this role.  Senior Mario Escobar Jr said, “Coach Minucci’s efforts to prepare us on and off the field have been great. He has brought in many guest speakers to talk about the little things that need to be done to win a championship.” 

This year’s team will have a brand new look losing many seniors including NYCHSFL MVP quarterback Greg Campisi who totaled over 2,100 yards in the air and almost 1,000 on the ground with an impressive 37 touchdowns.  The Friars lost many key offensive weapons such as running back Kyle Angus, wide receivers Danny Parker and Makhai Murphy. On the defensive side, key losses included safety Nick Espada, defensive end Anthony Depaul and cornerback Makhai Murphy. Coach Minucci said, “It will be hard to replace the lost leadership” but he believes the team can do it.  Coach also stated, “It will take time but these guys can do it, we just have to go one practice and one game at a time.” 

This year’s team will be looking to seniors Robert McGee, Escobar Jr and Nick Alvarado to lead by example and continue the traditions of Friar football that has been passed down from previous players.   

The expectations for the Friars are sky high as they feel they are the team to beat in 2019; led by an electric offense that features a dominant receiving duo, senior Greg Randall and Sr. Jaden Jernigan. Randall had 487 yards and 4 touchdowns and Jernigan had 158 yards and 2 touchdowns last season. Returning receivers Sr. Justin Houston and Sr. Mike Nasti will look to provide even more weapons as they add more depth to this years receiving team. The running game will be led by Escobar Jr. who will carry the load and provide the offense with a well balanced attack.  Opening holes for Escobar will be Sr. Gavin Miller as he leads a solid offensive line. Taking over the QB position will be Mcgee. Mcgee stated, “Greg did a great job last season preparing me so I'm confident in my ability.”  

The defensive unit will be ld by cornerback Alvarado and linebacker Sr. Christian Taylor.  Alvarado said, “I'm ready for this season, the goal is to bring a championship back to South Huntington right where it deserves to be and it all starts in practice.”  Having gone through a rigorous offseason training program, Taylor said, “I've been constantly working this offseason to improve my game to take the next step.” 

Even though this year’s schedule does not include long time rival Chaminade as they dropped down a division, the Friars have a tough challenge ahead as they open the season hosting Franklin High School from Maryland, winners of the 2018 MPSSAA 3A State Football Championship on September 7th.  A tough road schedule including Delbarton at Metlife Stadium, division rivals Cardinal Hayes, Archbishop Stepinac and Iona prep will put them to the test as they embark on a new season to claim the 2019 CHSFL Championship Title.  

The Friars’ are a team of tradition and being led by former players and coaches of one era will be very exciting to watch this team move seamlessly into another era of excellence. That quest begins at home on Saturday 9/7, stay tuned for another exciting season.

By Friar Senior Writer Alex Rocco 

Saturday February 14 11:00 am the Friars will grace MetLife Field in an iconic event of Battle 4 the Bridge.  The day will include a total of 6 schools three New York schools and three Jersey Schools. 
https://www.nchsfa.com/battle4bridge 
 

St. Anthony's vs. Delbarton 11:00 am

Iona Prep vs. Pope John 1:00 pm 

Cardinal Hayes vs. St. Josephs 5:00 pm

Tickets are now only available game day at the MetLife's Box Office 

$20 (adults, 18 and up)  $15 (students, 17 and under)

By Gregg Sarra

Robert McGee was exhausted. The St. Anthony’s quarterback peeled off his jersey and shoulder pads to reveal multiple welts and scratches. The hard-hitting Franklin Indians traveled 260 miles from the state of Maryland to put the hurt on St. Anthony’s.

And that they did, sacking McGee 11 times and forcing five turnovers.

The big-play capability of the Franklin offense and the athleticism of the Indians’ defense was too much for St. Anthony’s in the season opener for both squads. Franklin quarterback Vernon Brown threw two long touchdown passes and also ran for a score in a 33-15 win over St. Anthony’s in South Huntington on Saturday. Maryland’s defending AAA state champs looked in mid-season form, clicking for more than 450 yards of total offense.

We were exposed in some areas,” St. Anthony’s first-year coach Joe Minucci said. “We’re young and inexperienced and they exploited the areas where we’re still unsettled. It’s still a good test to start the season but perhaps the most disappointing thing was that we didn’t take care of the ball.”

Turnovers and penalties sabotaged the Friars chance of victory. McGee had a 40-yard touchdown run in the first quarter negated by a block in the back. And then the most critical turnover of all came late in the first quarter with St. Anthony’s leading 7-0. McGee broke free on a 13-yard run and charged toward the goal line to try to give the Friars a two-touchdown advantage.

“Just as I reached the end zone I got stripped and they recovered for a touchback,” McGee said. “It was definitely the turning point. If we go up two scores right there, they’re in trouble.”

Franklin coach Anthony Burgos, a three-sport star at Wyandanch who graduated in 1995, agreed with McGee’s assessment.

