VARSITY INSIDER

Cornwall at the high school in White Plains on Sept. 9, 3016. (Photo: Carucha L. Meuse/The Journal News)
WHITE PLAINS – It only took one hustle play to improve the mood.

Very little went according to the script for Stepinac in the opening half. A string of costly penalties erased a pair of touchdowns. Inconsistent execution prevented the back-to-back CHSFL AAA champions from sustaining drives.

It was a frustrating start.

Everything changed when the Crusaders forced a Cornwall fumble on the second half kickoff. They were in the end zone four plays later and well on their way to a 28-12 win Friday in the school’s annual Joseph Riverso Memorial Game.

“We were waiting for a big play,” senior captain Antonio Giannico said.

Steve Ramos covered the loose ball and in a matter of 90 seconds, newcomer Jonathan Gomez bounced into the end zone from the 8-yard line. Stepinac was ahead 14-7 after Shane Rafferty made good on the PAT.

“We had to stop making mistakes, stop taking penalties,” Crusaders head coach Mike O’Donnell said. “We came out in the second half and turned things around. It was frustrating early. I’m hoping it was first-game jitters.”

Devonte Myles ended the first Green Dragons possession of the second half when he intercepted a tipped ball. The elusive Atrillieon Williams got loose four plays later and went 20 yards for a touchdown.

And just like that, Stepinac was leading 21-6.

“It’s a new team and in the first half we were coming together, seeing what we have,” Williams said. “In the second half, we got connected.”

The next Cornwall possession was a three-and-out that left the Crusaders with a short field. Giannico capped the drive when he burst through a hole in the middle and went 20 yards for a touchdown.

Player of the game: Stepinac has another established threat in Gomez, who transferred in from Sleepy Hollow and had a serious impact the first time he got on the field. The senior running back finished with 109 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries. He was not shy about dealing out punishment with the ball.

“We kind of knew what we had in Jonathan,” O’Donnell said. “We knew he ran hard, but we didn’t know he ran that hard because we really don’t hit much in practice anymore.”

Turning point: Forcing the fumble to start the second half and promptly scoring let the Crusaders relax.

Stat line: Stepinac quarterback Michael Nicosia connected with Sean Jasper for an 18-yard touchdown in the first quarter. … Giannico had 96 yards on 13 carries. … The Green Dragons were led by T.J. Gayle, who had 116 yards and two TDs on 21 carries.

Quotable: “I hope to be playing for a third championship,” Giannico said. “We have a lot of younger players in the lineup now and we have to keep reminding them about remembering what it takes to win, remembering how hard we have to work.”

Congratulations to Deuce Prince & Family . Rising Stepinac junior Deuce Prince was selected to participate in the Youth About Business’s National Advance Business Camp at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN the week of July 11th. He was selected as a Corporate CEO and negotiated business deals with other businesses using real world scenarios involving joint ventures and leveraged acquisitions.

Youth About Business (YAB) conducts one of the most innovative and immersive leadership-training programs for youth in the marketplace today. Their experiential learning model prepares youth to be successful in a business environment and provides them with role models and resources to be successful. YAB’s mission is to expose high school leaders to business theory and principles through our experiential learning model.

The Advanced Camp Champion is determined by a group of judges (senior level executives of Fortune 500 companies) who watch the student teams justify their business analysis and outcome of their case at the end of the week. After a week long research and negotiations, Deuce’s business team won the team competition. Last summer, Deuce represented Archbishop Stepinac in the YAB’s Basic Business Camp at Columbia University as well their Wall Street Camp and Championship Camp in New York City.

Stepinac goes extra holes to capture CHSAA crown

Stepinac defeated Iona Prep to win its first CHSAA golf championship since 1997. Pictured are Father Tom Collins, Chris Garceau, Brendan Cooney, Chris Collins, Paul Terminello, J.P. Collins, and coach Matt Hogan. (Photo: Contributed photo)
Chris Garceau earned his nickname for a reason. Unfortunately for Iona Prep, it learned why the hardest way possible with a city title at stake.

“The kids call him ‘Wedges,’ " Stepinac golf coach Matt Hogan said. “From 50 yards in, you might as well go and place the ball on the green.”

