Football Recap: Sean Ibert Leads a Balanced Attack to Beat Fordham Prep

St. Francis Prep hadn't done well against Fordham Prep recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Terriers walked away with a 24-14 victory over the Rams. This was payback for the Terriers, who suffered a 41-14 loss the last time these two teams met.

Sean Ibert

Rushing Yards

09/26/25 @ Fordham Prep	73
09/20/25 vs Xavier	38
09/12/25 @ Immaculata	33
08/30/25 @ St. John the Baptist	14
11/08/24 @ Fordham Prep	14
+ 7 more games

St. Francis Prep's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Sean Ibert led the charge by picking up 52 receiving yards and two TDs, while also rushing for 73 yards and one touchdown on only six carries. That's the most rushing yards Ibert has posted since back in September of 2024. St. Francis Prep also got help from Rocco Petronella, who showed off his sure hands for 103 receiving yards.

They were just one part of a punishing run game: St. Francis Prep was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 258 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.

Another reason for the win was St. Francis Prep's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. Leading the way was Tanner Gayle with two. He also set a new season-high mark in total tackles with eight.

The win made it two in a row for St. Francis Prep and bumps their season record up to 3-1. The victories came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 28 points in those games. As for Fordham Prep, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-3.

St. Francis Prep and Fordham Prep could both be facing uphill battles in their next games considering their disadvantage in the MaxPreps New York Rankings. The Terriers (ranked 108th) will meet Chaminade (ranked 17th) at 1:30 p.m. on the 5th. Meanwhile, Fordham Prep will square off against Monsignor Farrell at 6:00 p.m. on Friday with a big rank disadvantage (176 vs. 6).