Chaminade-Madonna (Florida), Jeremiah Smith make statement, rout Bergen Catholic (NJ)
HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA – Chaminade-Madonna is in the middle of running the gauntlet of powerhouse opponents. Thus far, the Lions are making it look easy.
Bergen Catholic (New Jersey) is the latest tradition-rich team to get devoured by the Lions.
Cedrick Bailey threw four touchdown passes, ran for another and compiled 373 yards in the air on Friday night in Chaminade’s 61-21 dismantling of the Crusaders.
Additionally, Jeremiah Smith made a case that he’s not just the top receiver in the country. The senior, and Ohio State commit, just might be the best overall player in America. Smith had a night for the ages, 15 receptions for 282 yards and three scores. Keep in mind, he didn’t play in the fourth quarter.
“Our focus was on starting fast,” Chaminade coach Dameon Jones said. “The last couple of weeks, we started slow. I told them, if we started fast, we’d have a shot.”
Chaminade (3-0) entered ranked seventh nationally in the SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25, and second in the state of Florida. Bergen Catholic (2-1) was ranked second in New Jersey and 19th in the country. They’ve already outscored St. Frances Academy, Cardinal Gibbons and Bergen Catholic, 137-39. Next week, the Lions travel to American Heritage Plantation and the following week they have a showdown with Miami Central.
“I mean, they’ve got an elite quarterback, and elite wide receiver, a really good running back,” Bergen Catholic coach Vito Campanile said. “We got outplayed in every aspect of the game.”
Cedrick Bailey to Jeremiah Smith are a deadly combination
Bailey, committed to North Carolina State and Smith, committed to Ohio State, have developed a connection that dates back to when they played little league football.
On Friday, they hooked up 15 times, including touchdown strikes of 40, 78 and 14 yards.
“We’ve been together since Little League,” Bailey said. “Our chemistry, it’s always been A1, but we’ve definitely improved it this offseason, especially when we were working out. Last year, we were off a little bit. That’s why he didn’t have those big games, those 300-yard games, like he’s had this year. We know what he can do.”
The Lions relied more heavily on Smith on Friday, partly because five-star receiver, Joshisa Trader (Miami Hurricanes commit) is out with a right shoulder injury he suffered in the opener against St. Frances Academy.
Bergen Catholic had no answers for Smith.
“That was about as dominant of a wide receiver performance I’ve ever seen,” Campanile said. “We’ve got to do a better job. I’ve got to do a better job coaching. We’ve got to do a better job of having answers for guys like that. I’m not going to say we’re going to see, ‘that guy.’ He might be the best wide receiver in the country. But we’re going to see some really good ones.”
Smith noted he was a little more motivated because he felt, personally, that he had a disappointing effort last week in a 41-4 win over Cardinal Gibbons. Even though Smith eight catches for 93 yards and a touchdown, he had a couple of drops and a holding penalty he wasn’t pleased about.
“Last week, I wasn’t really mentally there,” Smith said. “I definitely came this week prepared, and it showed on the field today.”
Bergen Catholic’s Quincy Porter is big play-maker
Six minutes into the game, the Crusaders fell behind by 20-points, which created an uphill climb against an explosive team like Chaminade.
Still, Bergen Catholic’s top receiver, Quincy Porter, showed why he’s being recruited by Alabama, Georgia and other Power 5 schools.
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound junior scored two of the three Crusaders’ touchdowns. After falling behind by 27 points, Porter hauled in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Dominic Campanile. And early in the second half, with Chaminade ahead, 40-7, Porter scored on an 81-yard pass play.
“You’ve got to answer that title wave,” Campanile said. “They are a super athletic team. I mean, that kid #4 [Smith] is about as good a football player as I’ve ever seen. He’s a super player.”
Zachary Crothers scores defensive touchdown
How many ways can Chaminade beat you? The Crusaders found out in the first quarter when one of the Lions defensive ends recorded a “pick six.”
Zachary Crothers, a 6-3, 250-pounder, snatched Campanile’s pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown that gave Chaminade a 20-0 lead. The game wasn’t close after that.
While the Lions gave up three touchdowns, their defense came up big with a fourth-down stop that set up Chaminade’s second TD. In the closing minutes of the game, Gavin Sheperd had an interception for the Lions.
But it was Crothers’ “pick six” that showed it was going to be a long night for the Crusaders.
