I swear, sometimes I really think it’s better to lose 42-0.

This weekend at Dietz Stadium in Kingston confirmed it. In the span of 24 hours, Nyack and New Rochelle had state semifinal games go down to the wire. And both times, they found gut-wrenching ways to lose.

Nyack’s loss last night was brutal. New Rochelle’s tonight was catastrophic.

The Huguenots lost 10-8 Monroe-Woodbury of Section 9 in a Class AA semifinal in a game that was like having your heart ripped out. They came back from a 7-0 deficit in the fourth quarter, driving 97 yards for a touchdown and then pulling ahead when renegade quarterback/holder Jonny McGhee called his own fake — as he’s famously done to win games in the past — and lobbed the two-point conversion to make it 8-7.

Monroe-Woodbury responded, thanks in part to a kickoff return to midfield and a personal foul penalty that brought the ball to the New Ro 30. The Crusaders capitalized with a 33-yard field goal by Jamie Boyle, one of the best high school kickers I can ever remember. Boyle, who’s headed to Central Florida, snuck the kick just inside the right post to make it 10-8 with under six minutes remaining.

McGhee led the Huguenots down the field, converting a pair of third downs, one on a pass and the other on a run, before his 11-yard scamper on third down with under a minute to play got the ball to the Monroe 4. After a 5-yard penalty for illegal substitution, Marvill Martin lined up a 26-yard, game-winning field — which never happened.

Instead McGhee took a high snap, jumped to his feet and tried to hit Janna Chukumerije over the middle. Chukumerijie caught it but was stopped at the 3 as time expired.

Mayhem quickly ensued. Monroe stormed the field. New Rochelle pleaded with the officials that Chukumerije had his face-mask pulled. They wanted a measurement, although it wouldn’t have mattered since the clock expired. But should it? How did all that time run off. And why did McGhee throw it instead of putting it on the block and attempting the field goal. Was it a designed fake? Was it McGhee calling his own number again? Is the game really over? Did New Rochelle really just lose?

The questions streamed out all over the field as the tears poured down. Again. New Rochelle was on the far end zone of Dietz Stadium collectively sobbing as yet another opportunity to beat Monroe slipped through their grips.

I was shocked, not only by the way the game ended but by the level of confusion. Nobody knew what happened, not even the coaches on either side or more of the players. In the span of 5 minutes, I must have been approached by a dozen New Rochelle fans and parents asking me what happened.

As the New Rochelle players milled around crying, I caught up with McGhee. He accepted the blame for the final play, admitting that it wasn’t a designed fake and that he did it on his own. He didn’t like what he saw and when the snap was high, he felt he had to throw it or the kick would be blocked.

“That was a bad choice by me,” McGhee said. “I think I should have just let (Martin) kick the ball. We most likely would have won.”

We’ll never know for sure, of course. But if your New Rochelle, you’d probably prefer to lose on a blocked field goal than the way the Huguenots went down.

I give McGhee credit. He didn’t shy away from being interviewed and immediately owned up for it. His two-point conversion fake earlier in the fourth, which he said he called in the huddle, was gutsy. But that’s why he’s so good. If you start him at quarterback as a sophomore, as New Ro did last season, you have to trust him to make decisions. Tonight, he probably made the wrong one.

Covering New Rochelle football for nine years, I’ve developed a tremendous amount of respect for the coaching staff, especially Lou DiRienzo. As I’ve said before, no coach puts in nearly the number of hours that DiRienzo does on a day to day basis, and the program’s success is a direct result of him. When I tracked him down after the game, he was walking quickly but without any real direction. Where we started the interview was probably 200 yards away from where we ended it. Yet he answered every question with honesty and heart, and I couldn’t help but feel for him knowing how much he pours into every season. Honestly, I think this might be his best coaching job that I’ve seen.

This game was different from last year’s game, which ended is similar devastating fashion. Last year, New Rochelle probably deserved to win that game, even though Monroe was better. The Huguenots, though, made a costly mistake at the end and lost.

Tonight, Monroe deserved to move on. The defense is extremely disciplined and well-coached, and the Crusaders outplayed New Ro for most of the night. I was totally wrong and, if you’re New Rochelle, trust me on this: Monroe-Woodbury is the better team.

I don’t think anybody at New Rochelle is going to sleep much over the next few nights. But that should definitely help in the healing.

Croton-Harmon has punched a ticket to the Dome. And Rye is on its way, too.

Throw in Iona Prep leading St. Anthony’s in the CHSFL AAA championship and New Rochelle about square off with Monroe-Woodbury, and this could be a great day for LoHud football. We’ll see in a few hours.

The Croton game was interesting. Imagine this:

407 yards of offense
394 yards rushing on 68 carries
Four players with at least 74 yards rushing, all on double-digit carries
Running 73 plays when the opponent has only 35
Controlling the clock for nearly 32 minutes

Now imagine you do all that and you only win 23-14?

Crazy to think how much Croton dominated this game today versus Saranac Lake yet needed a late touchdown to be secure about it. That’s what the great teams do, I guess. And right now, it’s hard to say this Croton team isn’t on its way to being a great team.

Tyler Keppler and Tyler Dorien, a pair of juniors, played exceptionally today. Keppler had 120 yards rushing on 20 carries. Dorien rushed for 74 yards on 10 carries, caught a touchdown, intercepted two passes and kicked the go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter.

