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Lighting up the scoreboard

Each day, leading up to Friday's state final game, Dan Long will break down key aspects of the game that are vital for a Bergen Catholic championship victory. Here is a look at the BC offense, and how the Crusaders need to eclipse the 30 point mark in order to capture a state title:

Bergen Catholic's offense has thrived under the watch of Nunzio Campanile, averaging over 40 points per game during his first 22 games as the varsity head coach in Oradell, and reaching double digits 21 out of 22 games in his tenure. The key stat for the Crusaders has been the number 30, as in 30 points scored. When BC has scored at least 30 points in a game, BC is a perfect (15-0), and in 4 of the 7 times when BC has not reached that 30 point plateau the Crusaders have lost the game. It's no real coincidence that 3 of those 4 losses have all come against a stingy Don Bosco Prep defense.

The Ironmen defense is littered with outstanding athletes who pride themselves on putting up shutouts and making life miserable for opponent offenses. One major reason for Bosco's decade of dominance over the Crusaders can be seen in their commitment to defense in Ramsey, where the Ironmen have allowed over 30 points to BC on only one occasion, back in the 1999 state final when BC thrashed Bosco (42-21) in Head Coach Greg Toal's first season in charge. Bosco just does not allow their foes to find the endzone all that often, and when the DBP offense can race out to an early lead it affords their defense the chance to settle into games and dominate their foes.

BC seems to be the only team that has found some success against the Bosco's vaunted defense in recent seasons. BC has been the highest scoring opponent against DBP the past two years, including the 22 points that the Crusaders put on the board on September 30th. In that game, BC scored their 22 points through the first 3 quarters, but could not generate any additional scoring in the 4th quarter, and saw their slim 22-21 lead disappear late in the game. This time around, BC knows that they will need to be consistent on offense and will need to eclipse that lucky 30 point scoring mark against Bosco.

The Crusaders have shown in the 2 years under Coach Campanile that they can make the scoreboard work overtime with an explosive offense that gets better as the leaves change their color. The passing offense has clicked for 32 touchdowns this season, while the run game has crossed the goal line 20 times this season. BC needs to score in the 30s to win a state title, and to shatter Bosco's aura of invincibility as a lock-down defensive unit.

ABOUT DAN LONG

Dan Long graduated from Bergen Catholic in 2003 where he was the Sports Director of BCTV and coined the immortal phrase "Crusader Crazies" for the raucous BC student section. He is currently the radio voice of Bergen Catholic football, the founder of DL Sports Media, and a weekly contributor to BergenCatholicFootball.com.

Making the special play

Each day, leading up to Friday's state final game, Dan Long will break down key aspects of the game that are vital for a Bergen Catholic championship victory. Here is a look at special teams, and how BC needs to win this area of the game in order to capture a state title:

Most high school teams do not focus on special teams as much as both Bergen Catholic and Don Bosco Prep choose to do on a daily basis. For the Crusaders, Special Teams is an extension of their offense, a unit that is capable of giving the ball right back to the offense with onside kicks and angled kickoffs, affording them more opportunities to have the ball in their possession. The Ironmen also use their fair share of fakes on punts that paralyze their opponents, and get their offense in position to attempt game-killing drives. Both sides approach their specialty units with an aggressive mentality, and BC needs their specialty unit to play much better than they did in the regular season if they want to hold the hardware at the end of the night.

It was BC's special teams unit that allowed the Crusaders to be in position to actually take the lead late in the 4th quarter in last season's state championship game. Austin Devine's perfectly placed onside kick was recovered by Spencer Kulcsar in Bosco territory, and made the stadium electric in excitement before an interception ended BC's ensuing offensive drive. When your special teams unit can change a game's momentum, it can be a serious weapon at your disposal. BC's senior kicker has the experience and the skill needed to become an unsung hero on Friday night at MetLife Stadium.

Devine has been exceptional this season in his punting game, rarely allowing any returns while pinning opponents inside their own 20 yard line. The biggest punt return this season against the Crusaders was by the Ironmen, courtesy of a blatant block in the back play that was not called, and thus allowed a 40 yard return against the Red & Gold. Devine will once again be crucial in flipping field position against the Ironmen, as he did against St. Peter's Prep in the semifinals. After not recovering a single onside kick attempt last time against Bosco, and in the process sacrificed valuable field position on each drive, BC might lean more on Devine's strong leg to force Bosco to drive the ball on long fields in order to score touchdowns. Don't forget that Devine also pulled off a perfectly designed 2 point conversion on extra point fake, and ran into the endzone untouched. The senior from Oradell is athletic, and can read and react to punt rushes and Bosco's aggressive style.

