Two key late-game interceptions helped the Bishop Ford Falcons grit out a 16–14 win over St. Peter’s Eagles at Aviator Sports and Events Center on Saturday night.
Ford’s Rodney Gonzales and Malik Warner snatched the ball from two Eagles advances in the third and fourth quarters and Falcon Dante Aiken rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries, ending the team’s eight-game losing streak to the Staten Island school.
“This just proves to everybody that we are getting better,” Aiken said. “And only going up.”
Aiken answered a St. Peter’s safety with an electric 41-yard touchdown run in the first half as he took a toss around the left edge and then cut back at the 15-yard line before finding the end zone. He added a one-yard touchdown scamper and a two-point conversion with 1:15 left in the first half to give Ford a 16–2 lead.
The Ford’s defense kept the lead intact in the second half, even after St. Peter’s quarterback Billy Triglianos (15-of-28, 175 yards) connected with James Ball for a 50-yard touchdown to pull his team within 16–8. The Eagles scored again with 2:54 remaining in third quarter on a two-yard run, but the Falcons made sure that the team from the Rock wouldn’t advance any further.
Ford’s coaching staff said a stellar defense and Aiken’s fast feet made Saturday’s victory the team’s most impressive win of the season.
“Aiken’s been a hidden gem,” Ford coach Jim Esposito said. “Now people are starting to find out about him.”
St. Peter’s was the Falcons first real challenge this season: Bishop Ford beat Christ the King and Cardinal Spellman earlier this month with a combined score of 89–6.
