Steven Viegas, Monsignor Farrell steamroll Xavier in football, 42-21
By
October 12, 2014 12:52 a.m.
Monsignor Farrell wide receiver Andrew Lunarola had a 14-yard TD reception with 17 secods left in the first half.
If the rest of the CHSFL didn't know about Steven Viegas, you can bet your bottom dollar they know about him now. The junior running back rushed for 189 of his 192 yards in the first half and he also finished with three touchdowns as Monsignor Farrell rolled to its third straight CHSFL victory via a 42-21 decision over visiting Xavier Saturday night in Oakwood. The Lions, who finished 343 yards of total offense, improved to 3-1 in league play and 4-2 overall.
Things didn't get off to a great start for the Lions as a lost fumble at the Xavier 47 resulted in a 11-play, 53-yard drive by the Knights that ended in Dongan Hills resident Zach Cilmi's 2-yard TD run. James Tweedy's extra point made it 7-0.
But the Lions responded with three consecutive drives that ended in touchdowns, including 38, 50 and 39-yard runs by the elusive Viegas. Paul Inzerillo added three of his six extra points on Viegas' scores as Farrell took a 21-7 lead with 7:27 left in the half. "I've been working hard in practice and getting opportunities (to run the ball in games) and I know I have to make something out of it,'' said Viegas. "The blocking up front has been great. "We had the fiumble in the beginning, but after that I just followed the blocks of the offensive line, who were giving me big holes to run into.''
Xavier's Matt Baker kept things interested when he retured the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a TD that helped make it 21-14, but the Lions regained a two-touchdown lead at the end of the first half when Andrew Lunarola capped an 8-play, 49-yard drive with a 14-yard TD reception from quarterback Michael Cloppse.
When Michael Fiorello picked off a Michael Chiarovano pass and returned it 45 yards to pay dirt on the second play of the new half, the Lions lead ballooned to 35-14 and they never looked back.
OFFENSIVE
PLAYER OF THE GAME
The 5-foot-8, 165-pound Viegas continues to raise eyebrows with
his rushing ability as he followed up huge performances against Chaminade
(200 yards rushing) and Holy Trinity (246 yards rushing) with a 192-yard
performance against the Knights. Viegas, thanks in part to left
tackle Patrick Kelly, left guard Daniel Kindya, center Fred DiTommaso,
right guard James Granton, right tackle Zach O'Neill and tight end Sean
Coughlin, averaged a whopping 10.7 yards per carry and 42.3 yards per
touchdown run. "He's fast and he hits the hole hard,'' said MF
head coach Jim Bradley. "He runs the outside zone as well as anybody
we've had the last four years. He does a good job following his blocks and
following where the play goes.''
PLAY
OF THE GAME
Lunarola, who finished with a game-high four catches for 42 yards, made an
incredible play on his touchdown reception to help give Farrell a 28-14
lead at the half. The wide receiver stepped back to the ball on the
snap and caught the ball from Cloppse in the right flat. With three Xavier
would-be tacklers in the vicinity, Lunarola managed to turn and break free
before racing for the end zone with just 17 ticks left in the half.
"I didn't think he'd be able to step away from all the tacklers,''
admitted Bradley. "It was a great play and I felt a lot better going
into the half up (14 points instead of seven).''
TURNING
POINT OF THE GAME
The honor goes to senior defensive back Fiorello, who stepped in
front of Chiarovano's pass at the Xavier 45 and raced down the right
sideline for a touchdown to make it 35-14. With Farrell owning
three-touchdown lead, Xavier was hard-pressed to comeback, especially
since it operates out of the run-laden single-wing offense.
DEFENSIVE
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Farrell linebacker Joseph Irlinger, who in addition to two
bone-jarring hits on kickoff returns, played his usual steady game. The
5-10, 185-pounder seemed to be in on every play and had a pair of tackles
for losses. Farrell defensive lineman Stuyvesant Hurley, meanwhile,
had the Lions lone sack.
ISLAND
TIES
Cilmi, who scored the game-winning TD in a 10-7 win over St. Joseph
by-the-Sea two weeks ago, was 1 for 6 for 24 yards passing and carried the
ball 13 times for 17 yards.