Archbishop Stepinac is a perfect 4-0 against Kellenberg Memorial since March of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Saturday. The Crusaders will host the Firebirds at 1:30 p.m. Archbishop Stepinac is coming into the game hot, having won their last three games.
On Saturday, Archbishop Stepinac was able to grind out a solid victory over Xavier, taking the game 21-14. Given the Crusaders' advantage in MaxPreps' New York football rankings (they are ranked seventh, while the Knights are ranked 54th) , the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Archbishop Stepinac's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Nicholas Harrison, who picked up 41 receiving yards and a pair of TDs.
Nieem Hardy
| 08/30/25 vs Lincoln | 2 |
| 09/19/25 vs Chaminade | 4 |
| 10/03/25 @ Cardinal Hayes | 5 |
| 09/06/25 vs Central Catholic | 6 |
| 09/12/25 @ DePaul Catholic | 8 |
Archbishop Stepinac didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Nieem Hardy and Derek Watson. Hardy also set a new season-high mark in total tackles with 11.
Meanwhile, Kellenberg Memorial came up short against St. Joseph-by-the-Sea last Saturday and fell 23-14.
Archbishop Stepinac will have to contain Daniel Licari as he made an impact in Kellenberg Memorial's last game. He threw for 103 yards and one touchdown while completing 80% of his passes, and also punched in one score on the ground.
Kellenberg Memorial dropped their record down to 1-5 with the loss, which was their seventh straight on the road dating back to last season. As for Archbishop Stepinac, their victory bumped their record up to 5-2.
Everything came up roses for Archbishop Stepinac against Kellenberg Memorial in their previous matchup back in October of 2023, as the squad secured a 42-0 win. Will the Crusaders repeat their success, or do the Firebirds have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
