CHSFL predictions, Week 5

By MARC RAIMONDI and JOSEPH STASZEWSKI

Cardinal Hayes vs. Xavier (Saturday, 3 p.m. @ SUNY Maritime)

Raimondi: Let’s go against the grain here and not pick the actual game. Who do you think will have more yards on the ground – Xavier’s Brent Scardapane or Hayes’ DeQuan June? I’m going outside the box. My money is with super sophomore Trey Solomon, who has also been arguably Xavier’s top defensive player. The Knights will figure out a way to stop the Cardinals’ rushing attack, but the Cardinals won’t be able to solve the single wing. Xavier earns early ‘AA-A’ bragging rights Pick: Xavier

Staszewski: Here is some outside the box thinking for you: This will not be a game won on the ground, but in the air. We have seen Hayes quarterback James Richardson get better each week. With the Knights’ focused on DeQuan June, the Cardinals unleash explosive wideouts Tim Jones and George Dawson. Hayes’ defensive weakness is in the secondary and Xavier is a running team. It can stop the run and will do so enough to earn it most impressive win yet. Pick: Cardinal Hayes

 
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   




CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL LEAGUE of METROPOLITAN NEW YORK

   

Player of the Week Nomination

Nominee: William Solomon                                                 School: Xavier High School

Position: Free Safety / Running Back                                  Opponent: Cardinal Hayes

Date of Game: 10/08/11  Ht. 5’10”  Wt. 190  Class: So.   Hometown: Brooklyn , New York

Details of nominees performance:
In an important CHSFL AA-A Regular Season Game between the last remaining unbeaten teams in the division, Xavier defeated Cardinal Hayes to go 4-1 Overall and 4-0 in the CHSFL AA-A, in a shocking come from behind victory that was in doubt all the way until Cardinal Hayes missed a last second 36 yard field goal attempt to determine the final outcome.  Pressed into two-way service by an injury to Brent Scardapane, sophomore sensation William “Trey” Solomon had a break out game announcing his presence on the CHSFL varsity stage.  Trey gained 235 yards on 26 carries rushing for 4 touchdowns and a 2pt. conversion to account for 26 of Xavier’s 33 points.  He also caught two balls for 38 yards and was 2 for 3 throwing the ball for 18 yards helping to keep 3 come from behind drives alive.  Including his 4 kickoff returns for 88 yards, Trey accumulated 379 all-purpose yards.  He also quarterbacked the defensive secondary contributing to Xavier’s shutout of Cardinal Hayes in the second half with 7 solo tackles.

Class Honors:
Trey has a 90 average at Xavier and is currently taking Honors English. 

League Honors:  
In his freshman football season, Trey was chosen as a captain and team MVP, scoring 23 touchdowns and making 6 interceptions while leading his team to an unbeaten 8-0 record in the CHSFL City Division for the first time in Xavier history.  He is a product of the Brooklyn Titan little league football organization where he played 8 seasons.

Other Sports & Honors
Trey was a three season athlete at Xavier last year running the 55m, 100m, and 200m events for both the Freshman and Varsity Indoor Track team.  He helped the Freshman Track team to win the Jesuit Invitational held at Fordham Prep.  He was also a member of the Freshman Baseball team where he started in Centerfield.

  
     
 

Xavier blanks Hayes in second half, completes wild rally

By MARC RAIMONDI



DeQuan June took the first two Cardinal Hayes plays from scrimmage for touchdowns and the rout was on. The shifty, speedy running back eclipsed 200 yards in the first half alone as the Cardinals ran roughshod on Xavier.

“In the beginning, we were kind of confused,” Knights defensive back Chris Castro said. “We didn’t know what was going on. We were looking for answers. And we found one.”

The Xavier defense didn’t allow a point after halftime and the offense, led by sophomore Trey Solomon, did the rest in a wild, 33-32 win over Hayes in a CHSFL Class AA-A game Saturday afternoon at SUNY Maritime. A last-second field goal attempt by Hayes’ Erion Mrishaj was short and wide left and the Knights (4-1, 4-0 ‘AA-A’) are the only team left undefeated in the division.

June, one of the CHSFL’s premier backs, finished with 272 yards on 22 carries and four touchdowns. But Castro came up with the game’s biggest defensive play on Hayes’ final series, chasing June out wide and stopping him for a 4-yard loss to set up 3rd-and-11 from the Xavier 19.

“Normally he always bounces back if he doesn’t see anything, so I was ready for it,” Castro said. “I saw him coming, he was moving backwards and backwards. I saw two of my teammates right beside me to make the hit and then I came up and got him.”

Patrick Huemegni was stopped for a 3-yard loss on the next play prior to the missed field goal. Hayes (3-1, 3-2) led 13-0 and 25-6 in the first half. But the Cardinals defense had almost as much trouble tackling Solomon as Xavier did June. Solomon finished with 214 yards on 26 carries and four touchdowns, the biggest perhaps coming just 10 seconds left in the second quarter to pull Xavier within 32-20 at the half.

