St. Anthony's football falls to Iona Prep in CHSFL Class AAA championship game
Quarterback Gary Merrill of St. Anthony's is on the run looking to pass during the CHSFL AAA final against Iona Prep on Saturday, November 23, 2024 in Uniondale. Credit: Dawn McCormick
The St. Anthony’s football team faced a hungry Iona Prep squad that made their intentions clear at the start of the CHSFL Class AAA championship game Saturday.
The No. 2 Friars were overwhelmed by a powerful ground game behind running back Crew Davis and quarterback Julian Guzman as they fell to No. 1 Iona Prep, 43-22, at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale.
St. Anthony’s finished 9-4.
“We knew how strong and talented their guys were and that we had to come out here and play hard and tackle,” Friars coach Joe Minnucci said. “Unfortunately, they were just the better team today but I’m proud of our kids for how hard they played all year long and up until the final minute today.”
Iona Prep (10-3) used a 13-play, 80-yard march on the opening drive to take an early 6-0 lead and consume most of the first quarter.
St. Anthony’s responded on the next possession with an eight-play, 67-yard drive, capped by a 9-yard pass from quarterback Gary Merrill to tight end Jax Prokop. Michael Forrest added the extra point to give the Friars a 7-6 lead with 1:18 left in the first.
But Iona Prep would never trail again.
As the teams traded three-and-outs, the Friars faced blistering 24-mph winds and their first punt placed the Gaels on St. Anthony’s 13-yard line. After a sack by Cam Urso and an incomplete pass, the Gaels faced a third-and-12. Davis exploded for a 15-yard run up the middle to put Iona Prep ahead, 12-7, with 6:54 left in the first half.
An interception by Kevin Moore halted Iona Prep’s final drive before halftime, but the Gaels weren’t finished. Brennen Pressley scored his second rushing touchdown, a 3-yard bolt. But the ensuing two-point run attempt by Guzman was plugged by the Friars’ defense. Merrill (72 yards, 14 carries) responded on the next drive with a quarterback keeper for a touchdown and sophomore running back Xavier Bala’s conversion run cut the deficit to 18-15 with 6:49 left in the third quarter.
On Iona Prep’s next possession, Davis followed a hole up the middle for a 34-yard score. The Gaels then forced a turnover on downs before Guzman added a 53-yard rushing touchdown with 57 seconds left in the third quarter for a 30-15 Iona Prep lead.
“Our offensive line played their heart outs today and our quarterback has had an amazing season,” said Bala, who had 143 yards on 21 carries. “We weren’t going to give up. We remained tough throughout the entire game.”
Davis added two more scores in the final frame, including a 55-yard run. Bala burst up the Gaels’ sideline for a 34-yard touchdown in the final two minutes for the Friars.
“I think the future looks very bright for our team in the next few years,” Bala said. “It’s always a learning experience playing at a high level like this. I think this is the most competitive league in the state, and it’s always a privilege to be in this spot. We’ll be back.”