Nick Mainiero rushed for 92 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, and threw for two touchdowns. He got his bell rung pretty good late in the fourth quarter, was helped off the field and came back two plays later to run in the clinching touchdown with 1:23 left on fourth-and-inches.

Dan Luntz added 83 yards on 18 carries, picking up some tough first downs with extra-efforts. And Matt Tralli had a few big plays, including an alert fumble recovery to keep a drive going.

Once again, this Croton team gets a little from everywhere and it adds up to a victory. Seven penalties in the first half hurt. They were mostly false-starts, which had to do with changing snap counts and a “vocal” Saranac Lake defensive front.

This has to be one of the best play-calling games I’ve seen this season, and the credit goes to coach John Catano. Very methodical and smooth. It was clear from the start that Croton was quicker and could get to the outside. Catano, though, didn’t go to the well too much, instead sprinkling in some pitch and sweep, almost always going for a big gain. Averaging 5.8 yards per carry is proof.

Croton goes to the Dome and just might be the most unexpected Section 1 team ever to step foot in there.

This team will be my lasting impression on this season. In 20 years, I’ll forget about most of what’s gone on, but I won’t likely forget this team. Win or lose next week, Croton is 2008 Section 1 football.

Or this coach. When time expired and Croton rushed the field to celebrate. Catano was ecstatic. As he walked out with his arms raised, he turned and pointed at me from across the field.

And then he gave me the finger.

It’s was an affectionate gesture, of course. Yes, it’s sort of an inside joke. But who I am to argue? Catano could pretty much do what he wants at this point. The guy could run for mayor of Croton at win handily.

Unless, of course, Mainiero ran against him.

Unbelievable. Just when you thought this Nyack season couldn’t get any wilder, the most unexpected fourth quarter unfolds with the most unpredictable finish.

Nyack’s run is over. It lost to Section 2’s Burnt Hills, 14-13, tonight at Dietz Stadium in a Class A state semifinal, hours after Tuckahoe was beaten 21-6 by Section 7’s Moriah in Class D. Bad night for Section 1 on the surface. Even worse when you take a close look at each game.

The Nyack loss was difficult to watch. It completely dominated the first half before allowing Burnt Hills and super talented quarterback Paul Layton back into the game in the third quarter. Burnt Hills finally tied it against a seemingly unflappable Nyack defense midway through the fourth. Nyack then responded when Francis Stewart returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. A missed extra point, followed by a heroic Layton scoring drive, touchdown run and extra point gave Burnt Hills the lead. And in the final minutes, Nyack drove past midfield, only to have the game end on a sack and fumble in the closing seconds.

I was on the Nyack sidelines in the fourth quarter and it was devastating. The Indians felt they had the game won a few times. They had escaped last-second trouble in each of the last two weeks. They figured it was going to happen again.

But for the first time, I felt the last four weeks finally took a toll on Nyack. The defense looked exhausted on Burnt Hills’ winning drive. Layton was pushed back repeatedly in the first three quarters. In the fourth, he was driving forwards and breaking tackles. I said on the show the other night that you have to be weary of a team with a quarterback with this type of experience and ability. In the fourth quarter, he showed why.

“The kid’s experienced, you could just see it in the way he handles himself,” Nyack coach John Castellano said. “He took charge and, even at the end there, he broke four tackles to get into the end zone. He’s good player and they did a good job of staying in the game. They hung in the game. They weren’t going to make mistakes and we did.”

Was Burnt Hills better than Nyack? It’s hard to say. If you watched the first half, you would have thought Nyack would win this game by three touchdowns. Burnt Hills went three-and-out four times in the first half. Nyack, though, couldn’t pad its lead, turning the ball over a few times, once inside the Burnt Hills 20.

And that’s where the game was lost. As crazy as the fourth quarter was, it was Nyack’s inability to punch in at least one more score, even a field goal, that cost it in the end. It’s amazing how often this happens. Yet we’re so used to pinpointing a play late in the game as what won or lost a game.

Nyack kicker Sanley Pierre Louis was devastated afterwards. He felt solely responsible for the loss since he missed the extra point. I don’t know what this means coming from me, but he has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. If it wasn’t for him, Nyack might not even be here. No one individual is to blame for a loss like this. Go back over the game and you can find over a dozen plays that could have turned this game.

I spoke to Castellano after the game and you could see how crushed he was. This team had taken him on a magical ride the last four weeks, one he never imagined before the season, and for it to end like this hurts.

“It was tough road,” Castellano said. We played three teams that were undefeated and a team (Cornwall) that lost to a AA school (Monroe). Plus, Harrison is Harrison.”

So Nyack and Tuckahoe are done. Tuckahoe wasn’t unexpected. Being a team that struggled with consistency all season, I knew it was going to struggle against a disciplined team. Moriah definitely was. It had great size and a durable, consistent back in Jim Carlson. He had 27 carries for 148 yards and two touchdowns, plus about 10 tackles on defense.

Tuckahoe was in the game late, trailing 14-6 with the ball and driving in the third. But drops, penalties and a slew of missed tackles never let them close the gap.

It’s up to Croton, Rye and New Rochelle to carry the Section 1 torch tomorrow. Should be a great day.

When I pulled into my hotel tonight, I saw the Saranac Lake bus parked outside. The team is staying in the hotel. I just might have to go down to the hotel bar and, you know, make sure they’re not trying to get served. Be back tomorrow.

I’ve packed my long-johns and am about to leave for Kingston. Before I go, take a moment to check out our coverage from the week on the Varsity Kickoff page.

