Kellenberg football's comeback falls short in non-league loss to Immaculata
Kellenberg's Daniel Licari rolls out to pass during a CHSFL football game against Immaculata on Saturday in Uniondale. Credit: Neil Miller
Though not the result it hoped for, Kellenberg football has something brewing.
The host Firebirds lost their season opener to New Jersey’s Immaculata, 45-30, in Uniondale Saturday. Kellenberg outscored Immaculata 30-24 over the final three quarters of the non-league matchup. They made it a three-point game with 2:02 left in the third quarter.
What ultimately spoiled Kellenberg’s chances was the 21-0 hole it fell into in the first quarter. Immaculata running back Daysir Spille rushed for a 67-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and Immaculata’s pass rush hit Kellenberg quarterback Daniel Licari as he threw on the Firebirds’ first two possessions, resulting in two interceptions. Spille scored after both turnovers.
“It was a game of runs, but we definitely fought the whole way through,” Kellenberg coach Eric Meisse said. “We have some guts and mental fortitude. We just have to clean up a lot of stuff to make sure we’re not in that position where we’re climbing uphill.”
Kellenberg’s defensive line tightened up in the second quarter and held Immaculata to 20 scrimmage yards. Defensive end Daniel Scutt made one of his two tackles for loss in the end zone for a safety to get Kellenberg on the board.
Defensive end Christian Antwine scooped up a fumbled snap and ran it back 31 yards for Kellenberg’s first touchdown — and Licari turned the right corner on a two-point conversion — to make it 21-10 with 6:04 left in the third
The defense then forced a three-and-out and the offense went 60 yards in five plays for another score. Brendan Barkley rushed for a five-yard touchdown and Licari hit wide receiver Brandon McCabe in the back of the end zone for a two-point conversion that cut the lead to 21-18 with 2:02 left.
“After that first quarter, we acclimated ourselves to the talent they had in the backfield and those big plays subsided,” Meisse said.
Spille immediately responded with a 77-yard touchdown run and Kellenberg never got back within two possessions. Spille finished with 199 yards and six touchdowns on 22 carries.
Kellenberg’s offense committed six turnovers but showed some promise otherwise. Licari ran the quick game well and made some big throws down the field. He completed 22 of 43 passes for 368 yards, two touchdowns, and two two-point conversions (one rushing, one passing).
Licari fired a deep ball down the left sideline to wide receiver John Hastings for a 58-yard touchdown with 6:37 left in the game that cut the deficit to 33-24. Spille countered with his sixth touchdown, but Licari rallied the Firebirds back in four plays, going 3-for-3 on the drive for 74 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown pass to Hastings off a play fake that made it 39-30.
“I didn’t play to my standard,” Licari said. “As a collective, we came out way better in the second half. We just need to focus on that moving forward. There’s a lot of stuff to build off, but I need to hold myself to a higher standard.”
Kellenberg displayed a deep skill group. Barkley rushed 23 times for 117 yards and a touchdown and wide receiver Ryan Kuntz caught six passes for 78 yards. McCabe caught three passes for 53 yards and a two-point conversion. Hastings finished with six catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns and Mark Chernaski had five receptions for 83 yards.
Mike Anderson is a high school sports reporter who has covered 12 sports so far at Newsday. He was the sports editor of Stony Brook University's campus newspaper for two years.