Another crucial component is seen in an area that is routinely overlooked in extra point attempts. Every point is critical in a state title game, and BC certainly found this out the hard way in the 2003 state finals in their (14-13) loss to DBP. Devine has been reliable this year with his PATs, converting on 42 of 48 chances, but has missed a couple in recent weeks. If PATs are no longer a sure thing, BC may be forced to go for 2 points, and could leave significant points off the board during the game.

In regards to the return game, James Dawson and Mike Gerst may not get too many opportunities for long returns thanks to Bosco's strong coverage unit, but both returners must be strong with the ball and must not hesitate with their returns. BC cannot afford to start drives inside their own 20 yard line, and any solid return could go a long way for Jon Germano and the Crusader offense. Chucky Wingate dazzled last week with his first punt return for a score this season, and the senior's sure hands and speed will be counted on to secure any Bosco punts and keep BC away from costly turnovers.

BC's special teams need to show up this time around against Bosco, because the Ironmen outplayed them in September in Ramsey. One special teams play can make the difference for the entire season, and whether it is a punt block, an open field tackle by a gunner, or even a game-winning field, BC's speciality unit need to win the battle on Friday. This unit always provides a possible no-name player the chance to be immortalized in school history based on an outstanding play, so who will grab that chance at history at MetLife Stadium for Bergen Catholic?

ABOUT DAN LONG

Dan Long graduated from Bergen Catholic in 2003 where he was the Sports Director of BCTV and coined the immortal phrase "Crusader Crazies" for the raucous BC student section. He is currently the radio voice of Bergen Catholic football, the founder of DL Sports Media, and a weekly contributor to BergenCatholicFootball.com.

Winning the turnover battle

Each day, leading up to Friday's state final game, Dan Long will break down key aspects of the game that are vital for a Bergen Catholic championship victory. Here is a look at the turnover battle, and how BC needs to be on the positive end of it in order to capture a state title:

When BC checks onto the field on Friday, they will have a daunting task ahead of them when they match up with the top ranked team in the country on the opposite sideline. Bosco has a laundry list of Division I football athletes, has all the confidence in the world seeing that they have not lost in the Garden State since 2005, and have owned the Red & Gold since the 2004 state final. Despite these stiff challenges glaring back at the Crusaders, the key to the game may be its own reflection. BC has consistently stubbed its toe in this match ups against the Ironmen, committing careless mistakes that have gone on to seal their fate against the top team in the land. Bosco knows how to force turnovers and how to punish their opponents for their mistakes, and BC needs to play a flawless game in order to capture their 17th state championship.

In last season's state final game at the Meadowlands, BC turned the ball over a staggering 5 times against Bosco, yet still only trailed by 4 points with under 3 minutes remaining in the game until a late TD ended all comeback hopes. During this season's regular season meeting, the Red & Gold once again turned the ball over at key moments against their rivals from Ramsey, and the two 4th quarter interceptions proved to be the key turning points in the game. Bosco has won the turnover battle against the Crusaders during each game of their current 9 game win streak against BC, and last year's 4th quarter interception in the state final effectively squashed a miraculous comeback attempt from the Crusaders, while allowing the Bosco fan base a collective sigh of relief. It's hard enough to beat Bosco, but you cannot afford the Ironmen more scoring opportunities off of wasted chances on offense.

BC will need to force at least 2 turnovers in the game on defense, and be spotless on offense in order to claim control on Friday night. Bosco is used to watching opponents crack under the pressure, but DBP has never been forced to stare adversity square in the face in the waning moments of a game. By forcing turnovers themselves, BC can get in position to grab a solid and formidable advantage in the game, and actually make Bosco sweat and adjust to their game plan. In this game, interceptions cannot be dropped, and fumbles must be pounced upon before the ensuing scrum at the bottom of the pile.

It is not often that a team gets a second shot at their arch rival, especially when that opponent is ranked #1 in the country. BC must win the turnover battle, and must do so decisively. Turnovers not only give you more chances to score, but they give a team hope, confidence, and momentum.  Bosco has won 5 straight state titles because they are better than anyone else in seizing the moment and forcing deciding turnovers that change a game.  In order to make Bosco seem mortal, BC must inflict the turnover wounds that have pierced BC's armor for the past decade.