The Knights had the ball to start the second half and Solomon continued to pound away, rushing for a 1-yard score to get his team within 32-27 with 5:18 left. Xavier coach Chris Stevens said that’s exactly what he told his players would happen in the locker room at the break.

“You have the opportunity to win the division down by five with a whole quarter to go, I would have said I’ll take it,” Stevens said. “That’s what happened and I look like a prophet.”

Xavier took the lead when Jimmy Wolfer capped another long drive with 3-yard touchdown. It looked like a fumble recovery would seal the game on the next Hayes series, but Solomon gave it right back to the Cardinals on the following play with a fumble of his own. The defense came up huge, forcing Hayes to punt.

“I’m just happy we were able to persevere and overcome everything as a team,” said Solomon, who was Xavier’s primary rusher with Brent Scardapane out (concussion).

From looking at the scoreboard, Xavier’s offense was the star yesterday and that’s what the single wing Knights are known for. But the second half belonged to the defense. June had just 48 yards after the break.

“I said [to defensive coordinator Kevin Kelly], ‘Hey man, you owe me, brother,’” Stevens said with a laugh. “He said, ‘What are you talking about? We pitched a shutout in the second half.’ I said, ‘Oh yeah, touché.'"

 
     
 



King Solomon leads Xavier past Hayes

by Dylan Butler on Saturday, October 8

The DeQuan June show was making a repeat performance at Maritime College Saturday.  The explosive senior running back scored long touchdowns on his first two touches and looked like he was en route to another huge outing as was the case in a league-opening win against St. Francis Prep last month.  With a dizzying display of cutbacks and a second gear, June was a blur in the first half, especially to the Xavier defense.

“In the beginning, we were kind of confused, we didn’t know what was going on,” Xavier senior Chris Castro said. “We were looking for answers and we found one.”  Castro came up with that response, stopping June for a four-yard loss late in the fourth quarter, the key defensive play that helped Xavier rally for a 33-32 win in a battle of undefeated CHSFL Class AA-A teams.

Xavier (4-1, 4-0 CHSFL Class AA-A) fell behind 13-0 less than two minutes into the game and was down 25-6 early in the second quarter.  June was the biggest reason why. He scored on a 61-yard run on Cardinal Hayes’ first play from scrimmage, had a 50-yard TD on the Cardinals second play and added a 66-yard score with 11:23 left in the second quarter.

June rushed for 224 yards and four touchdowns – by halftime.

“He can take it to the house every single play, and you saw him do it a number of times,” Xavier coach Chris Stevens said.  As the Knights defense searched for an answer for June, their offense was also scoring at will thanks to a breakout performance by Trey Solomon. The sophomore filled in for star Brent Scardapane, who is recovering from a mild concussion suffered last week, and rushed for 214 yards and three touchdowns.

“It felt good to go out there and step in for Brent,” Solomon said. “I wasn’t going to replace him, he’s a little better than me, but I’m glad that coach gave me the chance to go out there and play.”  Solomon’s 8-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left in the second quarter was huge because it brought Xavier to within 32-20 at halftime with the Knights getting the ball to start the third quarter.

On that first possession, the Knights went on a 12-play, 69-yard drive capped by a 1-yard TD by Solomon to pull Xavier to within 32-27 with 5:18 left in the third quarter. A 23-yard run by Solomon set up a 1-yard touchdown by Jimmy Wolfer with 9:44 left in the fourth quarter to finally give the Knights the lead.  “We have a very good back in Trey, actually we have a community of backs,” Stevens said. “There’s a confidence and trust [with Brent] because you know he’s done it before, what he’s good at. Here its hunting and pecking to find out what the new guys are good at.”

Defensively, Xavier pitched a shutout in the second half, limiting June to 48 yards.  “They came out and they were a physical team in the second half, they shut us down offensively and they kept pounding the ball,” Hayes coach C.J. O’Neil said. “We’ve got a lot of our key guys going both ways and it wears on you a little.”

Still, Hayes (3-2, 3-1) got down to the Xavier 15 with 39 seconds left and had the ball in June’s hands. This time Castro was ready.  “I saw June and it was stretch right,” Castro said. “Normally, he always bounces it back if he doesn’t see anything. I saw him coming and we just moved him backward and backward.”

The Cardinals had one last chance to pull out the win, but Erion Mrishaj’s 43-yard field goal as time expired was well short. Xavier players exploded onto the field in celebration, while June and his teammates were despondent afterward.  “It hurts,” said June as he fought back tears. “We made little mistakes, but we’ve got to get better every day at practice. Hopefully we’ll see them in the playoffs and give them everything we’ve got.”

