Reporter: Mark Stewart
It was a calm afternoon in Staten Island. The home team, St. Joseph by the Sea Vikings, were ready to take on the undefeated Iona Prep Gaels with some confidence. The Vikings actually opened with some promise, moving the ball, playing with tempo, and trying to match Iona’s physicality up front. The Vikings struck first on a “screen and go” during the opening drive, but that was the last time they found the end zone for the next three quarters.
Every time St. Joseph threatened, Iona answered with something bigger. The Gaels leaned heavily on their ground game, and just like the Paramus Catholic matchup, the offensive line controlled everything.
The theme of the first three quarters was simple: Iona’s offense punished them with touchdowns, and the defense held St. Joseph to just seven points.
In the fourth quarter, the starters stepped out so the second string could get reps. And they still held St. Joseph scoreless until the final 12 seconds. That touchdown shouldn’t have stood. The running back was clearly down before stretching the ball toward the goal line. If high school football had replay, the score would never have gone up.
In the end, it didn’t matter. Iona had already won the game in the third quarter, closing it out 44-13. The tone was set early by Chase Reeves, who once again was the explosive player on the field. He finished with 168 yards and three touchdowns on just 14 carries, breaking long runs that shifted momentum and quieted the home crowd. Every time he touched the ball, the sideline leaned forward because something big was happening.
Quarterback Jaydin Jackson played with the same calm presence he’s shown since the start of the season. He went 6-for-10 for 78 yards, but his legs were a problem for the St. Joseph defense. Jackson added 54 rushing yards and a touchdown. Iona’s depth took over from there: Christopher Banks, 42 yards and a touchdown; Antwine Short, 38 rushing yards and 24 receiving; Quentin Galvin, 21 rushing yards. By the end of the day, the Gaels had stacked 323 rushing yards on 34 carries.
Defensively, Iona settled in early. Daquan Smith grabbed a key interception, Mamadee Sangaray led the team with seven tackles, and the front seven held St. Joseph to under 200 total yards. They found a brief rhythm, but never sustained it.
St. Joseph by the Sea came out swinging with a little tempo and the confidence to challenge Iona up front. But early sparks didn’t last long against a team like the Gaels. Three weeks in, Iona Prep isn’t just winning; they’re defining the terms of every game they play.
