WEST ORANGE, NJ – On a cool, crisp afternoon, the Seton Hall Prep varsity football team dropped its fourth game in a row to start the season, a 49-28 decision to Pope John XXIII of Sparta at Brendan P. Tevlin Memorial Field in West Orange, on Saturday, Sept. 30.
After Pope John scored on their first possession of the game, SHP took the ensuing kickoff and went 80 yards in three plays with Matt Colantuono going off left tackle and down the left sideline for a 72-yard touchdown run. Zach Hoban added the extra point to tie the score at 7-7 with 4:52 left in the first quarter.
After the kickoff was fumbled and recovered by SHP’s Anthony Algieri, the Pirates scored on the next play as Cameron Carti threw a backwards pass to Aidan Gilman, who threw it to a wide open Dominic Busby for a 23-yard TD to give SHP a 13-7 lead with 4:40 left in the first quarter. The extra point by Hoban hit the left upright and was no good.
On its next drive, Pope John took a 14-13 lead with a touchdown with 2:31 left in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Pope John scored three touchdowns to take a 33-13 lead before the Pirates scored on their last possession of the first half to trail 33-20 at half time. They went on a 10-play, 67-yard drive that ended when Carti hit Andrew Perez with a 2-yard scoring pass. Hoban added the extra point.
Pope John scored a touchdown in the third quarter and added a field goal early in the fourth quarter to maintain a 42-20 lead. Following the field goal, SHP went on a 10-play, 80-yard drive with Kyle Monangai scoring from 1 yard out and Carti hitting Busby with the two-point conversion pass to make the score 42-28 with 4:40 left in the game. Pope John scored on its next possession to make the final 49-20.
SHP game stats
Passing: Carti: 15 of 23 attempts, 123 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT.
Rushing: Colantuono: 5 carries for 74 yards, 1 TD.
Receiving: Perez: 5 catches for 67 yards, 1 TD. Busby: 5 catches for 52 yards and 1 TD.
Defense: Jonathan Alvarado: 21 tackles (11 solo). Algieri: 11 tackles, 1 fumble recovery. Vincent Henrich: 10 tackles, 1 sack.
Next game: The Pirates will try to earn their first victory of the season on Saturday, Oct. 7, when they travel to face Delbarton in Morristown for a 2:30 p.m.
Seton Hall Prep (0-4)
Sept. 9, Loss, Don Bosco Prep, 21-13
Sept. 15, Loss, at Paramus Catholic, 33-30 (OT)
Sept. 23, Loss, St. Peter’s Prep, 43-20
Sept. 30, Loss, Pope John, 49-28
Oct. 7, at Delbarton, 2:30 p.m.
Oct. 14, Columbia, 2 p.m.
Oct. 20, at DePaul, 7 p.m.
Oct. 28, at Montclair, 1 p.m.
Nov. 4, Bergen Catholic, 2 p.m.
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