The Kennedy Catholic Gaels lost against the Xavier Knights back in November of 2022, and unfortunately they wound up with the same result on Friday. Kennedy Catholic was dealt a 34-7 defeat at the hands of Xavier. Kennedy Catholic was in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 27-0.
Carmine Calandrello threw for 129 yards and a touchdown. Nico Calandrello was his top target, picking up 54 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Mehdi Merah was his usual excellent self, rushing for 106 yards and three touchdowns on only 13 carries. Sean Kull also deserves a mention for his punt return touchdown.
Kennedy Catholic has not been sharp recently, as they've lost four of their last five games, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-5 record this season. As for Xavier, the victory (which was their third in a row) raised their record to 5-3.
Kennedy Catholic will look to defend their home field on Friday against Fordham Prep at 7:00 p.m. Fordham Prep presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Kennedy Catholic in New York (Fordham Prep is ranked 91st, while Kennedy Catholic is ranked 379th). As for Xavier, they will head out on the road to face off against St. John the Baptist at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. St. John the Baptist and Xavier are at an even 5-5 over their past ten head-to-heads.
