By Larry Moko
Simply put, it was one of the greatest comebacks in the history of Bishop Ryan Celtics football.
The Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic junior championship game Friday saw Bishop Ryan fall behind 28-0 and then bounce back to score a 29-28 victory over the St. Thomas More Knights.
The stunning turnaround was decided on the final play of the game when Massimo Zenone punted the ball into the end zone for a rouge from the 13-yard line.
Through most of the first half, the third-place Knights appeared to be in total control against the first-place Celtics.
"It's a day I won't forget for the rest of my life," Celtics coach Dom D'Intino said. "These kids fought hard and never gave up on each other."
The visiting Knights built their sizeable cushion thanks to two touchdowns by GianPaolo Faccio plus one major score apiece by Jason Moore and Adam Poole.
But undefeated Bishop Ryan replied with its own wave of offensive production -- two touchdowns by Gianni Cino along with single TDs by Zenone and Jameson Moore.
It all came down to an option decision Zenone was asked to make with no time left on the clock.
"The plan," D'Intino said, "was either to run around and score yourself or to make sure a single-point kick doesn't get blocked.
"It was a lot to ask of one kid."
More coach Chris De Stephanis, who has helped guide the Knights to 10 junior championships in the past 15 years, said the decision to kick to the sideline of the end zone away from More returners was a "smart" one.
Bishop Ryan's last junior title was in 2023.
"This is a tough one to swallow," the More coach said. "We were obviously feeling pretty good at the half. This is going to take a few days to get over.
"But Bishop Ryan is a heck of a football team. They did a great job this year."
More got its first two touchdowns on runs of 11 and 25 yards by Faccio. Quarterback Poole then rolled out and passed for a touchdown -- covering 66-yards to wide receiver Moore -- and plowed ahead one yard for the team's final major score.
BR showed its first sign of life with about one minute left in the first half when quarterback Jack Racine and receiver Jameson Moore combined for a 41-yard gain through the air. That was followed on the next play by a 19-yard TD run by Cino.
In the second half, Cino caught a 16-yard touchdown pass before BR linebacker Jaxson Buonomo blocked a punt to set up a one-yard touchdown run by Zenone.
The tying touchdown came with three minutes, 12 seconds remaining -- a slant pass to Moore covering 18 yards.
"It's junior football ... the momentum swings are huge," De Stephanis said. "We tightened up once they started to score."
A key 59-yard punt return by Jameson Moore put the Celtics in close enough to try for the rouge.
According to D'Intino, the game sums up the entire season for BR.
"We've been overcoming obstacles all year," he said. "It started off with no field (due to installation of new artificial turf). So we practised on grass.
"Then, this week, we couldn't use the field (dangerous ice conditions). So it seemed like everything was thrown at us.
"One thing it taught us this year was how to overcome challenges. I've never seen a group of kids this determined."
In their meeting during the regular schedule, Bishop Ryan topped the Knights, 43-20.
Recent semifinals saw More defeat the Bishop Tonnos Titans, 36-29, and BR down the St. John Henry Newman Cardinals, 23-7.
This year's Tier 2 title went to the St. Jean de Brébeuf Braves, 29-23 over the St. Mary Crusaders.
Photos by R.F. (Bob) Butrym, RFB Sport Photography
More photos on HWCDSB Athletics Facebook page