St. Anthony’s had an opportunity to take a two-score lead and that forced fumble was a momentum changer,” said Burgos, who has led Franklin to three state titles in the past five years. “We were tested and outplayed early because we weren’t quite ready. Our guys are resilient and believed we’d put it together. Now the 260-mile trip going back home will be much better.”

St. Anthony’s opened the game with a long touchdown march capped by a Mario Escobar 33-yard touchdown run for the 7-0 lead. Franklin ripped off the next three scores to go into the half with a 20-7 lead. Junior halfback Jhavon Reames raced through the Friars secondary on 80- and 90-yard touchdown runs before Brown added a 1-yard plunge for the two-score lead.

“I’ve been planning to come to New York for 12 years and challenge our players against a great program like St. Anthony’s,” said Burgos, in his 18th year at the helm. “It’s a great experience to go out of state, stay overnight, and play top notch competition.”

Brown continued to shred the Friars defense in the third quarter when he connected with Anthony Morante for a 52-yard touchdown and a 26-7 lead. McGee, who carried 19 times for 123 yards, responded with an 11-play, 80-yard touchdown drive capped by an Escobar 3-yard scoring run to make it 26-15 with 5:29 left in the third quarter.

But Brown sealed it with a 60-yard bomb over the top of the defense, hitting MeKai Felton in stride for a touchdown and the final margin.

On St. Anthony’s final drive, McGee moved the Friars 71 yards despite getting sacked four times, including three plays in a row.

“We’ll learn from the loss, stick together, and get it right next week,” he said.

Jordan DeLucia of Kellenberg. Photo Credit: James Escher

Rushed for 1,380 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior and will be the focal point of the Firebirds' offense. “I did a lot of lifting in the offseason and put on over 30 pounds,” Delucia said. "I know I’m going to need to take on a bigger role this year to help out the team, but I’m ready to do that."

JADEN JERNIGAN, St. Anthony’s

Jaden Jernigan of St. Anthony's. Photo Credit: James Escher

Tall receiver and tight end with big hands and can catch any ball thrown his way. Committed to Navy for lacrosse, he will be a vocal leader for the Friars. “As a rising senior you always have that leadership role that you have to fill, and I’m prepared to take on that responsibility,” Jernigan said.

CHRISTIAN TAYLOR, St. Anthony’s

Christian Taylor of St. Anthony's. Photo Credit: James Escher

The linebacker had 72 tackles, including 12 for a loss in his junior season. Totaled three fumble recoveries, three sacks and an interception. Also finished fifth in the CHSAA state wrestling tournament last winter. “I’ve been working out five times a week during the offseason, no days off really,” Taylor said. “I’m ready to go and everyone else should be to.”

Jaden Jernigan, left, and Nick Alvarado of St. Anthony's High School at the Newsday football photo shoot on Aug. 21, 2019. Photo Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan

By Peter Kersich

The St. Anthony’s football team will have a different look when it opens its season on Sept. 7 against Maryland’s Franklin High School.

Joe Minucci takes over as head coach for the Friars, following the retirement of coach Rich Reichert after 32 seasons at the helm. Senior Robert McGee will be the starting quarterback after serving as the backup last fall.

Despite the changes, expectations remain the same.

“At St. Anthony’s we expect to win the [CHSFL] 'AAA' division and be a factor in the playoffs,” Minucci said. “We want to continue to grow the program and make sure we can follow along with the tradition coach Reichert set.”

McGee has been involved with the Friars' program for the past three seasons and has continued to impress his coach and fellow wide receiver Jaden Jernigan.

“Bobby spent a lot of time in the weight room,” Minucci said. “He has matured both physically and mentally and has taken the reigns. He is ready to get it going.”

Jernigan added: “I have been working a lot with him this summer, taking a lot of reps to try and get our timing down. He has been putting in the time individually as well and I have high expectations for him.”

St. Anthony’s won’t be the only team in the CHSFL with a new player behind center this year.

After being a backup in his junior season, Dan Settino will start at quarterback for Kellenberg. Settino will rely heavily on standout running back Jordan Delucia to help carry the offense.

The Firebirds enter the season on a 22-game winning streak and are seeking their third straight undefeated season and CHSFL “AA” championship.

“A lot of people know about the streak, but everyone is embracing it, and is coming out and putting in max effort,” Delucia said. “They gave us a tougher schedule this year, but we are going to be ready to go week one.”

Congratulation 2019 Football

Team MVP: Christian Taylor
Team Scholar Athlete: Jade Jernigan

The Varsity Football Team began this season with the goal of competing for the AAA division championship.  These young men knew they had a lot to overcome, but were eager to take on one of the toughest schedules in New York State.  After a disappointing opening weekend the team went on to a thrilling last-minute win over Delbarton at MetLife Stadium. With momentum building, they were ready to head into a rigorous league schedule.  The team battled some of the best teams in the state, but came up short and was not able to achieve their goal of defending the AAA division title. These young men battled through adversity and have a lot to be proud of.  Many will continue on to play collegiate sports and we look forward to their future success.

