St. Anthony's starts slowly, but cruises past Chaminade
St. Anthony’s QB Dante Torres throws during a CHSFL game against Chaminade at St. Anthony’s on Friday. Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
The first possession ended with an interception the first time the ball was put in the air. The second went three-and-out. The third saw a 55-yeard touchdown come off the board on a penalty and then close with a punt.
This was not the start St. Anthony’s had envisioned.
Then the real Friars showed up. In a big way.
After the poor start, it didn’t take all that long for the true Friars to emerge against Chaminade Friday night in the Catholic High School Football League opener for both schools.
St. Anthony’s shook off the scoreless first quarter and three-point deficit and scored touchdowns on five of its next six possessions for 35 unanswered points in a 35-10 takedown of the rival Flyers at the Friars’ Cy Donnelly Field.
St. Anthony’s quarterback Dante Torres’ first pass was intercepted by Bryan Freel and led to a 27-yard field goal by the Flyers’ Timothy Tomlinson and his 55-yard touchdown pass to Korey Duff Jr. was called back because he’d stepped over the line of scrimmage. Those, both in the first quarter, were about the only mistakes the senior made. Torres was 20-for-26 passing for 371 yards and four touchdowns and added a 1-yard score behind blocks by Christian Oliva and Matthew McGregor.
“When I threw that interception, I don’t the guys ‘my fault’ and they were all like ‘not your fault’ and ultimately we picked each up,” Torres said. “We’re a great team because we have so many skilled players, but we’re special because of the connection and way we play for each other. That’s what will take us to the next level.”
When the Friars (1-0) did get their act together, it was show – a show starring Duff. The 6-5 junior took a couple of short passes, used his array of moves to find open field and then accelerated away from defenders for long scores. After Oliva and McGregor allowed Torres to get St. Anthony’s a lead, Duff went for touchdowns of 47 and 63 yards for a 21-3 lead midway through the third quarter.
“I like it when simple things turn into crazy plays,” Torres said. “Today it was like very short throws that he turned into big plays. He’s something special.”
“He’s big and he just makes everyone miss,” Oliva said. “When he does that and then takes it the distance? Just fun to watch.”
Duff finished with seven receptions for 202 yards and the two scores. He had a 45-yard catch that set up the Torres TD run.
“Give me the open field and I am going to make people miss,” Duff said. “Out in the open right now, I am going to be tough to tackle.”
Jaeden Jenkins made three catches for 53 yards and the last two St. Anthony’s scores; they went 18 and 30 yards.
Rutgers-bound defensive back Ian Strong and the Friar defense were the unsung heroes for holding Chaminade (0-1) to 36 total yards in the first half, allowing the offense to regroup.
“We got called on and stepped up,” Strong said. “The offense started off struggling but we gave them time.”
Despite the final score, the Flyers – who got a 10-yard touchdown run from Matt Dieguez – look ready for this return to the AAA division. There’s size and strength on a defense led by linebackers Charles Battaglia and Matthew Rappa and John Tully is a slippery back who rushed for 60 yards.
St. Anthony welcomed a win but none of the Friars felt the performance met expectation.
“We’re a much better team than you saw tonight,” Torres said. “We know it and we have to play like it.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