  
     
 



Xavier comes back from 19-point deficit to beat Cardinal Hayes, 33-32, in CHSFL 'AA'

BY Elio Velez
New York Daily News

Senior quarterback Brent Scardapane missed Xavier's big matchup with Hayes Saturday due to a concussion. But sophomore running back Trey Solomon was there to fill the void. Solomon rushed for 214 yards on 26 carries and scored four touchdowns as Xavier came back from a 19-point first-half deficit to stun Cardinal Hayes, 33-32, in a CHSFL "AA" game at SUNY Maritime in the Bronx.

Xavier completed its stunning comeback despite a stellar effort from Hayes' senior running back Dequan June, who rushed for 272 yards and four TDs.The Knights (4-0) scored the final 13 points of the game but got lucky when Hayes kicker Erion Mrishaj missed a 43-yard field goal attempt with no time left.

Solomon was grateful that Xavier coach Chris Stevens gave him a chance after Scardapane suffered a concussion in last week's game against St. Francis Prep.  "I wasn't going to replace him, he's better than me," Solomon joked about Scardapane. "But I'm glad Coach gave me the chance to go out there and play."

Hayes scored at will in the first half but Solomon scored three of his four touchdowns in the half to keep his team close, 32-20, at intermission.

Solomon then sliced Hayes's lead to 32-27 with a 1-yard touchdown run in the middle of the third quarter. The Knights then took their first lead of the game by going on a 90-yard drive capped by Jimmy Wolfer's 3-yard run. That gave Xavier a 33-32 lead with 9:44 remaining.

June scored on his first two runs of the game, going in from 61 yards out and then from 50 yards.  "It came down to a battle of wills, and they won today," said Hayes coach CJ O'Neil.

  
     
 

'Trey' scores four times to lead Xavier

By MARC RAIMONDI

Everyone calls William Solomon III by his nickname – Trey. Cardinal Hayes coach C.J. O’Neil might have come up with a better moniker.

“He’s obviously a rising star,” O’Neil said. “He’s a talented kid. He’s got a lot of football in front of him and he’s gonna be a person to be reckoned with in this league the next couple of years.”

Saturday was Solomon’s coming out party. The sophomore rushed for 214 yards and four touchdowns on 26 carries in Xavier’s thrilling, 33-32 comeback victory over Hayes in CHSFL ‘AA-A’ action at SUNY Maritime. Solomon became the Knights’ primary rusher out of the single wing with senior Brent Scardapane sitting out after suffering a mild concussion last week against St. Francis Prep.

The 5-foot-10, 190-bound back is physical and bruising, but also has speed and athleticism. Solomon, a Brooklyn native, has been in a secondary role on offense and one of the team’s best defenders at safety.

“If you can get him to the second level, he’s gonna get you extra,” Xavier coach Chris Stevens. “He also carries the ball like a loaf of bread sometimes.”

A fourth-quarter fumble was the lone blemish on Solomon’s otherwise pristine day. Xavier (4-1, 4-1 ‘AA-A’) recovered a fumble of its own with 6:49 left in the game and a lengthy drive would have all but sealed things with a one-point advantage. But on the first play from scrimmage, Solomon rushed for eight yards before getting stripped. Luckily for him, the Knights forced the Cardinals (3-2, 3-1) to punt.

“I’m thankful that my team was able to pick me up after that fumble,” Solomon said.

Scardapane will likely be back next week. But in Xavier’s single wing, there are plenty of carries to go around. Stevens called it a community of running backs. Solomon might soon be the mayor of said community with more games like Saturday’s and he seems to be Scardapane’s heir apparent as primary ball carrier as well.

“I wasn’t gonna replace him,” Solomon said of Scardapane. “He’s a little better than me, but I’m glad Coach gave me the chance to go in there and play.”

 
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
   
     
 



CHSFL rankings, Post Week 4

By MARC RAIMONDI and JOSEPH STASZEWSKI

What a weekend it was in the CHSFL.

Xaverian posted one of the biggest wins in school history with a rout of Iona Prep and Holy Cross had St. Anthony’s on the ropes before the Friars pulled out a late win. Chaminade won its second straight one-point game and Mount St. Michel has fallen by a combined three points the last two weeks. It all adds up to a league that might be as interesting and have as much parity as it’s had in years.

There will be tests again this week. No. 1 St. Anthony’s visits new No. 2 Stepinac on Friday night. Holy Cross, up to No. 3, visits No. 8 Mount. Iona Prep drops to No. 5 and travels to Fordham Prep face the sixth-ranked Rams on Sunday. Not to be forgotten is Monsignor Farrell, which gets back in the 10th spot fresh off coach Jim Bradley's first win.