Class AA
Scouting report for New Rochelle-Monroe Woodbury

Rick Carpiniello column on father-sons playing/coaching together in the state tournament this weekend, including New Rochelle’s coach Lou DiRienzo and linebacker, Lou DiRienzo Jr.

I’ll have a story in tomorrow’s Journal News about New Rochelle’s mental state heading into its third straight state tournament meeting with Monroe Woodbury.

Class A
Harold Gutmann had a great story in yesterday’s paper on Nyack’s stellar defensive ends, Terrance Fede and Matt Mancini, who are better known as the Bash Brothers.

Scouting report: Nyack vs. Burnt Hills

Class B
Today I wrote about Rye’s bruising fullback combo of Kyle Ramalho and Cole McCormack. Kyle and Cole will be needed heavily to muscle a Hudson Falls team that’s far bigger than the Garnets.

Scouting report: Rye vs. Hudson Falls

Class C
On Monday, Josh Thomson wrote about Croton’s brother receiving tandem of Joe and Matt Tralli. It’s amazing to think how close Joe came to not playing football season. Now he’s one of the area’s top receivers (I saw him have a sick leaping catch at practice yesterday).

Scouting report: Croton-Harmon vs. Saranac Lake

Class D
Nobody at Tuckahoe calls Steve Walsh by his first name, as I wrote about the star senior lineman on Wednesday. Walsh has been a mainstay on the Tigers line and is the driving force of the offense.

Scouting report: Tuckahoe vs. Moriah

CHSFL
We’ll have more coverage of the AAA and AA championship games in tomorrow’s Journal News.

Scouting report: Iona Prep vs. St. Anthony’s

Scouting report: Stepinac vs. Holy Trinity

I’ll check in from Dietz when I get there. Knowing the way they run things up there, the press box will be packed with nonsense media types. Doesn’t matter to me, though. I’ll be on the sidelines. I’m a warrior.

Check the Gameday Central blog throughout the games as Rick Carpiniello provides updates and analysis.

Stopped by Croton practice yesterday, not because I wanted to see how the team looked. It was to be entertained.

I had to drive an extra 20 minutes this for that. Croton wisely secured practice time at Putnam Valley High School, which has the same astro-turf surface that Dietz Stadium in Kingston has. The players, many which had fresh new turf shoes, got used the spongy surface and its unforgiving texture.

Had it not been for the biting wind and frost air, you would have thought Croton was practicing two days before its first scrimmage back in September.

“You think it’s cold here,” Croton coach John Catano said. “How cold is it in Saranac Lake?”

Saranac Lake, Croton’s Class C state semifinal opponent, is located up in the Adirondacks near the Canadian border. I checked. It was 15 degrees in Saranac Lake with light snow.

Down at Croton, the mood was very casual and cool, and the players got into a nice rhythm running offensive plays up and down the field. I use words like ‘casual’ and ‘loose’ a lot when I do these practice reports. But at Croton, it should be this way. This is a team with zero state tournament experience besides last week. Yet they fall in line with the Ryes and New Rochelles.

Catano was his usual self, laughing and cursing (it’s basically the same thing for him), acting as if he’s sitting back relaxed when I’m sure part of him is a little jittery thinking about tomorrow. He’d have to be. He’s coached long enough to know the value of still playing at this point.

Most times when a coach is hollering and cracking jokes, the players try to join in and the focus gets a little lost. Not at Croton. The players yesterday were crisp and, with the exception of a few circumstances, Catano spent more time yelling at the kids shivering on the bench than the starters on the field.

I laughed, too, at the way Catano called plays. Every practice I’d gone to this season he had a sheet with a script of plays, which he used as a reference. Yesterday, no sheet.

“Just making them up, coach?” I asked.

“Yeah right,” he laughed. “We’ve done this so many times by now, we have it memorized.”

That’s really what Croton is at this point: a team that’s gotten so good, it doesn’t have to change anything. Just go out and play.

Croton gets Saranac Lake of Section 7 tomorrow at noon. One win from the Dome, the warmest place on Earth.

Here’s last night’s show, in case you missed it:

We’ll be airing all five state semifinal games live from Dietz Stadium in Kingston, and Rick Carpiniello and I will be providing up-to-the-minute insight over on the Gameday Central blog (and here, of course).

All five games will be broadcast on Lohud channel 1, which you can access here.

If you’re interested in what’s going on in the other half of the state, the Southern Tier Sports Network in Binghamton will be broadcasting (radio) the Class AA semifinal between Orchard Park-Binghamton. That starts at 6 p.m. and my good friend Matt Brannen will be on the play-by-play.

My schedule yesterday got a little screwed up. The plan was to get to Rye and Stepinac, and then hit Croton-Harmon today to complete my tour of all seven football teams playing this weekend. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out like that.

After I left Rye, I got called to do another assignment and had to skip Stepinac. And since I had to go to Peekskill early this afternoon for a basketball photo and story — and Croton was practicing conveniently nearby at Putnam Valley — Stepinac got cut out of the equation. My apologies.

Here’s a quick briefing on what I saw and heard at Rye (Croton is coming later):

Visiting practice at Rye this season has been an enjoyable experience. In years past, I probably wouldn’t say that without some hesitation.

The reason being is that the mood at Rye is always upbeat. Croton was that way today, too. But that’s because it’s Croton’s first time in the state tournament and those players and coaches know appreciate the ride because it doesn’t come around very often.

