It’s been a wild ride for Iona Prep.
The Gaels came into the season with very high expectations and were quickly humbled by a pair of Jersey powers – Delbarton and Bergen Catholic. A string of injuries forced lineup changes, but this group powered through, rattling off eight straight wins.
And here they are, in the CHSFL AAA championship game for the fourth consecutive season.
Iona Prep is the No. 1 seed and will be heading to Long Island Saturday for a 2 p.m. showdown against St. Anthony’s at Mitchel Field.
After losing by a point to Cardinal Hayes a year ago in a crazy back-and-forth game, the Gaels were quietly hoping for a rematch, but they will not have a problem getting motivated to play the Friars, who beat them handily in 2022.
Iona Prep won the regular-season meeting 48-40.
“This year was definitely a challenge, but I feel like the injuries happen almost every year so we just roll with the punches,” senior linebacker Matt Plunkett said. “Hayes or St. Anthony’s, either way we’re in a position to get revenge from some of the alums.”
Here are five reasons why the Gaels are back in the championship game:
1. Crew Davis is having a moment
The junior running back has Division I potential in football and lacrosse and is probably the most athletic kid on the Iona Prep campus. He is a prep version of San Francisco 49ers headliner Christian McCaffrey, leading the Gaels in rushing (792 yards/8.9 YPC/nine touchdowns) and receiving (639 yards/13.9 YPC/seven touchdowns).
“I’ve always believed in my athleticism,” Davis said. “I got to show it a little in my sophomore year and figured once the offseason came and I got a chance to lift and work more with coach Spags and understand the scheme more, it would all become second nature. I think as a team, we’ve grown and our chemistry is great. So that along with this offensive line, everything came together and the holes are opening up for me.”
He’s likely in the conversation for CHSFL player of the year.
“Crew is doing so much for us,” Iona Prep coach Joe Spagnolo said. “I’ve never had a kid lead a team in rushing and receiving in my 22-odd years of coaching. … And the numbers would be more impressive because he didn’t play in the second half of four games.”
2. Talent and depth on the coaching staff
It’s a luxury to have the resources this program enjoys and that extends to the coaching staff.
There is no shortage of experience on the sidelines where Spagnolo leans on a staff that has largely been together for years, starting with with defensive coordinator Lou DiRienzo and offensive coordinator Pat Gallo. The rest of the coaching roster includes Mike Moffitt, Felix Petrillo, Richie Tassello, Andrew Utschig, Mike Disanto, Vic Chiappa and Dominic Zanot.
Vincent Sullivan is the strength and conditioning coach.
“Our staff is really insane,” Spagnolo said. “I have a whole staff of former head coaches. We’ve had really good continuity, as well. Ever since COVID, there’s been a lot of coaching turnover, but we’ve been able to stay consistent and it trickles down to the lower levels. Our freshman and JV coaches have been around for a long time, as well, and we were undefeated (heading into the playoffs) on all three levels this season.”
3. Julian Guzman is ready for anything
Breaking in a new quarterback in season can be a challenge, but the junior got up to speed in a hurry and continues to develop. He’s a shortstop with a scholarship to Maryland so arm strength was never a question.
Guzman has completed 153 of 236 pass attempts for 2,096 yards and 17 touchdowns. He’s been intercepted five times. The junior has also run for 450 yards and six TDs.
“He really hasn’t had a bad day,” Spagnolo said. “And what’s remarkable is the fact that our four top receivers are not on the field. They’re hurt. None of them played after Week 2. So he’s basically throwing to our second string and some defensive backs who have learned to run routes. Julian has navigated us through all of that.”
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4. Everyone is where they need to be on defense
The Gaels have an emerging star on defense, sophomore Mamadee Sangaray. He’s caught the eye of major college recruiters and has moved from safety to linebacker. Zander Poole took over at safety and the defense got even faster to the ball.
Defensive end Gabe George and linebacker Brennan Pressley are back after missing time with injuries, too.
“I think it’s time for people to see what we are at full strength,” said Plunkett, Iona Prep’s leading tackler. “Every week we do a ton of film work and we get a really solid game plan that we go over rep after rep in practice so we’re pretty much ready for whatever anybody throws at us.”
5. Multisport athletes
Not everyone on this roster came to Iona Prep specifically because of the football program. Guzman is a baseball headliner. Davis was an impact player for the lacrosse team before he became a breakout football headliner. Joe Wolf is a promising basketball player who stepped in when the starting wideouts got hurt.
St. Anthony’s can relate. Standout quarterback Gary Merrill is a five-star lacrosse recruit who has committed to play at North Carolina.
“Personally, looking at this from a lacrosse standpoint, I’ve had a tough time against these Long Island boys,” Davis said. “I know a lot of the kids on this team, so it’ll be fun playing against them in football. I’m excited for this one.”
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Iona Prep football is back in the CHSFL championship game
