Father Judge pounces early in routing Ryan
If suspense was what the crowd was after Saturday night, Rob King, Justin Gies, and Jeremy Smith ruined the night early.
If suspense was what the crowd was after Saturday night, Rob King, Justin Gies, and Jeremy Smith ruined the night early.
The trio from Father Judge helped the Crusaders jump on rival Archbishop Ryan early en route to a 48-27, Catholic League victory in the grudge match at Northeast High.
"That was the mind-set from the first play," said Smith, who transferred to Judge from Ryan this year. "We just had to come out fast and keep our foot on the gas."
The Crusaders (3-1) scored on their first five possessions, which included two touchdown receptions apiece for Gies and Smith, all thrown by King.
Gies finished with 129 yards on four catches (32 yards per grab).
Proving the night belonged to Judge, Gies iced the game by recovering a Crusaders fourth-quarter fumble in the end zone for another score.
Smith finished with 38 yards and two scores on three catches against his old teammates. He also recovered a fumble on defense.
"It was intense from the beginning," he said. "There was a lot of emotion. I felt it a lot."
"This means a lot to me," he continued. "The competitiveness and just the history of the rivalry, and then me coming here and the back and forth [with Ryan], this is just amazing."
King finished with 184 yards and four touchdown tosses on 10-of-20 passing.
Senior quarterback Matt Romano led Ryan (3-1) with three touchdown passes and 203 yards on 12-of-23 passing.
The Crusaders led Ryan, 34-0, in the second quarter before the Raiders made a modest charge.
After Romano scored on a 51-yard scramble to start the third quarter, an onside kick recovered by Ryan could have made things interesting.
A penalty, however, negated the play because the ball did not travel 10 yards before Ryan made first contact.
Sophomore Katob Joseph led Judge with 99 yards on 13 carries.
Father Judge 21 13 7 7 - 48
Arch. Ryan 0 7 13 7 - 27
FJ: Justin Gies 64 pass from Rob King (Jack Isdell kick)
FJ: Jeremy Smith 25 pass from King (Isdell kick)
FJ: Gies 30 pass from King (Isdell kick)
FJ: Smith 13 pass from King (kick failed)
FJ: Tim Weldon 3 run (Isdell kick)
R: Mike Minniti 70 pass from Matt Romano (Ryan Stock kick)
R: Romano 51 run (Stock kick)
FJ: Weldon 3 run (Isdell kick)
R: Xavier King 36 pass from Romano (Stock kick)
FJ: Gies 1 run (Isdell kick)
R: Shamar Edwards 43 pass from Romano (Stock kick)
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