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Clippers comeback falls short

Clippers comeback falls short
Photo by Robert Cole

A valiant comeback attempt by Xaverian unraveled late in the fourth quarter last Saturday.

The Clippers got within five-points of Mount St. Michael, and had the ball back early in the final frame, but two interceptions from quarterback Luciano Ibbot kept Xaverian from finishing the job in an eventual 24–13 loss to the Mountaineers in last Saturday’s Catholic High School Football league game in The Bronx.

“We got back in the game,” Ibbott said. “I tried to play with my heart out, tried to get back in there, but fell off short.”

The defeat snapped Xaverian’s two-game winning streak. Ibbott, who also threw for a score and ran for one, had three throws picked off by Mount’s Tyrrell Halliman.

Ibbott gave Xaverian (2–3, 2–2) its only lead of the contest on its first possession. He took the second play from scrimmage 60 yards up the middle for a touchdown to make it 7–0. Xaverian, which also got a fumble recovery from Dominick Fattorusso, spread four receivers out right and Mount didn’t adjust correctly.

“I was shocked,” Ibbott said. “I ran through the hole, ran into the end zone.”

The Mountaineers (2–3, 2–2) pounded Xaverian’s running game from there on out. The Bronx team was playing with extra motivation, honoring 17-year-old teammate Matthew Wallace, who was struck and killed by a Metro-North train last Sunday. Mount got touchdown runs from Albert Sutton and Darius Hodges to take a 12–7 lead into the half. Max Rillen punched it in from a yard out to make it 18–7 midway through the third.

“They knew the situation, the emotion of their team,” first-year Xaverian coach Mike Jioia said. “I just told them to trust in each other and trust the staff.”

Jioia praised his defense for keeping his team in the game. Malik Griffith blocked an Arton Mehaj punt and Xaverian recovered on the Mount 7-yard line in the fourth quarter. Ibbott connected with Justin Philip a play later for a touchdown, but Griffith was stopped a half-yard from the goal line on the two-point conversion try by Halliman.

“We were [still] happy,” Ibbott said. “We thought we were going to get the touchdown. We got it.”

There just wasn’t another one to follow. Mount put the game away after the second interception when quarterback Kasim Thomas connected with Aaron Brown for a 5-yard touchdown pass to make it 24–13 with 3:30 left in the game.

“The defense played excellent,” Jioia said. “If not for a few missed assignments, we had a chance to win.”

Despite the loss, the players feel they are progressing under Jioia, who took over for the fired Joe DeSiena.

“He came out, made us strong, made us a better team,” Ibbott said. “Everyone is disciplined.”

Reach reporter Joseph Staszewski at jstaszewski@cnglocal.com. Follow him on twitter @cng_staszewski.