Each week in the fall, New York Post sports writers Dylan Butler and Joseph Staszewski will attempt to prognosticate the coming CHSFL weekend.
RECORDS AFTER WEEK 8
Butler: 68-16 (Last week: 9-1)
Staszewski: 59-25 (Last week: 6-4)
Here’s Week 1 of the playoffs:
Cardinal Hayes @ No. 9 Monsignor Farrell, Class AA quarterfinals (Saturday, 6 p.m.)
Butler: Monsignor Farrell enters the postseason having won its final two games, including an impressive 28-14 victory against rival St. Joseph by the Sea. The Lions need to find a way to keep running back Michael Viegas on the field and away from the trainer and need to be wary of Hayes’ big-play ability. That said, this is a rematch of last year’s Class AA quarterfinal, won by Hayes at the Lions Den. No doubt the returning Farrell players remember that and will exact their revenge Saturday night. Pick: Monsignor Farrell
Staszewski: Cardinal Hayes is not your ordinary No. 8 seed with athletes like running back Donald Thomas and wide receivers Abraham Ocasio and Jonell Garcia. An upset is possible here. The Cardinals, though, are still a young team that is a year away from putting it together. The Lions will be able to control the ball on the ground with running back Michael Viegas and look for a big day from quarterback Paul Barchitta. Pick: Monsignor Farrell
No. 6 Xaverian @ No. 2 Fordham Prep, Class AAA quarterfinals (Saturday, 7 p.m.)
Staszewski:This was a marquee matchup way back in Week 3 in a game won 27-17 by the Rams. Since that game, Fordham Prep surged to an unbeaten season, while Xaverian went through an uneven campaign. At full strength this is a barnburner, but with the Clippers likely missing Zach Kearney, Zyrel Hardy and Will Badyna to academinc suspension it will be too much for them to overcome. The Rams march on to the semifinals and their stiffest test of the season. Pick: Fordham Prep
Butler: This is a rematch of a Week 3 tilt of then-unbeaten teams with Fordham Prep winning, 27-17, at Coffey Field. The Rams remain undefeated, while the Clippers are reeling entering the postseason. Fordham Prep is hungry to prove it belongs in the same conversation with the CHSFL elite and will get the chance to prove it after easily defeating a depleted Xaverian side which will likely be without Zach Kearney, Zyrel Hardy and Will Badyna to academic suspension. Pick: Fordham Prep
No. 10 St. Joseph by the Sea @ No. 1 St. Anthony’s, Class AAA quarterfinals (Saturday, 7 p.m.)
Butler: Another rematch of a regular-season meeting which will result in another Class AAA quarterfinal blowout. The Friars thrashed the Vikings, 56-14, in Week 5 in South Huntington, L.I. and I see no reason why this game should be any different. Charlie Raffa has talked about finishing the season undefeated and the Friars will take one step closer to that very tangible goal with an easy win against a depleted Sea squad. Pick: St. Anthony’s
Staszewski: Well it took a 20-point fourth quarter (one that also handed me an L) to beat Kellenberg and earn Sea a berth in the AAA playoffs. What do the Vikings get for their Herculean effort? A trip to South Huntington to face the unbeaten Friars. St. Anthony’s cruised to an easy win 56-14 in Week 5, Bryan Rhodes was the latest defensive player with a scoop-and-score last week. The Friars score themselves another convincing win. Pick: St. Anthony’s.
Christ the King @ Kellenberg, Class AA quarterfinals @ Mitchel Athletic Complex (Saturday, 7 p.m.)
Staszewski: Christ the King has had a fine season, but the ride ends in Long Island. The Royals have lost their last two games and without injured center Chris Quadrino, quarterback Terrel Hunt has had to do more scrambling then he would like. Kellenberg has quietly played well over the last three weeks and had no trouble scoring a combined 99 points. This one could be a shootout. Pick: Kellenberg.
Butler: Led by Evan Calvo and Tim (The Claw) Wienclaw, Kellenberg has won two of its final three games in the Class AAA, while Christ the King has lost its last two games in Class AA-A. The difference, I think, is that Kellenberg plays a higher quality of opponent on a weekly basis. They are a more battle-tested squad and that will give the Firebirds the slight edge in a game that could go down to the final possession. Pick: Kellenberg
No. 8 Holy Cross @ No. 4 Iona Prep, Class AAA quarterfinals (Sunday, 1 p.m.)
Butler: I was on its sideline last week to watch Iona Prep’s clash with St. Anthony’s and the Gaels are very much for real. Iona Prep proved, at least to me, that it can be a legitimate contender for the Class AAA crown. Holy Cross impressed me in a tight loss to Holy Trinity, but the Knights have gone backward from there, ending the season with a stunning 28-14 loss to Mount. These teams met in Week 4 at Bayside with the Gaels coming away with a 38-13 win. This might be closer, but Iona Prep advances to the semifinals. Pick: Iona Prep
Staszewski: The Knights have been an enigma all season, a team that has yet to put it all together. Iona, on the other hand, had St. Anthony’s on the ropes for a while last week. Cross is coming off its worst performance of the season and does not match up well with Iona’s athleticism, especially running back Sidney Weston and quarterback Tim Perley, who carved them up for 189 yards and a touchdown in the air and two rushing scores in a 38-13 Week 4 win. Pick: Iona Prep
No. 7 Mount St. Michael @ No. 5 Holy Trinity, Class AAA quarterfinals (Sunday, 1 p.m.)
