XAVIER 7 - FARRELL 28
Farrell defeats Xavier, 28-7
Monsignor Farrell jumped to a two-touchdown lead in the first four
minutes and stayed in control
while posting a 28-7 CHSFL win over visiting Xavier Friday night.
By
on September 20, 2013 11:02 p.m.
The win makes Farrell 3-0 for the first time since the 1998 season.
The Knights quickly answered the Lions’ second score with a 94-yard kickoff return touchdown by William Solomon, but that turned out to be Xavier’s only score of the evening
“Solid game,” said Farrell coach Jim Bradley. “We came out ready to play. I think Solomon is the best player we’ve played against in a while, especially on returns and in the open field.”
Bradley didn’t tempt fate, making sure his kicking game stayed clear of Solomon the rest of the way. The senior accounted for nearly all of Xavier’s offense, rushing for 88 yards on 20 carries, making the Knights’ only reception of the night for 6 yards and throwing four of Xavier’s six passes
Most of the yardage came early. In the second half the Lions held Xavier to 23 yards of total offense and without a first down.
“I thought we were more consistent against the run in the second half,” said Bradley. “As long as we didn’t give them a short field, I thought we would make enough plays to defend them well.”
Farrell quarterback Vinny Aranda completed 5 of 12 passes for 167 yards, including a 90-yard touchdown connection with Chris Caraballo. Paul Pizzo caught three passes for 66 yards. Aranda kept several drives alive by converting long-distance first downs with big passes.
The first came on the opening drive, a 32-yard hookup with Pizzo on second and 18. One play later John LaPiedra dove into the end zone on a 3-yard scoring run.
“He’s throwing the ball as well as I’ve seen him throw the ball,” Bradley said of Aranda. “The routes — he threw the slant, he threw inside. And the deep ball to Caraballo, we finally connected. We’ve been close. I thought that was a positive.”
The Lions quickly added a second score as Caraballo picked off a tipped pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown. Early in the second quarter, Aranda converted a third-and-9 with a 16-yard pass to Pizzo. The quarterback finished off that drive with a 5-yard touchdown run.
The big touchdown pass to Caraballo, on a second-and-25 play in the opening minutes of the second half, capped the scoring. Aranda hit his receiver in stride at his 42-yard line and Caraballo ran away for the score.