Check out this week’s rankings:

1. St. Anthony’s (3-0) (Last week: 1)

The Friars certainly got a scare – a big one at that. But in typical St. Anthony’s fashion, despite a rash of injuries, it found a way to pull out a gutty win. Anthony Leggio’s strip of Holy Cross quarterback Yianni Gavalas and the recovery by Fifunmi Familusi was the break they needed in a 29-19 comeback win over the Knights in Queens.

Next: @ No. 2 Stepinac (Oct, 7, 7:30 p.m. @ White Plains)

2. Archbishop Stepinac (4-0) (3)

The Crusaders rise to the No. 2 spot off a 14-12 win over Mount St. Michael. They could be tops when these rankings roll out next week. To do so they will need to beat St. Anthony’s in White Plains on Friday night under the lights. Austin Taps will likely big a big reason why if the upset occurs. The senior was all over the field against Mount.

Next: No. 1 St. Anthony’s (Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. @ White Plains.

3. Holy Cross (3-1) (4)

Yes, coach Tom Pugh’s budding club moves up off a loss because it was one that still felt like a small victory. The young Knights, who beat Xaverian in Week 2, pushed perennial power St. Anthony's to the brink Sunday afternoon. Minus a few mistakes late and we could have been talking about an upset. It will only give Cross confidence if it sees the Friars in the postseason.

Next: @ No. 8 Mount St. Michael (Oct. 8, 1:30 p.m.)

4. Xaverian (3-1) (5)

The Clippers didn’t just beat Iona Prep, they dominated in every way. They brought the Gaels offense to a halt in the first half, blocked two punts and intercepted three passes. While quarterback Zach Kearney had a big three-touchdown day, it was heroes on defense like Ryan Gordon, Remo Rivero, Joe Magnavita and Rocky Iannocone that make wins like that possible.

Next: @ Holy Trinity (Oct. 7, 7 p.m. @ Mitchel Field)

5. Iona Prep (3-1) (2)

What went right for the Gaels? Not much. Their defense gave up big plays, two punts were blocked and Mario Biaggi and the offense were ineffective in the first half. Add to that Sean (Diddy) Combs coming out of the stands to talk to the coaches at the break and it wasn’t a fine day in a loss to Xaverian. Justin Combs' second half under center may have been the lone bright spot.

Next: No. 6 Fordham Prep (Oct. 9, 5 p.m. @ Coffey Field)

6. Fordham Prep (3-1) (6)

Coach Pete Gorynski took the ultimate gamble by choosing to go for two instead of the tie in overtime. James McHale and Austin Wolf rewarded him with a connection that sealed a 29-28 win over Kellenberg. The Rams know they need to play better if they want their winning ways to continue. That includes a Sunday night game against a motivated Iona team.

Next: No. 5 Iona Prep (Oct 9, 5 p.m. @ Coffey Field)

7. Chaminade (3-1) (7)

The Flyers have sure made things interesting the last two weekends with consecutive 21-20 wins over Mount St. Michael and Holy Trinity. Chaminade may not get style points, but its guts are unquestionable. Things don’t get any easier when Joseph Anile and Co. make the trek to Staten Island to face a gritty St. Joseph by the Sea team in need of a win.

Next: @ St. Joseph by the Sea (Oct. 8, 1:30 p.m.)

8. Mount St. Michael (1-2) (8)

Mountaineers coach Mario Valentini said it best after a second straight loss: His team is close, but close isn’t good enough. Najae Brown and Kenny Acquah are both having fine seasons, but Mount fell to Chaminade and then rival Stepinac by a combined three points. With Holy Cross visiting The Bronx this week, their fortunes could change in a hurry.

Next: No. 3 Holy Cross (Oct. 8, 1:30 p.m.)

9. Xavier (3-1) (9)

Xavier coach Chris Stevens had never beated legendary St. Francis Prep head man Vince O’Connor until a 35-14 win last week. It was a game featured what we have come to expect from Xavier. The defense was dominant and Brent Scardapane had another monster day. The senior ran for 268 yards on 19 carries with three touchdowns. All of that will need to continue if Xavier is to beat Cardinal Hayes this week.

Next: @ Cardinal Hayes (Oct. 8, 3 p.m.@ SUNY Maritime)

10. Monsignor Farrell (1-3) (NR)

There is an old saying that the first one is the hardest. It took Farrell four weeks to get coach Jim Bradley his first victory and even that wasn’t easy as the Lions had to hold off rival St. Joseph by the Sea in Huguenot. The defense was stout and Michael Viegas showed why he is one of the league’s best players with two touchdowns. Will a date with Kellenberg bring win No. 2?

Next: Kellenberg (Oct. 8, 7 p.m.)

New: Monsignor Farrell (1-3)

Dropped out: St. Joseph by the Sea (1-3)

On the bubble: Cardinal Hayes (3-1), St. Joseph by the Sea (1-3), St. Peter’s (2-1) and Bishop Ford (2-2).