Oradell, NJ – Battling through the rain, Naiim Parrish made a crucial interception, inching closer to his goal.
Known as “The Dream,” a nickname given by his dad, Parrish now stands three interceptions away from breaking Joe Piela’s school record of 14. His second interception of the day came at a key moment as Bergen Catholic tried to hold onto a 24-14 lead over Don Bosco.
The tension rose when backup quarterback Dylan Wrona, stepping in for Deven Sisler after a tough hit, found Isaiah Alvarez for a touchdown with 2:52 left, narrowing the score and giving Don Bosco renewed hope. Following a successful onside kick, the Crusaders’ defense took the field once again.
“I knew they’d go for a trick play since they hadn’t had much luck running on us,” Parrish explained.
His prediction was spot on. On Don Bosco’s second play, they attempted a double pass. “I saw [Renick Dorilas] step back, and I didn’t bite,” Parrish said. “The moment he wound up for the pass, I broke on the ball and intercepted it.”
Bergen Catholic coach Vito Campanile praised Parrish’s instinct and intelligence. “He’s one of the smartest kids I’ve ever coached,” Campanile said. “He excelled today, as he does every day.”
What It Means:
With the win, Bergen Catholic (4-1) has now claimed victory in five of the last six matchups against Don Bosco (2-2) and extended their unbeaten streak against New Jersey teams to 19 games. Although Don Bosco still leads the overall series 41-37-2, Campanile sees this win as a foundation to build upon.
“We didn’t make every play we should have, but we won the game,” Campanile said. “We’ll correct a few mistakes and keep improving.”
In the third quarter, the game paused for about 10 minutes after Sisler, sliding to the ground, was hit by two Bergen Catholic defenders. A stretcher was brought out, but Sisler walked off with a neck brace, showing his resilience.
“It was tough to see what happened to Deven,” Campanile remarked. “I believe he’ll be okay, and I’ll check on him later. This game is about toughness and emotion.”
Standout Performances:
Bergen Catholic’s quarterback, Dominic Campanile, threw for 170 yards and two touchdowns, connecting with Dante Kain and Bryan Porter. Carey also made key plays, recovering a fumble on Don Bosco’s first drive and later returning a loose ball for a touchdown after a high punt snap.