At Rye in years past, the players have always been loose. Coach Dino Garr, however, rarely was. He crammed more into a two-hour practice than any coach I’ve ever seen and did it with his head down and eyes forward. I’ve said in the past that I could be standing there with my hair on fire and he wouldn’t notice. But I think the maturity and overall talent of this Rye team has changed him. Even he admitted it yesterday. Every few years a special group comes along and this one is definitely special, not just in how good they are but how they go about their business.

You’d expect, after this many years, for the Rye players to strut around and be cocky about their success. This group really isn’t like that, and you have to respect it. When I was 17, I was pretty cocky and had no real reason to be. Rye does but, at least from what I see, they play it pretty cool.

Having a guy like Kyle Ramalho around certainly helps. The level of respect the Garnet players have for him has really hit me in the past few weeks. When I first interviewed Kyle three years ago, I got wide smile and mostly one- or two-word responses. Now, it’s almost like he’s a grown-up on the most grown-up team in the area. He’s a fourth-year player, who saw significant time as a freshman running the ball, and is the unquestioned leader.

Last night I emailed Rye center Ryan Rossi, blogger extraordinaire, for help on a story I wrote for tomorrow’s Journal News on the dynamic of Kyle Ramalho and Cole McCormack. Here’s what Rossi wrote back:

“He has gray hair in his beard, a tattoo, and a voice like Zeus. I call him ‘Little guy,’ but he’s the one that should be playing on the line. He’s 220; I am almost 185. How did that work out? The first time I saw him I asked: ‘Why is that coach suiting up?’ Even though he’s a grandfather, he’s a great player and an even better leader.”

Funny stuff. But it’s also another sign of the personality of this team.

Garr and I spoke on the sideline before practice for about 20 minutes, which in Garr-time is just under 4 hours. I asked him about Hudson Falls and immediately he scowled at me. He pointed out that I consistently wave off the teams Rye plays in the state tournament when he feels his team is up against a serious challenge. And he’s right. I do and then they go out and win by four touchdowns.

But I can understand where he’s coming from. I think we’ve all become to take what Rye has done these past six years for granted. Since when is winning a state championship the “goal” for any team? Well, at Rye it was this season despite all that they lost. The expectations are high for the Garnets and it sometimes blurs what they’ve accomplished. It’s not longer Rye can win; it’s Rye should win. That’s not really fair.

Can the Garnets be tripped up on Saturday? I’ve been convinced by many people that it’s definitely possible. It’s not that this Rye team is over-hyped. It’s that Hudson Falls is pretty darn good, based on people I’ve spoke to around Rye and upstate. This is a special group, led by a superb back in Joe McMurry. No one player has beat Rye these past six years. But there’s a chance they haven’t faced a back like McMurry combined with a line as big as Hudson Falls.

It should be a great game on Saturday. And in the event the Garnets do win by four touchdowns, try to appreciate it instead of waving it off like we’ve done for so long.

Former NBA star and New York City basketball legend Kenny Anderson will be the special guest speaker as Frenji Sports hosts its first annual “Night for the Kids” dinner tomorrow at Sam’s of Gedney Way tomorrow night at 7 p.m.

The event will raise money for the Frankie Williams Foundation, which promotes grassroots basketball in Greenburgh, White Plains and Westchester County as a whole.

Tickets are $75. For more information check out the Frenji Sports website, which you can access here. On there is information to purchase tickets, make a donation and for corporate sponsorship.

The guys at Frenji are good people and, if you can, I strongly encourage you to contribute to their cause. I was at the Greenburgh Community Center over the summer when they held the all-star game in honor of Frankie Williams and it was an amazing event.
—————————————-

As somebody posted earlier, there’s rumors floating that Championship Week at the Westchester County Center is being trimmed back from six days to two. Only the boys and girls championship games would be scheduled and the semifinals would be held at the higher seeds.

I’ve made several phone calls this morning and the authorities are tight-lipped about it right now. From what I’m told, though, it’s nearly 100-percent and the reason is budget cuts.

There are also plans in place to realign the leagues to cut down on travel expenses, and to limit the schedule from 20 games to 18.

It was only a matter of time before the world’s financial crisis impacted high school athletics. Now we’re seeing it. Perhaps funds can be raised privately, though sponsorship or corporate agreements, but I don’t know if there’s enough time for that. I’ll keep you updated.

The Varsity Central Live show will start tonight at 7:30 p.m. Click here to go over and watch it as I break down all seven games of the weekend.

I wanted to pick all the local teams to win. But when I analyzed every game — talking to coach, players, and various experts across the state — I couldn’t do it. Here are the picks:

Class AA
New Rochelle (10-1) vs. Section 9’s Monroe-Woodbury (10-0)
When: Saturday, 8 p.m.
Why New Rochelle can win: Defensively, the Huguenots have continued to improve every week. The linebacker corp of Lou DiRienzo, David Ugarte, and Jeremy Days are playing with so much confidence. The way they’ve been able to come up and stop the run while also helping in pass protection is exactly what you need to do to stop this spread offense. Offensively, the versatility the Huguenots have shown the past four games is amazing.
Why Monroe-Woodbury can win: Dan Scalo. That’s it. When you have the most gifted athlete on the field, no matter who you’re playing, you have a chance to win. He’s probably even better than his numbers (1,237 yards rushing and 888 passing) and he’s got an excellent weapon in receiver D.J. Young.
Who will win: New Rochelle. I’ve been thinking about the possibility of this game all season and knew, when the time came, I knew I’d go with New Rochelle. Last year’s loss was devastating and they finally have the chance to avenge it. Talent will allow the Huguenots to compete with Monroe. Twelve months of motivation will let them win it.
Score prediction: New Rochelle 21, Monroe-Woodbury 13

