Football: New starting QB is exactly what Stepinac expected in season-opening rout
WHITE PLAINS - Despite all his experience to this point, don't think Will Currid began Saturday's season opener overconfident.
"Ever since third grade, every game, I'm always nervous," he said.
But the junior quarterback and his Stepinac offense played like they were in midseason form. They scored touchdowns on the first six possessions and routed Christ the King 51-28 in a game that wasn't even that close.
"It felt great," said senior Gjok Dedvukaj, who caught took two Currid passes for long touchdowns on his first two touches of the season. "We've been working since January, going at it 100%. We have a chip on our shoulder. We're the underdog and we have a lot to prove."
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Currid spread the ball to his receivers efficiently and they followed the lead of an offense with on-point blocking downfield.
"My teammates did a great job blocking for me," Dedvukaj said. "I have to take them out to dinner or something. I'm very happy with what we did today. We have to just keep it going."
What it means
For Stepinac, it means Currid is who the coaching staff expected him to be. The left-hander started every game as a freshman, then played sporadically last year behind senior James McCauley.
"I feel like I've grown as a player. I've grown mentally, seeing the field," Currid said. "Last year, not playing, I was able to see the game from the sidelines and learn a lot from James. I took a lot of snaps. I feel like I'm ready now."
"He was ready at any point last year," coach Mike O'Donnell said. "It's unusual when you have a kid who is that mature. And he had a great freshman year for us."
The Crusaders also proved they have every reason for optimism thanks to a veteran offensive line, led by senior Michael Cogoni, and a bevy of experienced skill players.
Also, the first-team defense, which started a mix of returners and newcomers, held Christ the King to just six points.
Player of the game
Will Currid, Stepinac. The junior threw for 333 of his 372 yards in the first half and exited after the first possession of the third quarter. He finished 25 of 32 and threw three touchdowns.
By the numbers
Stepinac (1-0) — Dedvukaj caught five passes for 144 yards and the two touchdowns. Jahi Gary had five catches for 88 yards and a score and Lorenzo Robinson and Jordan Osbourne each rushed for two touchdowns. Osbourne took his first carry of the season 75 yards to the house. ... Wayne Coleman led the defensive effort with a sack and a forced fumble. The unit played without starting safety Jack Donahoe, a Harvard commit who missed the game with a finger injury.
Christ the King (0-1) — The Royals scored 22 of their 28 points in the second half against Stepinac's defensive reserves. Victor Moran, who threw three touchdowns, connected with Na'Eem Gladding on an 80-yard strike in the first quarter.
They said it
"Not going to the championship last year left a bad taste in our mouths," said O'Donnell, whose team will host a semifinal rematch next week with Monsignor Farrell, which stopped the Crusaders' run of six straight trips to the CHSFL 'AAA' championship game. "We fell short. That's how we feel. They beat us. They played a great game. But we feel like we fell short."
What's next
Stepinac will host Monsignor Farrell at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Christ the King will host Tottenville.
Josh Thomson is the Sports Editor for The Journal News, Poughkeepsie Journal and Middletown Times Herald-Record. He can be reached by e-mail at jthomson@lohud.com, on Twitter at @lohudinsider, and on Instagram at @lohudinsider.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Football: Stepinac, Will Currid defeat Christ the King in season debut
