High school football semifinal playoffs roundup
St. Anthony's quarterback Gary Merrill rears back for a throw to a deep receiver during a CHSAA football game against Chaminade in South Huntington on Saturday, August 31, 2024. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
St. Anthony’s will go as far as star senior quarterback Gary Merrill takes it.
Merrill has put together one of the best individual seasons in the storied history of the Friars program, and he added another chapter Friday night.
With No. 2 St. Anthony’s trailing No. 3 Cardinal Hayes by one with 46 seconds left in Friday night’s CHSFL AAA semifinal, Merrill ran for the winning 10-yard touchdown. The host Friars emerged, 35-30, in South Huntington.
“He’s a special football player,” St. Anthony’s coach Joe Minucci said. “A talented athlete. He really makes our offense go.”
Merrill ran for 227 yards and four touchdowns on 27 carries and threw for 76 yards and a touchdown. Merrill has 50 total touchdowns this season, breaking the previous record of 48 set by Dante Torres in 2022, according to Minucci.
St. Anthony’s (9-3) will face No. 1 Iona Prep (9-2) – which beat the Friars, 48-40, in New Rochelle on Oct. 4 – in the CHSFL AAA championship at 2 p.m. next Saturday at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale.
– Ben Dickson
Ward Melville 14, Longwood 7: Joe Benedetto had 186 rushing yards and scored the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter of visiting No. 3 Ward Melville’s win over No. 2 Longwood in the Suffolk I semifinals on Friday night. Joe Karpowicz scored a two-yard rushing TD and sealed the game with an interception on Longwood's final drive. Ward Melville (10-1) will face No. 1 Floyd in the final at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Stony Brook University. Kalen Percer scored a 24-yard rushing TD for Longwood (9-2).
Miller Place 43, Babylon 14: Shane Kiernan completed 20 of 26 passes for 421 yards and five touchdowns to lead visiting No. 3 Miller Place over No. 2 Babylon in the Suffolk IV semifinals on Friday. Ethan Monaco had eight catches for 133 yards and a TD and an interception. Dane LaGrasta had three catches for 108 yards, two TDs and an interception and DJ Williamson caught three passes for 92 yards and a TD. Miller Place (8-2) will face No. 1 Bayport-Blue Point in the final at 6 p.m. on Thursday at Stony Brook University. Kai Jankow had two rushing TDs for Babylon (8-2).
Bayport-Blue Point 28, Glenn 7: Cooper Fuller had 25 carries for 236 yards and three touchdowns to lead host No. 1 Bayport-Blue Point over No. 4 Glenn in the Suffolk Division IV semifinals on Friday. Fuller also had an interception and threw a 27-yard TD pass to Colin Most. Patrick Ahern and Dylan Spano each had a sack and Aiden Richman had an interception for Bayport-Blue Point (10-0). Cole Madden threw a 77-yard TD pass to Joe Competiello for Glenn (5-5).