Class A
Nyack (10-1) vs. Section 2’s Burnt Hills (11-0)
When: Friday, 8 p.m.
Why Nyack can win: C’mon, it’s destiny, right? The Indians beat Somers, Ossining and Cornwall to get this point is an incredible ride and the confidence is growing every week. Speed alone will allow Nyack to play with anybody. Dominic Leonard (groin) expects to be fine by Friday night, and Anthony Davis and Raymond Nichols have been solid all postseason. The Indians might struggle to stop Burnt Hills. But they should have no trouble moving the ball.
Why Burnt Hills can win: Having a quarterback with three years experience, including a trip to the state tournament, is a major advantage. Paul Layton has had a stellar season. Whether he’s as talented as Cornwall quarterback Kevin Arduino isn’t relevant. Layton has the experience factor for a team that averages 44.6 points per game and hasn’t had a contest closer than 15 points.
Who will win: Nyack. Yes, the ride continues. My one worry about Burnt Hills is the level of competition it has played this season. Did they face anybody like Somers, Ossining or Cornwall? Probably not. The Indians have proven they match up with all different types of teams. As long as they limit mistakes, like they have the last three games, they have a shot at getting back to the Dome.
Score prediction: Nyack 28, Burnt Hills 24

Class B
Rye (11-0) vs. Section 2’s Hudson Falls (10-1)
When: Saturday, 4 p.m.
Why Rye can win: Well, because Rye always wins. This is going to be a brutal match up for the Garnets, facing a far bigger Hudson Falls team and an explosive, record-setting back. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Rye the last six years, it’s how its defense always shows up in big games. Go through the years and you’ll find countless big-time backs who struggled against a Rye team that’s simply quicker and smarter. Hudson Falls hasn’t seen a running game quite like Rye’s.
Why Hudson Falls can win: As the case with Hudson Falls not seeing backs like Kyle Ramalho and Cole McCormack, the Garnets haven’t faced a back as good as Joe McMurry. The senior has had a storybook career, and is on the verge of breaking Section 2’s single-season record. He’s going to get the ball 25-30 times and isn’t going to be fazed by the physical pressure Rye plans to apply. The Hudson Falls line will have a significant size advantage, and the quarterback is more of a threat than people think.
Who will win: Rye. I haven’t picked against the Garnets in six years and I’m not starting now. I’ve pumped this Garnets team up as potentially the best in this dynasty. We can’t really consider that unless the win a state title. Besides the Albany Academy team of two years ago, Hudson Falls is the best team Rye has faced in the state tournament on its way to the Dome. I just have a hard time believing that a defense this deep and this talented, and with a coaching staff this experienced, they’re not going to come up with a way to stop McMurry enough to win the game.
Score prediction: Rye 28, Hudson Falls 21

Class C
Croton-Harmon (10-1) vs. Section 7’s Saranac Lake (10-1)
When: Saturday, noon
Why Croton-Harmon can win: Can you remember another team improving this much over a five-week span? It’s remarkable what the Tigers have done this postseason. Nick Mainiero and Co. have put too much time in the last two years to come up one win shy of their ultimate goal. The fact Dan Luntz and Tyler Dorian picked the state quarterfinals to have one of their best games of the season is a sign. Plus, they’re facing a Saranac Lake team that hasn’t exactly overwhelmed the competition up to this point.
Why Saranac Lake can win: If you’re realistic, you have wonder how long this run can go on for Croton? The dramatic win over Dobbs Ferry seems like eons ago and now there’s almost pressure on the Tigers to get to the Dome. Fullback Jon Barge can pound the ball, and Saranac Lake has also discovered in the postseason athlete unlike any Croton faced in 6-4 Steve Burpoe. He has 350 yards receiving and six touchdowns in the playoffs.
Who will win: Croton-Harmon. Would I be shocked if run ended here for the Tigers? Actually, yes I would. I think this team has incredible poise and confidence. Having the best athlete on the field in Mainiero will certainly help, too. As long as the Tigers come out strong early, like they have the last two weeks, and set the tone, they’ll be off to the Dome next week.
Score prediction: Croton-Harmon 31, Saranac Lake 20

Class D
Tuckahoe (8-2) vs. Section 7’s Moriah (11-0)
When: Friday, 4 p.m.
Why Tuckahoe can win: The speed, and the depth of speed, the Tigers have can be daunting. Quarterback Anthony Gentile has proven to be a great runner the past two games, and Josh Guthrie and Mike Workman are confident after strong state quarterfinal performances. When this offense is clicking, it’s phenomenal. The problem is that they dip into little ruts. When they establish fullback Jarett Sommer and let Gentile throw short passes, they move the ball almost effortlessly.
Why Moriah can win: Although Moriah relies heavily on fullback Jim Carlson, the one of the more sophisticated Class D teams you’ll see. The defense is constantly changing its looks and they make very little mistakes. The only way to make up for a lack of speed is with technique, and that’s a strength of this Moriah squad. Carlson isn’t afraid to take 30 carries a game and will look to wear down a Tuckahoe defense that’s been very good all season.
Who will win: Moriah. I agonized over this one and, at 7 o’clock on Friday night, I could see myself regretting this. The only way Tuckahoe can win is if they let Gentile free — throw the ball efficiently, let him run a little and, most of all, play defense, which he hasn’t done all year. Still, I don’t think this is a great matchup for the Tigers.
Score prediction: Moriah 20, Tuckahoe 16

