Raffa directs 4 TD drives in St. Anthony's win
St. Anthony's High School quarterback #7 Charlie Raffa throws a pass in the first quarter of a NYCHSFL varsity football game vs. Holy Cross. (Sept. 17, 2010) Credit: James Escher
There has been a long list of capable quarterbacks at St. Anthony's. From All-State selections such as Alex Conlon and James Brady to the Hansen Award-winning Chris Eanuzel, and two-time All-Long Island quarterback Tom Schreiber - every one of them mastered the triple option and turned the St. Anthony's offense into a juggernaut.
Most started two full seasons and led their offensive units to the CHSFL championship. There were signs last year that Charlie Raffa could be the next standout quarterback for the Friars.
Raffa became a quick study behind the electric Schreiber last year as the Friars won the CHSFL for the eighth time in nine years. He started one game and got enough reps in a few others to get a taste of the speed of the varsity game.
Raffa directed four touchdown drives and managed the St. Anthony's offense to near perfection in a 28-14 victory over Holy Cross on Friday night before a capacity crowd of more than 2,000 in the CHSFL AAA season opener in South Huntington.
"He's had four years in the system and led us to a JV championship," St. Anthony's offensive coordinator Fred Gallagher said. "He's more than capable of being the next great quarterback here. His reads are excellent and he gets better each week."
Raffa's 60-yard run around right end to the Holy Cross 5-yard line set up the go-ahead touchdown with 14 seconds left in the first half. Halfback Mike Schillizzi pounded it in from the 1 on a third-and-goal run behind a big block from right guard Matt Biscardi. Jim Doktor's extra-point kick made it 14-7 and St. Anthony's never looked back.
Holy Cross (1-1) stalled on its first possession of the second half and tried an ill-advised fake punt. Stanford-bound Devon Cajuste, the most sought-after recruit in the New York area's senior class, took the snap and tried to run around the left end, where he was met by a wall of St. Anthony's defenders. He tried to reverse his field and kicked the ball on the run. The short punt allowed St. Anthony's to take over at the Knights' 41 and work with a short field.
Four plays later, Raffa scored on a 15-yard run for a 21-7 lead with 8:40 left in the third quarter. Raffa began the drive with runs of 11 and 14 yards behind an offensive line that continually blew open huge holes. The center of that line James Cronin, guards Biscardi and Matt Rhodes and tackles Jordan Moskowitz and Tom Fay dominated the trenches up front as St. Anthony's rolled to 293 yards on the ground.
Halfback Joe LoCascio put the finishing stamp on this one when he bulled in from 3 yards out to cap another impressive drive with 4:17 left for a 28-7 lead.
