Two weeks into the season, the Christian Brothers Academy football team looked nothing like a playoff-caliber team after being blown out by Shenendehowa and Saratoga.
Now, the Brothers (3-4) are in class AA playoffs courtesy of a 21-16 Empire Division victory over Bethlehem and Albany’s 35-34 win against Saratoga last weekend.
The secret to CBA’s turnaround has been the quick maturation of such young stars as quarterback Andrew Vivian, tailback Jack Reilly and fullback Nick Signore. The trio who had not started a varsity game until this year has gotten the Brothers’ offense on track. In Friday’s victory over Bethlehem, Signore rushed for 100 yards; Reilly contributed 143 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns; and Vivian passed for 115 yards and two touchdowns.
`Putting Jack Reilly in at tailback together with Nick Signore, who has turned into one of the area’s best fullbacks, has really been the key,` said CBA coach Matt Gormley.
Vivian has been as much of a factor as Reilly and Signore. His ability to throw the deep pass has loosened up opposing defenses, which has allowed Reilly and Signore to run wild.
`We’re a team that looks to throw first,` said Gormley. `Andrew’s got a good rhythm going, and our receivers are doing a good job of catching the ball. We know if we can throw the ball, then we’ll eventually be able to run the ball.`
The strategy worked well for CBA against Bethlehem. Vivian got the Brothers on the scoreboard early in the second quarter with a well-timed pass to Jafar Johnson down the right sideline. Johnson hauled in the pass and eased into the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown reception to make the score 7-0.
Bethlehem (2-5) responded with a long drive of its own, capped by Sean Murphy’s 5-yard touchdown run. Sam Smith’s extra point tied the game at 7.
Vivian put CBA back in the lead later in the second quarter with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Reilly and was looking for more in the closing seconds when Bethlehem’s Kevin Ray intercepted his pass and returned it 95 yards for a score. Smith missed the extra point, though, which allowed the Brothers to enter the locker room with a 14-13 lead at halftime.
Smith made amends for his missed extra point by making a 32-yard field goal in the third quarter that gave the Eagles a 16-14 lead, but Reilly broke free for a 38-yard touchdown run later in the period to put the Brothers back in front. CBA’s defense then held the lead in the fourth quarter to eliminate Bethlehem from playoff contention.
The Brothers still needed some help from Albany Saturday to lock up fourth place and the final playoff berth in the Empire Division. The Falcons obliged by building a 35-14 lead on Saratoga and holding on for a 35-34 victory.
The Albany-Saratoga result was bittersweet for Gormley, who is a friend of Saratoga head coach Terry Jones.
`I didn’t really wish anything bad on Terry. I just looked at the score,` said Gormley. `I didn’t even go to the game. Some of my players went to the game and gave me updates.`
Still, Saratoga’s loss means that CBA gets a playoff berth and a first-round match-up against Liberty Division champion LaSalle Friday in Troy.
`We’re looking forward to it,` said Gormley. `We’re two Christian Brothers schools, and when you get two Christian Brothers schools together on a Friday night, it can be very entertaining.`
Colonie is also heading to the Section II playoffs, courtesy of its third-place finish in the Liberty Division. The Garnet Raiders (4-2 division, 4-3 overall) locked up their playoff berth two weeks ago with a victory over Niskayuna.
Shaker, though, will miss the class AA playoffs after finishing sixth in the seven-team Liberty Division following a 35-8 loss to Schenectady last weekend. The Blue Bison (1-5, 1-6) had a chance to forge a three-way tie for fourth place with a victory, but the Patriots (3-3, 4-3) scored 35 unanswered points to win the game and secure fourth place.
Colonie also struggled in its final regular season game, a 55-16 loss to Section IX power Monroe-Woodbury last Friday. The 2005 state champions scored 48 of the final 54 points to overcome the Garnet Raiders’ early 10-7 lead.
Colonie travels to Shenendehowa for its class AA quarterfinal Friday night, while Shaker hosts Albany in a crossover game. “