CHSFL AAA Championship
Iona Prep (10-0) vs. St. Anthony’s (9-2)
When: Saturday, 4 p.m.
Why Iona Prep can win: Simply put, it’s the better team. The Gaels have separated themselves as the best team in the CHSFL this season and it’s not really close. They beat St. Anthony’s, 41-21, a month ago and there’s no signs of this dynamic offense being stopped. A win on Saturday and we can consider discussing this team among the best of the decade in the Lower Hudson Valley.
Why St. Anthony’s can win: Simply put, because it always finds a way. St Anthony’s has won seven straight Catholic school championships and is the premier program in the state. Injuries to running back Atiq Lucas and quarterback Tom Schreiber have hurt. Yet the Friars have still managed to get back to the final and, as an underdog, are as scary as ever.
Who will win: Iona Prep. Don’t expect the Gaels to overwhelm the Friars, or maybe even win again by 20 points. Everything seemed to go right in the first meeting, and it’s hard to imagine a repeat. But Iona Prep has come too far to stop now. This is the last game for many players and they cannot let their grip on history slip.
Score prediction: Iona Prep 35, St. Anthony’s 24

CHSFL AA Championship
Stepinac (6-5) vs. Holy Trinity (6-5)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Why Stepinac can win: The Crusaders are finally healthy (well, almost), just in time to defend their AA championship. They’re coming off a gutty effort in beating Fordham Prep in the semifinals, and quarterback Joe Collin has been excellent in the postseason. Maurice Easterling might have lost some of his explosiveness with the ankle injury two weeks ago. But he’s still going to be the best player on the field.
Why Holy Trinity can win: Stepinac’s defense faces a major obstacle in Anthony Brunetti, who has rushed for 783 yards and 12 touchdowns in Holy Trinity’s last three games. Brunetti is a 5-11, 215-pound bowling ball coming through the middle and he’s capable of carrying the load. Stepinac’s defense has been strong all season but could struggle against Brunetti.
Who will win: Holy Trinity. To beat a good AAA team like Holy Trinity would require Easterling to be 100-percent, which he unfortunately isn’t. Holy Trinity is far better than its record, losing to St. Anthony’s, Iona Prep and St. Joseph by the Sea and Chaminade. But the Titans have turned it on in the last month and are finally peaking after a disappointing start.
Score prediction: Holy Trinity 28, Stepinac 22

Another great entry from a player. Biagioni is Iona’s only two-way starting lineman, a role he played last season, too. Here’s his blog as the Gaels prepare for St. Anthony’s in the AAA championship on Saturday. Anybody who has ever played football will find it poetic:
————————————-

By Nick Biagioni, Iona Prep

It has been four years since Iona Prep has been in the CHSFL AAA championship. I was a freshman who could only dream of the opportunity to bring the AAA championship home to Iona for the first time; it is a dream that has become a reality. Four years ago I sat in the Hofstra bleachers watching Iona Prep play St. Anthony’s in their first ever AAA Championship game led by Mike Kowgios and Sean Mara. It was amazing just standing in that stadium, but I thought maybe that could be me playing. It seemed inevitable that maybe, just maybe we could play in the championship.

It is a struggle within every individual to find his or her purpose in life. All 46 of us have done so, as of today we were meant to conquer the obstacles set in front of us and bring home the title. As seniors our purpose is to leave a legacy for all incoming freshman. The incoming freshman will not know us, but they would know our names as if we were legends.

To be undefeated in the CHSFL and make it to the championship is undoubtedly a monumental accomplishment.

Are we happy with where we are now? Yes.

Are we satisfied? No.

In fact we can never truly be satisfied for there will always be doubt in our ability because we do not play in States, making our hunger to win even greater. Neither a song on an I-Pod nor a speech from a coach can give you the hunger; it has to come from within. We all have had the same hunger whether scrimmaging Greenwich or battling St. Anthony’s. You have to have the same intensity on a 40 degree Monday walk through practice as you do on game day. It makes us even hungrier that St. Anthony’s is the seven time defending champ. They are the kings until their crown is taken and you need to respect that.

Why did we keep winning? I don’t know. Maybe it’s because Jeff Mack likes to imitate every animal known to man, or maybe it’s the way Coach Cerone likes to make the DB’s do five pushups every time they drop a pick at practice (trust me they do a lot of pushups), or even how Ferrandi likes to bleed excessively from the chin at practice. It could be because of they way Coach Petrillo breaks clipboards over his massive thighs or how George Apostolopoulos refuses to wash his practice pants. Maybe it’s Brother Gaffney’s pregame speeches in the chapel or maybe it’s the way our Athletic Trainer Brad tapes our ankles or how Vinny tapes my wrists so hard I lose circulation. It could even be the ham, bacon, and cheese omelet Pete De Salvo and I eat before every game. In August, I said I wouldn’t cut my hair until we lose, well its November now and I wish I never said that.

It’s scary to think there is only five days left in my high school football career. Five days until the last time I wear maroon and gold. Just saying it gives me the shivers. I’d be foolish to think I would play football forever. But what can? I say I’m just a kid. Maybe if you’re good enough, you go play college football and maybe you’re part of that .01% of high school players who make it to the pros. But that’s just a dream, nothing more. There is nothing like high school football. It has been said by every individual who has ever had the chance to represent their high school on the gridiron. You can say it’s good to know when you’re last game is because, for most players, their season comes to a halt in the playoffs. I have one game to prove what I’m made of, one game to do the unthinkable, to reach the unreachable. Many coaches say play every game like its your last because you’ll never know when it’s going to end. Well, this is our last.