Head Coach Joe Minucci

Joe Minucci returned to his alma mater as a faculty member in 2009.  Once a member of the Physical Education department, he became the schools Athletic Director in 2015.  2019 he was named Head Coach Varsity Coach. after serving as an assistant coach under Coach Rich Reichert for 10 years. 

The Friars knew they had a tough schedule this year having to face division foes Cardinal Hayes, Archbishop Stepinac and Iona Prep on the road, however not many expected the season to start off this way.

With a 1-1 start against two non league powerhouses, highlighted by a huge 16-14 comeback win against Delbarton Green Wave at Metlife Stadium giving Coach Minucci his first win as a head coach, the Friars were feeling good about themselves heading into league play.

First up was Cardinal Hayes, the team that eliminated them in last years semi-finals.  Ranked number one in the State hosting an explosive offense mainly due to star running back, Sr. Jalen Smith.  Smith is regarded as one of the league’s best offensive players and can dominate a game. Smith torched the defense rushing for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns, including a 98 yard score. The Friars were able to connect on two long scoring plays as Sr. Greg Randall caught a slant pass from Sr. Robert McGee and took it 52 yards to the house. Justin Houston would later score on a 60 yard touchdown run.  However, the Friars would end up losing the game 46-17. 

Following the loss, the Friars would face adversity as quarterback Robert McGee decided to leave the school and return to his public school Shoreham Wading River.  Coach Minucci would turn the offense over to Sr. Greg Randall. The Friars would add to the defense as Sr. Brennan O’Neill joined the team. O’Neill, the number one lacrosse player in the nation, would be used as a defensive end to provide a spark.

Next up was a home game against Christ The King (“CTK”).  CTK is led by running back Tirek Murphy who is committed to Purdue and quarterback Noah Bodden ranked number three in the state for the class of 2021.  The Black and Gold knew they would have their hands full as they would have to stop this dynamic tandem. Wanting to rebound from the week before, the defense was committed to outplaying CTK’s offense. 

Safety Sr. Chris Bardak intercepted a pass from Bodden and returned it to the two yard line. Justin Houston would score on the next play giving the Friars a 6-0 lead.  CTK answered with a touchtown of their own tying the score at 6-6. Linebacker Sr. Christian Taylor would intercept Bodden again returning it for a touchdown giving the Friars a 13-6 lead.  CTK would score again but missed the 2pt conversion giving the Friars a slim 13-12 lead. A late field goal, extended their lead to 16-12 and had them tasting a victory. With two minutes remaining in the game and CTK facing a 3rd down on their own 15 yard line disaster struck for the Friars. The defense made their only mistake of the game and this one would prove costly as Bodden found his favorite target Tahliq Battle streaking down the sideline for an 85 yard touchdown.  CTK had their first lead of the game and would go on to win 18-16.

After suffering a crushing defeat the week before, St Anthony’s traveled to White Plains to take on their biggest rival Archbishop Stepinac. Last season, the Black and Gold defeated Stepinac 45-42 in a classic offensive shootout.  With revenge on their minds, Stepinac jumped out to an early 14-0 lead. The Friars knowing they had to score to stay in the game did just that. Randall fired the ball deep down field and found Jaden Jernigan in stride for the touchdown. It was a great throw by Randall and an impressive run by Jernigan as he dragged the defender 20 yards into the endzone cutting the lead to 14-7.  However, Stepinac would prove to be too much for the Friars to handle as they would score 28 unanswered points enroute to a 42-7 victory. 

With three straight losses, St Anthony’s would play their final road game against Iona Prep. Iona took over the number one ranking in the state and is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball.  The Friars’ defense was determined from the start to shut down Iona holding them scoreless in the first quarter. The offense struggled but was able to connect on a big play as Randall escaped heavy pressure and fired a pass downfield to a wide open receiver Sr. Mike Nasti who was tackled at the 30 yard line. The Friars could not move the ball and the drive stalled.  

It was late in the first half when disaster would strike once again as quarterback Greg Randall injured his shoulder and would not return to the game.  Iona would finally score and take a 7-0 lead at halftime. Credit to the Black and Gold as they continued to battle and held Iona scoreless in the third quarter.  Without a quarterback the offense struggled to move the ball and Iona would tack on two touchdowns late in the game shutting out the Friars 21-0. 

The Friars record stands at 1-5, still believing in themselves, they will be looking to win these remaining two home games and gain momentum heading into the playoffs. Their next game is on Friday October 18th, Homecoming, against Monsignor Farrell, under the lights. The players are excited as it’s one of their favorite moments of the season getting to play in front of a packed home crowd. The final regular season home game will be on Saturday October 26th against St. Francis Prep.  Come out and support the team as they look to close out the season and get ready for a playoff run.

By: Alex Rocco is a senior at St. Anthony’s High School, writing for his fourth year with the Friar Scoreboard.  He plans to study Sports Communications in college and pursue a career in Sports Media. He is also a member of NHS, SALT, Friar Faithful, Special Needs Ministry and Franciscan Youth Ministry.