Staszewski: Offense was not at a premium when these teams met in Week 3. Trinity won 10-0 in a contest that what scoreless into the fourth quarter. Mount is coming off its best performance of the season against Holy Cross and Trinity cruised against Xaverian. I’ve got to think coach Mario Valentini studied the tape against the Titans long and hard and knows his team can’t play worse. We will have our first upset of the playoffs as Mount squeaks out a win. Pick: Mount St. Michael
Butler: I was at Mount in Week 3 to watch Holy Trinity come away with a 10-0 win. Both offenses sputtered that day and points again will be tough to come by with two of the league’s best defenses. The Mountaineers have been tough to figure out this year, especially offensively. Trinity, in my opinion, has been the more consistent team and that makes the difference in a nail-biter. Pick: Holy Trinity
No. 3 Archbishop Stepinac @ St. Francis Prep, Class AA quarterfinals @ Mitchel Athletic Complex (Sunday, 1 p.m.)
Butler: A year ago, St. Francis Prep shocked the CHSFL by defeating an undefeated Stepinac in the Class AA quarterfinals. Back at Mitchel Athletic Complex for the rematch, the Terriers have no chance. The team that won last year is far superior to this year’s version and Stepinac is hungry, both for revenge and to prove it is among the league’s elite. The Crusaders get the job done in a blowout. Pick: Archbishop Stepinac
Staszewski: Stepinac won’t make the same mistake twice. The Crusaders were flat in their playoff opener against the Terriers last year and were upset. That only adds extra motivation for Tyrell Goodman, Donnie Simmons and Co, which will mean bad things for SFP. The Terriers fought valiantly against Farrell last week, but fell short. They just won’t have the athletes or size to match up with the Stepinac, which will move on to the semifinals. Pick: Archbishop Stepinac.
Xavier @ Chaminade, Class AA quarterfinals (Sunday, 1 p.m.)
Staszewski: Chaminade has shown plenty of life that last two weeks with a comeback attempt against Holy Cross and leading Fordham early, but points have been a struggle. This could be the shortest game on record the way both teams run the ball. I picked against Xavier last week and got burned. The Knights are a lot better than people think. They will control the clock with Brent Scardapane and hit a few key passes when needed. Xavier advances in a close one. Pick: Xavier
Butler: If you held a gun to Chris Stevens head, not that anyone should, the Xavier coach would say last year’s team was better than this year’s edition. And yet, the Knights had a better season this year, earning a higher seed in the Class AA playoffs. Xavier has won five of its last six games and heads to Mineola to meet a winless Chaminade squad. The Flyers have been in many games this year, but they haven’t figured out how to pull out a win. Those losses take a toll and Xavier wins a tight one. Pick: Xavier
Bishop Ford @ St. Peter’s, Class A semifinals (Sunday, 1 p.m.)
Butler: I stood about five feet from the end zone where I saw Bishop Ford quarterback Xaviah Mattocks stopped about an inch short of the goal line in St. Peter’s 13-6 Week 2 win at Aviator Sports Complex. The Falcons finally got their first win of the year in Week 7, defeating Cardinal Spellman, 13-6. Ford will be looking for revenge against an unpredictable St. Peter’s squad and will return to Brooklyn with a win and a spot in the Class A championship game. Pick: Bishop Ford
Staszewski: These teams met in Week 2 and provided one of the year’s best finished with Brian Nickel stopping Xaviah Mattocks on the goal line to seal the Eagles 13-6 win. This one will be low scoring again and both teams will pound the run. The difference with be St. Peter’s quarterback Dan Low’s ability to makes plays down field when he needs to, even against the Falcons stout defense. The Eagles will fly away with another close win. Pick: St. Peter’s
Cardinal Spellman @ St. John the Baptist, Class A semifinals (Sunday, TBA)
Staszewski: The Cougars are the favorites to take home the Class A title for one big reason – running back Darelle Hunter. The elusive and powerful back is a pain to bring down. He rushed for 345 yards on 24 carries and scored three time in a come-from-behind 25-20 win in Week 3. Germain Ngaba has been Spellman’s best player by far, but they had struggles to score points outside of him. Pick: St. John the Baptist.
Butler: Cardinal Spellman put a scare into St. John’s the Baptist in a 25-20 Week 3 loss. That was, and is, the closest the Pilots have come to a victory this year. The Cougars are the favorites to raise the Class A title and will again ride the league’s most prolific running back, Derelle Hunter, to victory. Pick: St. John the Baptist