As a freshman the bar was set very high with an appearance in the championship and, in order to be a success, we must surpass that bar. You live life with no regrets. There’s no looking at the past and thinking ‘what if I did this?’ Or ‘what if I did that?’ One game, a season in its own. No one remembers second-place and I speak for my team when I say we didn’t come this far to lose. No way. We want to be remembered. This will be my last high school game and will most likely be my last high school blog. 11-0 or 10-1? We decide.

Practice every day like it’s a game, play ever play like it’s the most important, and play ever game like it’s your last.

I decided over the weekend that, with only eight teams still alive in the area, I wasn’t going to do a full Game Balls list this week. However, I forgot to tell you all.

My apologies. I’ve decided to cut the list in half. I got to see three of the five Section 1 teams play this weekend up at Dietz Stadium, and watched the Croton and Nyack games online (yes, I watched the entire game and yes, I don’t have a life). The CHSFL games are included, too.

I’ll be announcing my Player and Coach of the Week on tomorrow’s Varsity Central Live show. New Rochelle linebacker Lou DiRienzo Jr. will be our special guest.

Here’s the top five from the weekend:

Game Balls: Top 5
5. Tyler Keppler and Dan Luntz, Croton-Harmon: What these two backs did on Friday night not only helped the Tigers beat Ellenville, it will help Croton’s chances of winning this weekend, too. Why? Because they gave the Saranac Lake coaches less film time to watch Nick Mainiero, and gave them even more to worry about in the Tigers offense. Keppler and Luntz were awesome in Croton’s 42-20 win in the Class C state quarterfinal. Keppler rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, and Luntz bulled his way to 81 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. Mainiero barely broke a sweat, although he did toss a gorgeous 69-yard touchdown to Joe Tralli. Add in Tyler Dorian’s running, and Saranac Lake must have its head spinning trying to game plan to stop all these weapons.

4. Chris Lavelle, Rye: Most of you probably don’t know who Lavelle is. Well, go back and watch Friday’s Rye-Highland game and you’ll find out. Lavelle is the guy the Garnets ran behind almost the entire night, en route to 310 yards rushing on 49 carries and a 35-6 victory in the Class B quarterfinal. Rye’s line got outplayed early by an aggressive Highland front. Then Lavelle, the left guard, dug in and the Garnets rode him. Lavelle didn’t really do it all alone. But Lavelle did it best.

3. Brian Boulhosa, Stepinac: The Crusaders managed to pull out another tight game with rival Fordham Prep, and this time Boulhosa was the hero. With Maurice Easterling still not a full strength because an ankle injury, Boulhosa made the big plays, catching three passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner in the third quarter. It was Boulhosa’s second 100-yard, two-touchdown game in three weeks. Boulhosa, one of several returning two-way players for Stepinac, had four catches for 122 yards against Xaverian two weeks ago.

2. Lou DiRienzo Jr., New Rochelle: Having a 1,700-yard rusher and 1,300-yard passer is nice. But having a player who salivates for five days in preparation to stop it is even better. DiRienzo, a junior linebacker, headlined yet another stellar defensive effort in New Rochelle’s 33-7 rout of Section 2’s La Salle. DiRienzo set the tone from the start, making a jarring hit on La Salle running back Marquis Terrell as the Huguenots physically overwhelmed the Cadets all night. DiRienzo finished with nine tackles and was in on so many other players. New Rochelle’s defense nearly got its fifth shutout. La Salle’s only score came off an interception returned to the New Rochelle 15 and then a third-down touchdown pass that bounced off a receivers head and into the hands of another. New Ro’s only allowing 6 points per game during its 10-game winning streak.

I’ll unveil the Player and Coach of the Week on tomorrow’s show. Any guesses? It’s a defensive player, and it’s not anybody on Nyack.

In the afternoon I’ll be visiting Rye and Stepinac. I’ll post my practice reports before the show and release my picks for the weekend.

Now that we know this much about these teams, please drop your predictions now.

After my stop at New Rochelle, I swung over to Iona Prep. The temperature was just as cold. But the air at practice was distinctly different.

Iona Prep faces St. Anthony’s for the CHSFL AAA championship on Saturday afternoon. St. Anthony’s has won the last seven championships and, until it relinquishes that title, is the premier football program in New York state.

But the Gaels know they’re close. They’ve already beaten St. Anthony’s, by a 41-21 margin at home a month ago, and are on the verge finishing the season undefeated and as champs, which is a monumental achievement in this league.

So who is the pressure really on here? Is it St. Anthony’s, which is shouldering the burden of its glorious football history and continued domination in the Catholic league? Or is it Iona Prep, the incumbent atop the league standings who, depending on who you speak to, wasn’t really supposed to compete for a championship until next year?

My vote is that it’s on Iona Prep, although you’d never know it at practice. Today didn’t feel like the Gaels were on the verge of making history. It was a very smooth and laid-back practice, at least from what I saw, which is a mixture of confidence and determination.

When I spoke to coach Vic Quirolo, even he seemed shocked by how much the tables have turned in the league. For the past few years, I would write stories about Iona Prep facing St. Anthony’s and illustrate all the things Iona had to do right to even have a shot to compete. Now, I think the Gaels can show up on Saturday, not put up their best effort and still leave as champs.

