Bergen Catholic erased a 24-point deficit to defeat previously unbeaten Don Bosco 34-30 in a game that shifted momentum late in the fourth quarter. Junior quarterback Trey Tagliaferri threw four touchdown passes in the second half, including a 38-yard strike to senior receiver Bryan Porter with just 15 seconds left, sealing the victory for the Crusaders on October 3 in Oradell.
Down 24-0 in the second quarter, Bergen Catholic looked overwhelmed by the top-ranked Ironmen. Don Bosco’s junior defensive back Kyle Ramos had just extended their lead with a 36-yard interception return. But the Crusaders began chipping away at the advantage before halftime and exploded in the second half. Tagliaferri completed 27 of 44 passes for 341 yards and five touchdowns, with most of his impact coming after the break.
Porter was a constant threat, catching 11 passes for 169 yards while drawing heavy coverage throughout the game. His two touchdown receptions, including the game-winner, proved decisive. “We beat ourselves in the first half, and we’ve been doing that a lot,” Porter said. “So we knew in the second half that we had to come out with energy and playing our ball.”
Bergen Catholic scored early in the fourth quarter to get within three points after Tagliaferri connected with senior receiver Jamel Hammary twice for touchdowns of 1 and 16 yards. That cut the deficit from 24-7 at halftime to 24-21. The Crusaders took the lead at 28-24 on Tagliaferri’s 28-yard touchdown pass to Porter with 5:29 remaining.
Don Bosco fought back when junior quarterback Carson Schoen rushed in a 2-yard touchdown with 1:28 left, reclaiming a 30-28 lead. The Ironmen’s junior running back Ca’Si Thomas had carried much of the offense, rushing 34 times for 165 yards and scoring on a 2-yard run that gave Don Bosco an early 7-0 lead.
With time winding down, Tagliaferri orchestrated a final drive culminating in the touchdown pass to Porter that put Bergen Catholic ahead for good. Coach Vito Campanile praised his team’s resilience, especially given the injuries sidelining several players. “They draw strength from each other,” Campanile said. “All the adversity they’ve hit since January, and everybody telling them that it was over, and everybody about to throw dirt on them, I think they just believe in each other.”
Don Bosco coach Dan Sabella acknowledged the missed opportunities in the first half. “Even back in the first half there were some opportunities where we settled for field-goal chances and we should have come away with touchdowns,” he said. The Ironmen converted only one of two field-goal attempts and struggled to maintain the lead once Bergen Catholic’s comeback surged.
Bergen Catholic’s comeback is rare in this longstanding rivalry, where the team falling behind early usually cannot recover. The victory moves Bergen Catholic to 3-2 and suggests the Non-Public A state championship race remains open. Don Bosco dropped to 5-1 despite leading by 24 points in the second quarter.
Campanile said the goal was to reduce the deficit to a one-touchdown game by the fourth quarter and then pressure Don Bosco to hold the lead. “We wanted to put the pressure back on them,” he said.
The next state rankings, due October 6, are expected to reflect Bergen Catholic’s rise, possibly moving the Crusaders to the top spot in New Jersey.
According to Yahoo Sports.
