Stepinac Wins Epic Battle and the 2014 CHSFL AAA Championship

The Catholic High School Football League (CHSFL) celebrated their 60th Anniversary this year with one of their most competitive rivalries playing probably the greatest AAA Championship game in history.

After the whistle sounded for the end of this historic contest, CHSFL President Chris Hardardt presented the Michael Cunnion Memorial Trophy to Archbishop Stepinac High School for defeating Iona Preparatory School, 16-14, in a game whose excitement will last a lifetime.

It is the first time that Stepinac has claimed the CHSFL AAA title since they shared it with St. Francis Prep in 1955. “Obviously these are two really good football teams and that is how the game played out. Iona gave us all we can handle. I have a lot of respect for their staff and their players,” said Mike O’Donnell, Head Football Coach and Athletic Director at Stepinac.

It was a cold and blustery evening in the Bronx and the game at Fordham University began at about sundown at 4:30 p.m. At the start, it appeared as if Stepinac was destined to win. Stepinac won the coin toss and deferred receiving the kickoff.

Iona’s returner Taj Marable ran the kickoff back to Stepinac’s 48-yard line. Nonetheless, a holding penalty on Iona brought the ball back to the point of infraction, which was the Gaels six-yard line. Even more disastrous for the Gaels, on the very next play a bad hike sent the ball into the end zone for a safety. Stepinac was leading 2-0 and receiving the ball with only 24 seconds having lapsed on the game clock.

Malcolm “Big Play” Major made the Gaels pay for their two early mistakes by running 29 yards for a touchdown within a minute after the safety. After Crusaders kicker Matthew Tierney kicked the extra point, the game stood still for about six minutes at 9-0. Then linebacker Demarcus Miller decided to show up and intercepted Iona’s QB Robert Madison and ran the ball back 55 yards for a touchdown.

The score remained, 16-0, in favor of the Crusaders with their portion of the 6000 fans in attendance extremely enthusiastic at Jack Coffey Field. But anyone who is acquainted with this staunch rivalry is quite aware that a Vic Quirolo led Iona football team is not going to lie down.

Madison quieted the Stepinac faithful and energized the Iona fans by hitting his wide receiver Brian Thompson with a 25-yard touchdown pass at 1:12 in the first quarter. However, the extra point failed which kept the score 16-6 for the Crusaders at the end of the first quarter.

In the second and third quarters both teams exhibited defensive showdowns, while coming up even with no scoring in those quarters. But Madison sent the Iona fans into a frenzy when he struck pay turf with a 47-yard touchdown pass to Dylan Mucci at the start of the fourth quarter.

Moreover, the maroon and gold faithful almost leaped out of the stands when Iona faked a kick PAT and holder Lyle Bennett reached the ball over the goal line for a two point conversion. Now we have a game at 16-14!

Miller had two crucial interceptions in the game and his second interception was the stuff that wins are made of. With the Gaels threatening to score and take the lead at 7:15 in the fourth quarter, Miller snatched Madison’s pass out of the air on his own 10-yard line and thrilled the crowd. “I am glad I was able to do it, if it was Gavin (Heslop), Jaychar (Howell) anybody to electrify the team. We were down a little bit and we needed that,” said Miller, who was presented the Defensive MVP Award for his efforts.

The game came down to two more possessions for Iona. Iona got the ball back after their defense held to force a punt. But Crusaders’ kicker Patrick Heffernan got the bounces of his life after a good kick and the Crusaders downed the ball on Iona’s six yard line.

As Iona’s bench yelled, “It is up to you number seven” while calling out Madison’s number; Crusaders Robinson Del La Cruz, Terry McDonald-Preston and Daniel Negron sacked Madison. The Gaels found themselves with a two-point deficit and having to punt with a minute and a half left in the game.

But the Gaels excellent defense got the ball back to their quarterback one more time. Nonetheless, Crusaders’ corner-back Terrell “T. J.” Morrison intercepted Madison in the closing seconds of the game and raised the ball high in the air as the Stepinac faithful went ballistic.

Stepinac won, what I would call, the greatest football game, in the most spectacular atmosphere that I have ever witnessed. Kicker Matthew Tierney’s two extra points or Stepinac’s safety to start the game was the difference in the historical contest.

“To finally be at the top with the crown, this is unbelievable because there are some good teams in AAA! Everybody thought Stepinac could not win the big game and we finally did it,” said Crusaders quarterback Brandon Coleman, who was the Offensive MVP of the Championship Game.

Stepinac will play the winner of the upstate Monsignor Martin Association Football League Title, in the inaugural Catholic High School State Championship Game, on Sunday, December 7, at 2 p.m. at Mitchel Field, in Uniondale. The Catholic High School State Championship was postponed from Sunday, Nov. 29, to Sunday, Dec. 7, due to the enormous snow accumulation in Buffalo.