The last gasp of the St. Anthony’s dynasty I reviewed in the first post in my “Look Back” series just happened over 12 years ago. While St. Anthony’s rattled off three ‘AAA’ Championships in a row after losing to Iona in 2008, the cracks and limitations of that dynasty had started to show. And the rest of the league was quickly catching up to them. Upstart programs began to make their climb to the ‘AAA’ and while the Long Island program still reigned supreme, it was their cross island rival that again, showed the CHSFL that the Friars were indeed beatable. 

To set the stage, we go back to 2010, when St. Anthony’s capped off a commanding win over Iona Prep, 41-23. The league itself was going through a transition period, and the next year it was Archbishop Stepinac, a traditional ‘AA’ power, that broke through and made a run at a championship. The Crusaders journey to the ‘AAA’ was long, and with ‘AA’ titles in 2007 and 2010, they finally made the jump to the ‘AAA’. Though the impending avalanche was coming, it would not be their time. The game was tight, low scoring, and the more experienced Friars shut down Stepinac’s spread offense. Anthony Anderson punched in a 1 yard touchdown midway into the 2nd quarter after a 16 play, 65 yard drive, that grinded over 10 minutes off the clock. Late in the 3rd quarter, it was the defense that rose to the occasion, forcing a fumble, and racing 59 yards for a touchdown.The Friars completed the 3 peat and shut out the Crusaders 14-0. While a decisive win, this was a far cry from the 55-29 drubbing St. Anthony’s inflicted on the Crusaders earlier in the season.

Take a look back, the broadcast is on Youtube. 

On the other side of the coin, Chaminade was reeling in 2010 after a 1-9 season. The Flyers, and biggest rivals to the St. Anthony’s seemed like a program on a death spiral. In 2012, the Flyers bounced back, going 6-4, with an early playoff exit to Iona Prep. Enter head coach Stephen Boyd, the former NFL player. 

It would not take long, as the Flyers went 7-1 in the 2012 regular season, beating every team sans Iona Prep and St. Anthony’s by 10 points or more. Their only loss came in a 24-23 contest vs St. Anthony’s at the end of September. They were well poised to go into the playoffs. St. Anthony’s? After starting 0-2 with a tough loss to Bergen Catholic and a close loss to Iona Prep, rattled off 6 straight wins to end the regular season 6-2. For the first time in many years, the Friars were decidedly not the favorite to win the championship, record wise.

Then Hurricane Sandy hit New York City, and devastated the area. The CHSFL had to make the decision to continue, or cancel the playoffs. The season would continue, with a 3 week hiatus, and the playoffs would proceed on November 17, the week before Thanksgiving. 

The Friars came into the playoffs hot, demolishing Monsignor Farrell 42-0, and then St. Joseph by the Sea 35-8 in the semis to punch their ticket to their 14th straight title game. Rich Reichert’s triple option was rolling. 

Chaminade rolled through the playoffs as well, shutting out Holy Cross 21-0 in the first round, and demolishing Iona Prep 41-16. Stephen Boyd’s team, who also ran the triple option offense, was headed for a rematch with their Long Island rival. 

On December 1st, the stage was set, and the Flyers and Friars did battle at Mitchel Field. 

The leaders of these teams–on Chaminade, they were led by QB Sean Cerrone (992 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, and 407 rushing yards, and 5 rushing touchdowns), RB Robert Speranza (725 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns), RB Daniel Fowler (476 yards, 5 touchdowns), RB Matt Correa (361 yards, 3 touchdowns), and WR Thomas Zenker (693 receiving yards, 6 touchdowns), and a stifling defense that held teams to just 14.8 points per game. 

On St. Anthony’s, the Friars were a much younger team, led by juniors and sophomores. Their junior QB Greg Galligan (712 passing yards, 4 passing touchdowns, 400 yards, 9 touchdowns) was the architect of the Friars’ triple option attack, with senior RB Anthony Anderson (722 yards, 7 touchdowns), junior RB Naim Jones (539 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns), sophomore RB Brandon Femiano (477 yards, 6 touchdowns), and sophomore RB Jordan Gowins (435 yards, 12 touchdowns), the offense was able average 31.18 points per game, and their defense was stout as well, letting up just 18.5 points per game. 

On a cold December afternoon, the Long Island rivals clashed. St. Anthony’s struck first, after a big return by Femiano, the Friars jumped to an early 7-0 lead on a toss play to Naim Jones on a 4 yard run 19 seconds into the 1st quarter. Sean Cerrone and the Flyers responded the very next drive, responding with a 38 yard run to cap a 7 play 71 yard drive, just under 4 minutes into the game to tie the game at 7. The very next drive, the Friars put the ball on the ground, and Chaminade recovered on the 17 yard line. Just two minutes later, Cerrone hits Mike Walsh for a touchdown to lead 14-7. The defenses took over, and the halftime score was 14-7, with the Flyers leading. 

Early in the 3rd quarter, the Friars would finally catch fire, Anthony Anderson, who scored St. Anthony’s only offensive touchdown in this game in 2011, would burst for an 18 yard run to tie the game at 14. A hard hitting, penalty laden affair for the rest of the game, the score would hold for much of the rest of the quarter. Early in the 4th quarter, Sean Cerrone was sacked in the endzone, in what appeared to be the turning point of the game. St. Anthony’s retook the lead with 10:33 left in the game. Late game heroics, and a truly stout defense stopping Anthony Anderson on 4th and inches with just 2 minutes left, allowed the Flyer offense to inch into position. From the 16 yard line, where Zane Wasp would hit a 33 yard field to put Chaminade in front 17-16 with 47 yards left.. 

Greg Galligan and the Friars would storm back, driving to the Chaminade 25 with 2 seconds left, where the Friars would attempt a 42 yard field goal to win the game. The field goal would be blocked. And Chaminade would snap their 18 game losing streak to the Friars, and win their first ‘AAA’ championship in 14 years. 

Take a look back, the broadcast is on Youtube

The next season, St. Anthony’s would meet Chaminade in the championship again, and the game would not be the same. The Friars were their usual selves, and went 11-1. They won every game by two touchdowns or more. Chaminade was strong again, going 10-2 overall, and making the championship game. With much of the Friars being younger, the 2013 edition of this series was much less competitive. St. Anthony’s own both matchups, with a combined score of 73-10, including a shutout victory in the championship, 35-0. The Flyers did keep it close for a half, only being down 7-0, but the end result was the end result. Rich Reichert would get his revenge, and his 11th title in 13 years, and 14th overall since 1993. 

Take a look back, the championship game film is on Youtube

This would be the end of Long Island’s dominance of the CHSFL, as Stepinac and Iona would play in the championship the next year, and the Crusader Dynasty would begin then. 

Before I go there, there are stories on the ‘AA’ level happening at the same time as this one that are just as compelling, and just as important to the fabric of the CHSFL’s history. As this is all happening, Cardinal Hayes makes their bid to go to the ‘AAA’ around the same time Stepinac moves up. The Cardinals would snap their 28 game losing streak in the Turkey Bowl to Mount Saint Michael in 2008. Xavier would unveil an old offense and would take the CHSFL by storm, winning three championships in 2007, 2012, and 2015. 

So I will be departing from the ‘AAA’ in the meantime, and will be back later.