Stepinac Football Camp

Monday July 11 th to July 14th
4:00pm – 8 :00 pm

Stepinac Athletics has strived for excellence for more than 60 years. Stepinac has sent numerous athletes into the college sports world, and, has been very lucky to have six of its former student athletes make it to the professional level in sports.

Our camps for boys are designed for the serious athlete who wants to build a solid foundation that combines preparation, self-discipline and hard work to achieve success.

Every camper who attends any of our camps will receive one-on-one instruction from our experienced coaching staff.

TUITION:
Tuition is $300 per camp, which includes the $100 application fee.

The registration and payment deadline is June 1st, 2015.

Download the Athletic Camp application here.
http://www.stepinac.org/pdfs/2016-AthleticCampApplication.pdf

For more information on Athletic Camps, contact:
Coach Michael O’Donnell – stepcrusaders@aol.com

Stepinac repeats as CHSFL AAA champion
VARSITY INSIDER
Mike Dougherty, mdougher@lohud.com 9:27 a.m. EST November 22, 2015

Stepinac defeated Cardinal Hayes 20-12 to win the CHSFL championship game at Fordham University, Nov. 21, 2015. (Video by Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News)

NEW YORK – Stepinac is enjoying the view.

After climbing the mountain last season and winning the school’s first CHSFL AAA championship, the Crusaders earned the right to linger atop the area’s premier league Saturday with a 20-12 win over Cardinal Hayes in this year’s final at Fordham University.

“It feels so good,” senior quarterback Tyquell Fields said. “The kids on this team, we’ve been together since we were 8 and 9 years old, so it’s a great ending.”

The season isn’t over yet.

Stepinac heads to Buffalo next weekend to play St. Francis High School for the state championship.

Fields is questionable.

He limped off the field at the end of the first quarter with a right ankle injury, got treatment and went back in. The dual threat was suddenly a pocket passer.

“It really made the playbook smaller,” Crusaders head coach Mike O’Donnell said. “Tyquell did a great job of hanging in there. We had to coach on the go tonight because we had a number of kids get banged up.”

Fields capped the game’s first drive with a 4-yard touchdown scamper. T.J. Morrison set up Antonio Giannico’s touchdown late in the first quarter with an interception and return.

Stepinac also got two field goals from Liam Butler.

The Cardinals were a stubborn opponent and had two second-half scores, but were stopped late in the fourth quarter with a chance to move down the field and tie. The Crusaders got some hard running from Giannico and Malik Crawford to seal the win.

“I believe this one is even better than last year,” Morrison said. “The seniors on that team did most of the work. On this one, we had to step up this season and prove to the world this is us.”

Player of the game: Morrison. The senior defensive back came up with a pair of interceptions and set up a pair of scores. He brought the first one back 46 yards, and Giannico eventually got into the end zone. He brought the second one back 68 yards and Butler eventually kicked a 25-yard field goal in the final seconds of the half to make it a 17-0 lead.

“He is a game-changer,” O’Donnell said. “He’s a kid who can put this team on his shoulders offensively and defensively.”

Turning point: Justin Covington made it a one-possession game with 8:47 to go and Cardinal Hayes forced a punt, getting the ball back with 6:15 to go. Stepinac was impressive on defense, never allowing momentum to completely switch. Malcolm Koonce and David Melendez came up with a timely sack, making it second-and-26 for the Cardinals, who never recovered.

Stat line: Fields was a stationary passer, completing 7 of 18 attempts for 84 yards after the injury. He also threw one interception. … Butler hit from 25 and 23 yards, and suffered a leg injury on the latter field goal attempt.

Quotable: “It’s an unbelievable thing for our school, the alumni, the community,” O’Donnell said. “For a team from Westchester to win this championship two years in a row, some great teams have done that over the years.”

Stepinac wins CHSAA state championship
Ryan Nagelhout, For the Journal News 11:13 p.m. EST November 28, 2015
/For the Journal News)

GRAND ISLAND – Tyquell Fields said his ankle felt “horrible” after the game, but he limped off the field a state champion.

The Archbishop Stepinac senior quarterback threw four touchdown passes as the Crusaders secured their first CHSAA championship with a 42-28 win over St. Francis on Saturday at dreary Gene Masters Field.