ABOUT DAN LONG

Dan Long graduated from Bergen Catholic in 2003 where he was the Sports Director of BCTV and coined the immortal phrase "Crusader Crazies" for the raucous BC student section. He is currently the radio voice of Bergen Catholic football, the founder of DL Sports Media, and a weekly contributor to BergenCatholicFootball.com.

The need to generate pressure

Each day, leading up to Friday's state final game, Dan Long will break down key aspects of the game that are vital for a Bergen Catholic championship victory. Here is a look at the BC defensive line, and the need for a consistent pass rush and run defense on Friday night:

Coming into this season, the BC coaching staff was excited to return a defensive line that had a ton of varsity experience under their belts from the 2010 season, and could provide the necessary pressure each game to disrupt opponent offenses. In their first game of the year the defensive line did not disappoint, sacking LaSalle 4 times throughout their first 3 quarters of play before giving way to the Crusader reserves. Recently in the state semifinals against St. Peter's Prep, the defensive line put on their most dominant performance of the year, sacking the Marauders 5 times on the afternoon, and dictating the play in the trenches. These two outings give a glimpse of the tremendous talent and ability that the Crusader defensive line possess, but they will need to bring their relentless motors and pressure on Friday night in order to get the Crusader defense off the field without allowing points on the board.

The Crusaders were able to only record 1 sack all game long against Don Bosco Prep on September 30th, a fact that has not been lost on the entire BC defensive coaching staff. The lack of pressure in the pocket allowed Bosco quarterback Mike Yankovic all the time in the world to set himself and fire uncontested slant and curl pattern passes to his wide receivers. Without sniffing any pressure in the backfield, Jabrill Peppers and Elijah Shumate ran for 200 combined yards and 4 touchdowns on the ground. There were no hurried throws, no relief for the BC secondary matching up against the Ironmen spread attack, and 33 points later, another win for the Ramsey school. BC cannot afford to let Bosco pass at will again and feast on underneath patterns against the BC Cover 2 formation. They need to have their defensive line play their best games of their collective careers.

Senior defensive end Hunter Kiselick is the emotional leader for the entire team, and is the team's leading sack artist in additional to collecting the most tackles for losses on the year. Kiselick was a man possessed against SPP, seemingly finding his way into the backfield on every snap of the ball. Hunter will need to win his battle in the trenches on Friday night, and find a way to make a difference on several big plays. A strip sack can be the difference in the game, and a deflected pass at the line of scrimmage could generate that interception that seals a game. Ty Charles is starting to regain his solid form before he suffered his elbow injury in Florida, Anthony Davanzo has developed into a reliable run stuffer, while Garrett Dickerson's development is something to behold.

What Kiselick and Dickerson have perfected in recent weeks is the ability to jump up and deflect passes at the line of scrimmage, thwarting screen passes or slant patterns that might go for big gainers. The entire unit plays better when angry, as was evident in the beginning stages of the 2nd quarter pf the SPP playoff game after Dickerson had gotten into it with several members of the Prep offense. This unit cannot afford to sleep walk through the beginning of another game, and play on their heels instead of forcing the action themselves. The defensive line must win the fundamental battles of footwork and leverage, while using power as a tool for penetration.

Friday night will be the final time that 3 members of the BC defensive line will ever don the Red & Gold together, and will be the final time that they attempt to win a state championship together. BC's fate will be connected to the play and production of the defensive line. The last time the Crusaders beat Bosco in the 2004 state final, the defensive line was able to swarm the pocket and force Matt Simms into a host of mistakes and sacks. Kiselick and company need to collapse the pocket and suffocate the Bosco running game, while forcing the passing attack into constant mistakes. It all starts and ends in the trenches, and BC needs to generate constant pressure against a solid offensive line in order to win a title.

ABOUT DAN LONG

Dan Long graduated from Bergen Catholic in 2003 where he was the Sports Director of BCTV and coined the immortal phrase "Crusader Crazies" for the raucous BC student section. He is currently the radio voice of Bergen Catholic football, the founder of DL Sports Media, and a weekly contributor to BergenCatholicFootball.com.

