Oradell, NJ — Bergen Catholic wasted no time setting the tone. Every offensive series began with a sprint to the line, and the Crusaders snapped the ball almost instantly, using their trademark “pace to the ball” to overwhelm St. Joseph Metuchen in a 56–14 rout during the Non-Public A quarterfinals on Nov. 15.
Sophomore quarterback Trey Tagliaferri was the driving force behind the high-speed approach, firing five touchdown passes as Bergen Catholic (8–2) scored seemingly at will. Three of those touchdowns came on the first play of a possession, turning the opening half into a showcase of explosive efficiency. Tagliaferri hit junior standouts Bryan Porter, Anthony Willis, and Austin Busso for quick strikes that helped build a commanding 28–0 advantage midway through the second quarter.
The Crusaders’ uptempo philosophy has been sharpened since their 14–9 setback at unbeaten Don Bosco on Sept. 26. That loss set the stage for a semifinal rematch between the longtime rivals on Nov. 21 in Ramsey.
“We’ve made being fast to the ball a priority,” Busso said. “It gives us an edge, and it’s something we’ve really embraced.”
Head coach Vito Campanile agreed, noting that the team’s tempo has become a marker of its mentality. “This is who we are now,” he said. “The pace reflects our growth, our toughness, and the way we want to play football.”
Tagliaferri opened the scoring with a 35-yard strike to Porter, followed by an 8-yard toss to Willis. His 37-yard connection with Busso pushed the margin to four touchdowns with more than eight minutes left in the half.
Despite the lopsided scoreboard, St. Joseph quarterback Justin Scaramuzzo, a senior, delivered a composed performance under heavy pressure. He found Anthony Walker for a 20-yard touchdown late in the second quarter, then opened the fourth with a determined 6-yard scoring run.
“We came in ready to compete,” Falcons coach Bill Tracy said. “But a couple of big plays swung the momentum early. Credit to Bergen Catholic—they’re a top-flight program and they showed why tonight.”
What’s next
Fourth-seeded Bergen Catholic remains in pursuit of its fifth straight Non-Public A championship. Standing in the way is top-seeded Don Bosco (10–0), ranked No. 1 in the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey Super 25. Don Bosco is also the only team this season to keep No. 3 Bergen Catholic below 20 points.
Campanile welcomed the challenge. “They’re outstanding,” he said. “We’re excited for another opportunity to play them.”
Among the highlights was a spectacular one-handed grab by junior Jamel Hammary, who reeled in a 9-yard pass in the left corner of the end zone to put the Crusaders up 42–0 with just over six minutes remaining in the first half.
“We wanted to push the tempo from the start,” Tagliaferri said. “The plan was to get them off balance, get lined up fast, and keep them reacting.”
They said it
“We were explosive on offense today,” Campanile said. “Defensively, we were strong in the first half, but we didn’t maintain that same edge after halftime. We have to continue to earn it every day.”
By the numbers
Bergen Catholic totaled 152 yards in the first half yet led 42–7, activating a running clock for the entire second half. Tagliaferri completed 7 of 8 passes for 140 yards, five touchdowns, and zero turnovers before exiting early in the third quarter.
