By BRIAN TORTELLA
Correspondent
On X @tortreports
ATCO — In a highly anticipated matchup between the top private and public school teams in the state, Bergen Catholic once again proved why it’s the gold standard of New Jersey high school football.
The No. 1 state-ranked Crusaders left no doubt, dominating from start to finish in a 41-14 victory over No. 3 Winslow on Friday.
Dante Kain and Najee Calhoun scored the opening touchdown runs, and sophomore quarterback Trey Tagliaferri threw three second-quarter touchdown passes for Bergen Catholic to take a 35-0 score into the locker room at halftime and initiate a running clock for the rest of the contest.
“We came in level-headed. We knew what we had to do, and we knew we had to drive down here and play our game,” Tagliaferri said. “I had to find my footing during warmups, but once the game started, I felt good.”
The Crusaders made a two-hour, 109-mile trek to Atco, playing a rare game on grass, as the majority of their games are played on turf.
It didn’t faze them at all.
Defensively, junior Amare Newell recorded two first-half interceptions for the Crusaders. The second half started with a five-play drive capped off with an Aidan Talley touchdown run for Bergen’s final score of the game.
Winslow’s two touchdowns of the night came shortly after, with quarterback Jalen Parker connecting with Nyqir “Boomer” Helton and Jayion Moss in the end zone.
“I knew our secondary was going to be ready all game,” Newell said. “We knew it was going to be a tough game, we’ve seen them play. We know how good their receivers are, so we just prepared all week.”
Bergen Catholic improved to 3-0 with previous one-score victories over East St. Louis (Ill.) and West Boca Raton (Fla). The Crusaders are the No. 13 ranked team in the nation, according to a MaxPreps poll.
“It’s the brand of football we play,” Bergen Catholic coach Vito Campanile said. “That was what the plan was. We felt pretty good about the way the guys came out. The way we practice, I think it’s hard to prepare for the way we practice. The depth helps, and I think our practices are as competitive as anyone in the country. That makes a difference.
“(Winslow’s) a super program. We were really excited. I think it had a lot of buzz around the state, and we really like that. We appreciate that.”
Winslow, the No. 1 team in the South Jersey Football Frenzy Show Best 11 rankings, dropped to 1-2 — with both losses coming against nationally ranked teams, IMG Academy at the Battle at the Beach and Bergen Catholic. It doesn’t get any easier next week as the Eagles will take on South Jersey No. 2 St. Augustine Prep in a key divisional showdown.
“We’ll figure it out,” Winslow coach Bill Belton said. “It’s our job to do that. How we start offensively, we’re in the rut. We have to figure it out as a staff and get back to the drawing board.”
WHAT’S NEXT: Winslow travels to St. Augustine Prep on Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. Bergen Catholic hosts Pope John on Sept. 20 at 1 p.m.
