By Adam Martini
The St. Francis Prep football team has a lofty goal. They want to win the Catholic High School Football League championship. On Sunday afternoon, in the first round of the AAA playoffs, they took another step in the right direction.
The Terriers defeated the two-time defending champion Monsignor Farrell Lions, 16-7, at DaSilva Memorial Field at St. John’s University and advance to the semifinals to play No. 2 seed Iona Prep Saturday at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, L.I.
The Lions played without their standout running back Kern Collymore. The league’s leading yards-per-game rusher (141.1) burned St. Francis for 170 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown in a 21-12 loss to the Terriers earlier this season.
Collymore sprained his ankle on the last play of the Lions’ victory over Christ the King last week. However, Farrell head coach Ben Sarullo insisted it was lack of effort, not the absence of his starter, which led to his team’s downfall.
“We didn’t play as well as we are capable of playing,” Sarullo said. “Our team was happy to be mediocre this year and this is the result.”
Uncharacteristically, St. Francis quarterback Peter Mazzurco, who did not throw a pass in the last meeting between the two teams, came out slinging the ball. He hooked up with Jason Philip on a 31-yard touchdown pass over the middle at 6:10 of the first quarter to open the scoring. Mazzurco completed six passes for 90 yards, his eventual game totals, before halftime.
Mazzurco wasn’t don there. He kicked a 27-yard field goal early in the second to extend the lead to 9-0. On the drive, he completed passes to Mark Burik and Natale Modica for nine and 19 yards, respectively. With 18 second left in the game, Mazzurco scrambled for a 15-yard touchdown on fourth down to clinch the game.
“In training camp we had a goal and we never lost track of it,” Mazzurco said. “We’re still on our way there.”
The rest of the game was dominated by the Terriers’ defense. The Lions were held to a season-low 107 yards. Ed Pitre, Collymore’s replacement, scored the Lions only touchdown on a sweep at 6:33 of the third quarter to cut their deficit to 9-7.
“Our defense stepped up,” St. Francis head coach Vince O’Connor said. “How much Collymore would have made a difference is unknown.”
Not to be outdone, the Lions’ defense intercepted passes by Mazzurco late in the second and fourth quarters to make it a game. The first pick by Drew Florello in the second halted a St. Francis drive at the Lions’ 11. The second interception by Alex LoGerfo at the Terriers' 42 resulted in Pitre’s touchdown.
Team captain Chris Zambrano earned the “C” on his jersey. He spearheaded the defensive effort, recording two sacks, and rushed for a game-high 83 yards. A 14-yard gain in the second put him over the 1,000-yard rushing mark for his career.
“We came out fired up,” Zambrano said. “We wanted this game and got it.”
For St. Francis Prep, making it to the AAA playoffs was a season-long goal. The team had participated in the AA playoffs — reserved for non-AAA seeds — the last two seasons. After losing three of its first four regular season games, the Terriers posted four consecutive wins to climb to the third in the division.
“It’s a tremendous victory for the kids that haven’t been there,” O’Connor said about the AAA playoffs. “To come up and play at the level of the defending champions is a big boost for moral and spirits.”
Holy Cross 24, Fordham Prep 7. Woody Aime had 13 carries for 141, including an eight-yard run in the first quarter to open the game’s scoring. Aime also scored on a 38-yard interception return in the third quarter. Eric Giron booted a 26-yard field goal and Thomas Arroyo added a one-yard touchdown run to cap the scoring for the Knights.
Sophomore Kavell Gordon also ran the ball 16 times for 125 yards.
The Knights will meet undefeated St. Peter’s in the second round of the ‘AA’ playoffs Saturday tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. at Kings Point.
Holy Trinity 18, Christ the King 12. With center Michael Cox out, the Royals turned the ball over time and again, giving away their first-round playoff game to the Titans this past Saturday.
Two turnovers in the games’s opening minutes gave Trinity a 10-0 lead. But two touchdown by Craig Nelson (20 carries, 227 yards) gave CK a 12-0 lead in the second half. The Titans responded on their next possession, scoring on a 76-yard quarterback sneak. The Royals would never threaten again.
Christ the King ends the season with a 4-5 overall record.
— Anthony Bosco contributed to this story
Reach contributing writer Adam Martini by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 130.
