Stepinac, Spellman Capture Football Championships

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Archbishop Stepinac High School scored 33 unanswered points in rallying from a 14-0 deficit to defeat top-seeded St. Anthony’s, 47-22, for the Catholic High School Football League of Metropolitan New York’s AAA championship at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale Nov. 18.

The third-seeded Crusaders, who won their third title in four years, took a 33-14 lead in the first minute of the fourth quarter before St. Anthony’s scored to cut the deficit to 33-22 with just under eight minutes remaining.

The Crusaders, playing in their fourth consecutive title game, responded with two touchdowns in the final four minutes.

Stepinac’s Trill Williams ran for 183 yards to earn offensive player of the game honors, and middle linebacker Kevin Gray was named the game’s top defensive player.

The Crusaders play at Msgr. Martin Athletic Association champion Canisius High School in Buffalo for the state title at noon Saturday, Nov. 25.

Cardinal Spellman 20, Xaverian 18 – Michael Booth scored the game-winning touchdown on a 1-yard run with 25 seconds left as Cardinal Spellman avenged a pair of regular-season losses to Xaverian in capturing the program’s first A League title since 2008 and third overall.

Xaverian trailed 14-0 before scoring 18 straight points, taking an 18-14 lead on a 94-yard touchdown pass from James Resker to Timothy McCabe with 2:55 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Spellman gained possession and scored the game-winner with help from big plays – including Isaac Yearwood’s 5-yard run to inside the 1-yard line on a fourth down.

“It was an up and down emotional game. The kids deserve a lot of credit,’’ Cardinal Spellman coach Will Cawley told CNY.

“The kids were confident. We felt we had enough time and we had two timeouts. We set up plays, converted some key plays and used the clock well. They refused to lose.”

Yearwood and Booth were named the offensive and defensive players of the game, respectively.

Kellenberg 54, Fordham Prep 19 – Matt Sluka scored six touchdowns and Kellenberg notched the game’s final 33 points to win its first AA championship and first league title since claiming an A crown in 1999.

Fordham Prep quarterback Matt Valecce threw touchdown passes to Liam McHale, Will Loffredo and Tommy Walsh.