Xaverian’s defensive line was no match for St. Joseph by-the-Sea’s aggressive ground game on Friday as the Clippers fell to the Vikings 46–36 at Aviator Sports and Events Center in Mill Basin — despite an impressive showing by Xaverian quarterback Zach Kearney.
Kearney threw for 135 yards and three touchdowns — including a 53-yard bomb to senior Jonathan Badyna — and ran for two more scores, but the Vikings ripped right through the Clippers’ blockers as the gridiron squad from the Rock churned out almost 300 yards in a grueling attack that left Xaverian coach Joe DeSiena shaking his head.
“The defense can’t hang its hat on this performance,” DeSiena said.
St. Joseph by-the-Sea took a 24–14 lead going into halftime, but Xaverian came out of the break scoring three back-to-back touchdowns that would snag the team a 35–24 lead with 3:25 left in the frame.
Yet the third quarter rally was short lived: the Clippers couldn’t put the brakes on the Vikings’s next two fourth-quarter touchdown runs and were unable to send the ball down field on its next possession. Xaverian ultimately turned the ball over on downs — and watched as the Vikings iced the game with another touchdown.