With his match in extra holes, the Stepinac junior flopped a downhill pitch from the rough to a foot for a tap-in par. The up-and-down finished a thrilling 3-2 win for the Crusaders over rival Iona Prep Wednesday at Knollwood Country Club and earned the program its first CHSAA title since 1997.

The teams had split the first four matches, including one that wasn’t decided until the final hole. Garceau actually trailed Iona Prep’s Mark Trotta by two holes going into No. 17, but he won the last two to extend the match. With all the other matches complete, Garceau’s par on the ensuing hole gave Stepinac the title.

“It was all the way down to the wire,” Hogan said. “It was unbelievable. We had two matches that went all the way to the 18th and two matches that finished earlier. They won one early, we won one early. They won one late, we won one late.”

Stepinac’s Chris Collins and J.P. Collins won their matches while Iona Prep’s Matt Minerva and Ken Nixon won theirs. Minerva, a freshman, narrowly edged Stepinac senior Paul Terminello 1-up in a meeting of No. 1s.

The teams split two matches during the regular season. Iona Prep won 3-2 at Winged Foot and Stepinac returned the favor, 3-2, at Sleepy Hollow with Garceau winning the final match.

Twitter: @lohudinsider

CHSAA championship

Stepinac 3, Iona Prep 2

At Knollwood Country Club

Matt Minerva (IP) d. Paul Terminello, 1-up

Chris Collins (AS) d. Sebastian Naibaho, 4 and 3

Ken Nixon (IP) d. Brendan Cooney, 6 and 4

J.P. Collins (AS) d. Ted Gerrity, 4 and 3

Chris Garceau (AS) d. Mark Trotta, 19 holes

Stepinac’s Con Edison Scholar Athlete Award winners

Paul Herrfeldt Golf 1951-52
Dick McDine Basketball 1951-52
Val Simons Cross Country 1951-52
Larry Travers Football1951-52
Don Couig Swimming1952-53
Larry Downs Basketball 1952-53
Paul Hefti Football 1952-53
Jack RitchBasketball 1952-53
Thomas Denny Cross Country 1953-54
David Muner Swimming 1954-55
Paul Choquette, Jr Football 1955-56
George Marklay Football 1955-56
Henry Korn, Jr.Track 1056-57
George Verdisco Cross Country 1956-57
Thomas Dempsey Cross Country 1957-58
James Thomas Football 1958-59
Timothy Cohane, Jr.Basketball 1959-60
Anthony DeMatteo Football 1959-60
Frank Richichi Basketball 1959-60
John Mastropolo Basketball 1960-61
William Steets Football 1960-61
Charles Bleakley Football 1962-63
William Austin Football 1963-64
Bryan Kujawski Cross Country 1963-64
John Purcell Basketball 1963-64
Daniel O’Donnell Track 1964-65
Frank Magaletta Basketball 1965-66
Richard Wernert Football 1965-66
Robert CurranTrack 1967-68
Thomas Lee Football 1967-68
Bruce Pohlot Indoor Track 1969-70
John Theiss Football 1973-74
Francis May Swimming 1974-75
Edward Chomicki Football 1976-77
Vincent DiLeo Football 1980-81
Timothy O’Toole Basketball 1981-82
Kevin Chamberlain Football 1983-84
Martin Conlon Basketball 1985-86
Christopher WatsonBasketball 1992-93
Eric Ogbogu Football 1993-94
Justin Denery Football 1994-95
Daniel Plowden RielyFootball 1995-96
Richard Holzer Football 1996-97
Carlos BedoyaTrack and Field 1999-00
Eric Holzer Lacrosse 1999-00
Tyler Nugent Football 2001-02
Thomas Decker Basketball 2009
Shaun Hanlon Lacrosse 2010
Conroy Baltimore Basketball 2011
Caleb Gilligan-Evans Football 2011
Josh James- Basketball 2012-2013
James Decker- Baseball/basketball 2013
Brandon Coleman 2014-2015 Football
Kylan Guerra 2014-2015 Basketball

The Crusaders of 2015-2016