WEST BOCA RATON, FL – Two wins over two nationally-ranked defending state champions.  Quite an impressive way to start your season for certain.  The Crusaders followed up their edge-of-your-seat nail biter over Illinois 6A State Champ East St. Louis with a close, but solid victory over Florida's 6A Champ, West Boca Raton 21-14 on Friday night.
     Defense and little yellow flags won the first quarter in this game.  The Crusaders had the longest drive of the year approaching the red zone.  The most successful plays of drive were a pair of passes from Trey Tagliaferri to receiver Austin Busso for a couple of first downs.  A targeting foul against WBR helped to continue the drive leading to a field goal attempt.  A high snap was handled by holder Busso, but the kick, despite having plenty of distance sailed wide right.
     The Bulls put together the first scoring drive of the night.  Early in the drive, BC had the Bulls at 2^nd and 18.  After a two yard gain, WBC was in a 3^rd and 16 situation, but a pass interference moved the ball upfield 15 yards, creating a 3^rd and 1.  The Bulls converted and ultimately scored on 9-yard run.  After the PAT, BC found themselves in a 7-0 hole.
     BC answered quickly as Trey Tagliaferri threw a pair of terrific passes with long completions to Anthony Willis followed up by a Tagliaferri to Busso 30-yard pass for a touchdown.  Jacob Soltys drove the ball through the uprights and quickly tied the score.
     On the ensuing drive, sophomore Jackson Vaughn blocked a pass.  It was initially interpreted as a fumbled football which Vaughn returned to the house.  After a quick conference between the referees, they reversed their call, determining it was an incomplete pass.  The Bulls punted to BC and the Crusaders went three and out before giving the ball back to West Boca.
     Joshua Cruz made the final two tackles sent the teams into the lockers tied at seven.
     As the teams took the field for the second half, once again, defenses ruled the first drives.  Tagliaferri completed a pass in the right flat to Najee Calhoun who ran for a first down before the Crusaders once again were stopped.
     BC's defense responded and held the Bulls and BC got the ball back with 7:00 remaining in the half.  BIG PLAY ALERT!  The explosiveness of the Crusader offense took center stage as Tagliaferri dropped back and hit Austin Busso on a slant route.  The pattern that had been creating issues for WBR all night was really going to create a problem now.  Busso cut to his right and found the near sideline sprinting 83 yards for the touchdown and the Crusaders longest play of the season.  BC led 14-7.
     After a long punt, BC faced a second and 8 and Walker Snee entered the game at QB as he had a number of times. This time he was set to throw and he completed a long pass to Busso.  Unfortunately, BC was flagged for holding and pass interference and BC would replay the down, this time setting up 2^nd and very long.  Tagliaferri completed a screen pass to Dante Kain who broke a number of tackles and set up a 3^rd and short.  On fourth down, BC ready to punt, linebacker Mason Marck jumped under center, using his #10 jersey number and voice to distract and draw the Bull punt rush offside, giving BC a first down.  Another penalty seemed to make thoughts of earning a first down an impossibility, but Tagliaferri completed a strike down the field for 40 yards to Anthony Willis, just short of a first down and Aidan Talley punted for BC.
     West Boca started with a penalty, backing the Bulls up to the 9 yard line.  Jordan Thomas recorded a tackle for a loss on a well-diagnosed, backing Boca up to their own 5.  Anthony Willis fair caught the Boca punt at the WBC 45 yard line marking the first time in the game either team would start in their opponent's end of the field.  BC earned a first down and worked on running the clock down.  After some hard-fought plays, BC was a faced with a 4^th and 5 from the 29-yard line.  Here, Coach Vito makes the call of the day, drawing up a pass, that Tagliaferri executed perfectly, hitting Bryan Porter in stride in the end zone for a touchdown.  After the Jacob Soltys PAT, BC led 21-7 with just 4:52 remaining.
     The Crusaders got great defensive line play from Kinsler, DeAndre Orgill, Jayden Beckley, Brandon Wilson and Vaughn were awesome throughout the night.  The Crusader defense contained the ball as WBR moved the ball down the field.  BC held the Bulls late, setting up a 4^th and goal from the six with 0:53 remaining.  After covering the initial looks, Boca's QB scrambled to his right and found a well-covered receiver, completing a touchdown pass.
      The Bulls attempted an on-sides kick, but it was fielded by Nick Mauro and BC knelt on the win to take their first win in the sunshine state 21-14.  The Crusader win streak is currently at 13 games.  BC's victory snapped the Bulls' streak at 16.
 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOT
Bergen Catholic (2-0)	0	7	7	7	21
West Boca Raton (1-1)	0	7	0	7	14

 
SCORING
SECOND QUARTER
            WBR – Javian Mallory 9-run (Tristan Lamb kick)
            BC – Austin Busso 30-pass from Trey Tagliaferri (Jacob Soltys kick)
THIRD QUARTER
            BC – Austin Busso 83-pass from Trey Tagliaferri (Jacob Soltys kick)
FOURTH QUARTER
            BC – Bryan Porter 29-pass from Trey Tagliaferri (Jacob Soltys kick)
            WBR – Kyle Andrews 6-pass from Trey Moran (Tristan Lamb kick)
 

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