Arm of QB Jason Kessler helps Carey make statement in Nassau II
Carey's Jason Kessler throws down field during the Nassau High School football Conference II game where Carey defeated MacArthur at MacArthur High School in Levittown, New York on Oct. 5, 2018. Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
Understanding that its opponent was sporting an undefeated record, the Carey football team came out with exceptional aggression Friday night.
The Seahawks simply wouldn’t take their foot off the gas, and the gameplan paid huge dividends, as Carey took down MacArthur, 32-7, on the road in a Nassau II statement victory.
Carey improved to 3-2 with a performance that put the rest of the conference on notice. MacArthur fell to 4-1.
One of the defining moments for the Seahawks occurred following a timeout with just over 6:30 remaining in the first half. Carey chose to stretch the field for the first time all night and quarterback Jason Kessler aired out a 40-yard touchdown pass to Nick Giacalone for a 14-7 lead.
Declining to settle for a one-possession lead going into the half, the Seahawks continued to push over the final two minutes of the second quarter despite beginning a drive at its own 25-yard line. Kessler kept it in the air and the offense drove it down the field, highlighted by five completions to Giacalone, who capped off the drive by ripping down a 6-yard TD with 25.6 seconds left and extending the advantage to 20-7.
Hoping for a spark, the Generals tried an onside kick to begin the second half, but it backfired and Carey took advantage with a TD drive that took 3:48. Kessler found Riley DeMeo on a 7-yard slant route for his fourth and final touchdown pass of the evening, widening the gap to 26-7. The Seahawks recovered a fumble on the first play of the ensuing drive and added a rushing TD.
Carey set the aggressive tone early with a risky play call late in the first quarter on fourth-and-4. After Seahawks coach Mike Stanley opted not to try a short field goal and Patrick McGrath rewarded the call by sliding and snagging a 9-yard TD from Kessler to open the scoring. Earlier, Anthony DeNicola intercepted a pass from Matt Cummings and returned it to MacArthur’s 15-yard line to set up the score.
Generals running back Hugh Kelleher, who entered the night with 446 yards and nine TDs on 56 carries, made multiple defenders miss and broke loose for a 23-yard touchdown with 8:42 left in the half, tying the score at 7.
With the exception of Kelleher’s scoring run, Carey’s defense kept MacArthur’s offense at bay by preventing the Generals playmaker from finding holes and making the sort of energy-inducing plays he’s produced all season. The Seahawks also displayed a quality pass rush, flushing Cummings out of the pocket on numerous occasions.
