Carey wins on Mepham turf

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Picking up where it left off last season when it captured the first Long Island football championship in school history, Carey found the end zone on its first three possessions and spoiled Mepham’s new turf field unveiling with a 33-7 victory on Saturday in Nassau Conference II.

The Seahawks set the tone early when junior Mike Catanese, making his varsity debut at quarterback, broke off a powerful 38-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-7 to cap the game-opening drive. Senior Nick Spillane had a pair of touchdown runs and an interception, and Carey’s defense didn’t allow the Pirates to cross midfield until late in the third quarter.

“It was an outstanding first half,” Carey head coach Mike Stanley said. “We knew with a beautiful new field and a D-I quarterback, they’d come out fired up. I thought we did a great job matching their intensity and executing on both sides of the ball.”

Mepham’s lone score came in the middle of a downpour with 4:41 left in the third when senior Tyler Davis threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to senior Yianni Hilas. By that time, more than half of the large crowd on hand for the Pirates’ first home game on turf was gone.

 “Carey’s very strong,” Pirates head coach Anthony Cracco said. “They’re as talented a team up front as I’ve seen in a long time. They controlled the line of scrimmage.”

Jorge Cerquera, Rob Kelly, Gabe Alejo, Anthony Catapano and Joseph Randazzo comprised the starting offensive line for Carey, which produced 352 yards on the ground led by senior Conor Colasurdo’s 104. “I love that group,” Stanley said. “They’re big and talented. Four of the five have played a lot of games together.”

The Seahawks’ defensive front shined, too. Thomas Gallant (8 tackles, one sack), John Heyer, Casey Kloepfer, and Michael Kadnar were instrumental in holding the University of Connecticut-bound Davis (10 of 24) to 120 yards passing and 47 yards rushing on 18 carries. “We didn’t want to give Davis any creases,” Stanley said. “He’s a great runner and I thought we did a really nice job keeping him in check.”

The longest — and most spectacular — run of the day belonged to Catanese, who appeared stopped shy of a first down but kept his legs moving and busted free up the middle for Carey’s first touchdown of 2014. “It was probably the best thing that could’ve happened to him,” Stanley said. “It was a big spot and he got us going in the right direction.”