Greg Campisi, Friars on a roll
St. Anthony's QB Gregory Campisi on his way to score a TD during their game vs Chaminade. Oct. 21, 2017. Credit: Richard T. Slattery
Junior Greg Campisi is all about efficiency. The St. Anthony’s quarterback uses a quick-strike offense, complete with a high completion percentage and the ability to recognize the blitz and take off on timely runs. His versatility and the balanced attack of the Friars offense is hard to stop.
Campisi completed 26 of 35 passes for 262 yards and added 76 yards rushing and a 30-yard touchdown in a 29-3 win over Chaminade Saturday in a CHSFL AAA game in South Huntington.
The win improved first-place St. Anthony’s to 6-1 and dropped Chaminade to 3-4.
“I use all of my receivers and when no one is open right away and I see a lane, I just take off,” Campisi said. “It’s all in the timing. We’re in a three step drop and throw. And when we’re in rhythm it’s tough to stop.”
St. Anthony’s found its rhythm early in the game.
Campisi was the orchestrator of an 11-play, 80-yard drive, completing six of six passes for 52 yards before halfback Sean Bryan scored on a 4-yard run. The extra-point kick failed and the Friars led 6-0 with 8:52 left.
Campisi completed three passes each to Conor Ryan and Julian Chung during the march.
“We feel we have superior athletes and have so many ways to score,” Campisi said. “I just have to get them the ball in space.”
St. Anthony’s threatened to add to its lead on its second possession. The Friars drove to the Chaminade 14 where halfback Kyle Angus spun out of a tackle after a 13-yard run and on his second effort, while lunging for the end zone, was hit and fumbled. The ball was recovered by Ryan Pugh for a touchback.
Chaminade then went on a 12-play drive to the St. Anthony’s 21, but linebacker Ryan Vahey sacked quarterback Thomas Rogan for a 9-yard loss to the 30. The Flyers’ Anthony Pecorella attempted a 47-yard field goal and had the distance but hit the right upright.
“That gave us all the momentum,” said Vahey, who had eight tackles and two sacks. “Chaminade always comes ready to play because it’s a huge rivalry. And our defense set the tone for the offense.”
St. Anthony’s opened a two-score lead when Campisi completed five of five passes for 76 yards on a 79-yard march. Chung capped the drive with a 1-yard scoring run for the 12-0 lead with 5:45 left in the half.
Jeremy Miller added a 33-yard field goal to make it 15-0 at the half.
The rugged Friars defense held Chaminade to 44 yards on 27 plays in the first half, forcing five punts and a missed field goal.
“Our defense makes the job easier for our offense,” Campisi said. “Those guys always come up big.”
Pecorella nailed a 40-yard field goal to help the Flyers avoid the shutout midway through the third quarter.
St. Anthony’s would extend the lead to 29-3 with two touchdowns in a 21-second span of the fourth quarter. The first score came after the defense stopped Chaminade on downs and the second came on a pick-6.
Campisi drove the Friars 77 yards in eight plays for the score. On an option read play, Campisi went around left end, eluded two tacklers, and followed a huge block from Chung, which paved the way for a 30-yard touchdown and a 22-3 lead with 10:29 left.
“The block was awesome, he blew the kid up and made the run easy,” Campisi said. “I was like, wow, when I was running.”
Two plays and 21 seconds later, defensive back Makhai Murphy returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown for the 29-3 lead.
It was the defense putting the exclamation point on the win.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