A high ankle sprain suffered in the CHSFL title game kept Fields in the pocket and limited his ability to plant on throws, but senior T.J. Morrison (nine catches, 200 yards) caught three of Fields’ four TD passes and added a fourth on a halfback pass from Antonio Giannico to lead the Crusaders’ offensive attack.

“I told him ‘I got your back,’ ” Morrison said to his quarterback before the game. “ ‘I know you’re hurt, but just put the ball where I can get it and I’ll make a play for you.’ ”

Fields (14 for 26, four TDs, two interceptions) was named the game’s MVP on offense, but Morrison stole the show in the first half, opening the scoring with a 27-yard touchdown catch down the left sideline with 1:49 left in the first quarter.

Stepinac hopes to finish in return to CHSAA state final

A Daniel Negron (six tackles, one sack) interception of St. Francis (7-5) quarterback Jerry Hickson — one of six Red Raiders turnovers on the day — set up Morrison’s second score. Giannico’s pass went right through Garth Pinnock’s hands to a seated Morrison, who made it 13-0. The Crusaders missed the PAT.

Morrison’s third score was a 59-yard wideout screen, the senior making a cornerback miss and racing down the right sideline to put the Crusaders (12-0) up 20-0 at the half.

“Just an unbelievable job,” Crusaders head coach Mike O’Donnell said. “There were a couple of balls that were up there in the air and T.J. pulled them down for touchdowns.”

Stepinac defenders, including DeVante Reid (on ground), Stepinac’s Devonte Myles brings down St. Francis running Stepinac’s Malcolm Koonce closes in as St. Francis Stepinac’s Antonio Giannico and St. Francis’ Tom Acuri The Crusaders’ Daniel Negron tackles St. Francis running Stepinac’s Robinson De La Cruz brings down St. Francis Stepinac players pose with their championship trophy
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Early in the third, St. Francis fumbled at its own 2 and set up a Fields touchdown pass to Negron. Malik Crawford (20 carries, 100 yards) added the 2-point conversion to make it 28-0, but from there St. Francis mounted a wild comeback.

Big plays from Hickson (21 of 38, 232 yards) set up Brandon Metz’s 1-yard run to get the Red Raiders on the board. Later, consecutive failed St. Francis onside kicks were promptly answered by Stepinac turnovers on the next play from scrimmage.

The first —a Giannico fumble—led to Metz’s second rushing score and made it 28-14. Fields then threw the first of two interceptions to Metz, though the ensuing Red Raiders drive stalled at Stepinac’s 40.

On the next drive, Fields lofted a ball into the end zone to Morrison for his fourth touchdown of the day. The ensuing kickoff, however, was taken 90 yards by Pinnock for a score that made it 35-21 Crusaders.

Metz then jumped a Fields sideline pass on the first play of the fourth quarter, cashing in his second interception of the day for a touchdown to bring St. Francis within seven at 35-28.

“We played the worst half of our season,” said Metz, who took home defensive MVP honors. “We had to go out there and show them what we can do.”

The comeback, however, ended soon after. Crawford ran to pay dirt from 11 yards out and a pair of St. Francis drives ended on downs in Crusaders territory.

After a disappointing loss to Canisius ended the Crusaders’ perfect season last year, Fields said his team was ready for any test in this year’s title game.

“Last year’s team actually came to practice (this week) to motivate us,” Fields said. “They said we didn’t want to leave the field with a sour taste in our mouths in our last game. As seniors, we knew we had to win the game.”

The Stepinac Crusaders were honored by Good Morning America for their undefeated 12-0 NY State AAA Championship Season. Crusaders traveled down to Grand Central Station & were guests on the good Morning America show that was seen by millions of people across the USA. Crusaders then walked over to see the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center.

The 2015 Stepinac Varsity Championship rings will be given out on Monday March 14th at 6 pm in a private ceremony in chapel. The Ring ceremony will include Fr Tom Collins Stepinac School President blessing of the rings & presentation of the rings to every player & coach. Families & players & friends will gather together after ceremony to congratulate all players on accomplishments. Coach O’D responds " Winning back to back championships & a NY State title was an unbelievable accomplishment for our team & staff. Our school is very proud of all the accolades our players have brought to our great school. The ring ceremony is the final celebration before we get back to work on 2016 season. We do our ceremonies here as a group privately. "