Running down a dream

Each day, leading up to Friday's state final game, Dan Long will break down key aspects of the game that are vital for a Bergen Catholic championship victory. Here is a look at the BC rushing attack, and the need for a consistent run game on Friday night:

During the golden years of the 1990s, Bergen Catholic built its championship dynasty and its 7 state titles on the back of a dominant running game, usually as the cornerstone of a unstoppable Wing-T offense. Names like Joe DeFranco, Eric Lane, Jim Finn, Jon Piela, Justin Dunleavy, and Rich Scanlon bulled over BC's opponents and routinely found their way into the endzone and into program immortality. BC pinned its championship hopes on their offensive lines being able to dominate in the trenches, while their running backs were able to move the piles and control the flow of the game. The Crusaders will need another signature rushing performance on the ground on Friday night if they want to reclaim their status as the top football program in the Garden State.

While the Crusader offense is completely different from the rush oriented approach from the 90s, the run game is still a central part of an offense that can score with the best around. Sure, the pass happy approach is glorified and made evident in the bevy of passing and receiving records that are falling by the wayside in Crusader Country, but the passing barrage can only be at its deadliest potential when an opponent must honor the run. With a revamped offensive line and new crop of running backs coming into the fold this offseason, BC had its initial growing pains trying to establish a consistent run game against early opponents, combining for only 205 yards on the ground in their two losses against Plant and Don Bosco. Just the threat of a running play can loosen up a defense, and the Crusaders became one dimensional in those two losses and could not reach their usual scoring levels. After walking out of Granatell Stadium in late September, BC knew that in order to get another shot at the Ironmen, the run game needed to be tweaked and confidence needed to be generated from the O-Line and the running backs.

Since that loss on September 30th, BC has won 6 straight games, and their rushing game has become a key factor in their offensive successes. The Crusaders have averaged 174 yards a game on the ground, and during their biggest game of the year so far in the state semifinals against St. Peter's Prep, the Red & Gold ran for 227 yards in the game and had a stranglehold on the game from the 2nd quarter on. Quarterback Jon Germano has significantly picked up his rushing production in recent weeks, nearly matching his yearly totals in the past 3 weeks alone. James Dawson and Mike Gerst always present a speed and shiftiness threat to their running styles, while John Feaster shows a physical running style, coupled with his explosive speed. The O-Line is now moving as one cohesive unit, and is routinely pulling out to block downfield and at the second level, allowing for bigger runs.

In their loss to Bosco in September, the Crusaders were able to only generate 99 rushing yards on the night, and relied on their outstanding passing attack to keep them neck and neck with the Ironmen for a majority of the contest. On the flipside, Bosco rolled past BC on the ground with 258 rushing yards, and saw Jabrill Peppers run for 137 yards. Bosco was able to methodically move the ball against the BC defense because they always knew they could pick up the small yardage on 3rd and 4th downs. BC on the other hand saw a 4th quarter drive and their comeback hopes end when a run was stuffed on a short 4th down conversion. A consistent run game puts added stress and pressure on a defense, and BC needs to find the success they had from the 2010 season.

Last season, BC was able to put up the best rushing numbers in years against Bosco, running for an incredible 202 yards in Oradell, and 168 yards at the Meadowlands in the 2010 state final. Despite those gaudy numbers against one of the best defenses in the nation, the Crusaders still lost both match ups. BC may need to approach those rushing numbers on Friday night in order to hold onto the ball, and keep Bosco's high powered offense off the field at the same time.

It is easier said then done, especially considering the incredible athletes that line up on the Bosco defensive line, but BC needs to dictate their play on the ground, and not solely through the air. If Germano, Dawson, and Gerst can find running lanes, they must hit the holes hard and never hesitate and attempt to run east and west against the Bosco defense. A sustained BC run game will control the clock, allow Germano time to pass in the pocket and work in play action gainers, as well as put doubt in the minds of a vaunted DBP defense. In order to join the 16 other championship teams in BC history, the Crusaders must be able to run the ball efficiently, consistently, and mistake-free. BC's dream ending is 48 minutes away, all they need to do is run to it.

ABOUT DAN LONG

Dan Long graduated from Bergen Catholic in 2003 where he was the Sports Director of BCTV and coined the immortal phrase "Crusader Crazies" for the raucous BC student section. He is currently the radio voice of Bergen Catholic football, the founder of DL Sports Media, and a weekly contributor to BergenCatholicFootball.com.