St. Anthony’s is short-handed with stud running back Atiq Lucas and starting quarterback Tom Schreiber both lost for the season with injuries. And I’m sure those are going to be excuses coming out of Long Island if Iona Prep wins. But is it really valid? Lucas was out against Iona the first time. Does he make the difference of 20 points? Doubtful. Schreiber won’t play on Saturday after breaking his leg two weeks ago. But the backup, Brendan Schroeder, was awesome in St. Anthony’s 37-15 thrashing of Chaminade, a team Iona beat 41-28 in Week 2.

So again, who is the pressure really on here? St. Anthony’s prides itself on being the deepest program around, with 80 players on the varsity, nobody playing both ways and a few hundred kids at the lower levels. Or is Iona Prep, which looks to finish the job and claim the title like the unbeaten, top-seed is expected to?

I’ll tell you this much, Iona better be careful it doesn’t become another footnote to the St. Anthony’s dynasty. Last year, St. Anthony’s quarterback was injured and the Friars lost on a rain-soaked Mount St. Michael field in the regular season. The Friars then rallied to knock off the Mounties in the championship, winning in the closing seconds for the second straight year.

Imagine this year’s storyline: the sudden underdogs binding together without their star running back and quarterback and avenging a loss to Iona Prep in the final. Just another chapter to the St. Anthony’s legacy. Does it sound that far-fetched? With this program, nothing is.

The Gaels have a chance to rewrite that history on Saturday. It’s an opportunity they cannot let pass them by.

There’s only one drawback to still having a football season on Nov. 18. It’s that you have to still practice on Nov. 18.

The temperature was bound to plummet one of these days and it did just in time for the state semifinals. There might not have been a colder practice field today than where I was, at New Rochelle, where the wind comes off the nearby lake and feels like somebody is rubbing ice on your skin.

I was there today to report on a story I’m writing about New Rochelle vs. Monroe-Woodbury: Volume 3. Monroe has gotten the best of the Huguenots the last two years, as we’ve discussed. While the players said last year’s heart-breaker was still on their minds, I knew the response I would get from coach Lou DiRienzo when I arrived at practice this afternoon:

Last year’s game is old news.

I agree. Monroe isn’t the same team and neither is New Rochelle. The quarterbacks are both back and so are a few players on each line. Otherwise, this is more of a rematch of uniforms than it is personnel.

When I got to New Rochelle this afternoon, I stepped into the back classroom where DiRienzo attempts to break the record for the most game-film watched on a weekly basis. When I walked in, he was walking out. It looked like he had just watched the Lord of the Rings triology.

“How’s it going?” I asked.

”(Crappy),” he said but using a different term. “There’s not enough minutes in the day.”

To prepare for a team like Monroe, and a quarterback like Dan Scalo, there never is. I can promise you this, win or lose or Saturday night, New Rochelle won’t be under-prepare.

I vividly remember the scene at Kingston last year after New Rochelle lost to Monroe. It was like a truck just blew through the middle of the field. There were players everywhere; sobbing, slamming helmets, pacing around the turf, consoling each other one minute and then muttering frustrated words to themselves the next.

It was the single most gut-wrenching defeat I’d ever witnessed in football, followed by the most devastated postgame reaction.

I know for a fact the players this week were given media coaching and told not to dwell on last year’s game. Yet they almost couldn’t help it.

The mood at New Rochelle today was pretty cold. Not in temperature, but also in spirit. There was a distinct quietness. I talk all the time about how Tuckahoe and Rye are so loose at practice and before games. New Rochelle usually is, too. But not today. Today there was focus.

The players were waiting quietly at the fence to the field, which was locked. Normally there are some stragglers to practice. Most of the team was there early. Those who weren’t came running from the locker room and onto the field. When the team went through its stretches, there was almost no talking. Again, incredible focus.

I can assure you Michael Miceli is ready. He’s New Rochelle’s right tackle, a junior who played very well the other night in the win over La Salle. As I said, it was frigid at practice today and every player was suited up in UnderArmour and sweatpants.

Except Miceli. Just a t-shirt and shorts.

“Don’t need it,” he said when I asked him.

We’ll see what he’s wearing on Saturday night, which will surely be a cold one up at Dietz. There’s only one way keep warm in Kingston — with a victory.

A few of you have come on here in the last few days hungry for some basketball discussion. Don’t worry, it’s coming.

With the football season going a week late, and basketball seemingly starting a week earlier, the seasons are severely overlapping. I hate it because I don’t get much of a break in between.

Depending on what happens this weekend, I’ll start basketball blogging next Monday. I know it’s cutting it close. But most teams don’t play until the second week in December. Mount Vernon opens on Dec. 16.

I’ll start previewing the season in the middle of next week. Unfortunately, I don’t have all this info on the top of my head and need time to research and do reporting. That takes time and, with five teams playing for football state titles, I don’t have much of it.

And let’s face it, basketball in December is useless. There are a few decent holiday tournaments and the Slam Dunk should be pretty good. Otherwise, January is when things really get under way.

In case you were wondering, here’s a link to Mount Vernon’s entire schedule for the season.

New Rochelle has a new website, which you can view here.

Here are the eight teams in the Slam Dunk tournament, which is schedule for Dec. 27-29 at the Westchester County Center:

Collegiate High School
Greece Athena
Gorton
Iona Prep
Long Island Lutheran
Peekskill
South Shore
White Plains