By DAVE O’SULLIVAN
Staff Writer
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OCEAN CITY — With an entirely new offensive backfield, some new receivers, a bunch of new players on defense and even a new place kicker, the Holy Spirit High football team has a lot to figure out during this 2026 season, and the Spartans’ 28-14 loss to Monsignor Farrell of Staten Island, N.Y. at Saturday’s Battle at the Beach at Carey Stadium served as sort of a litmus test to see where this team is at.
Already without senior linebacker Jack Burns, the Spartans suffered other injuries early on as seniors Michael Sher and Robert Gragg went down and did not return. Those were tough losses, as Holy Spirit was up against the dynamic duo of brothers Bryce and Braxton Maye — 6-foot-2, 220-pound junior twins, Bryce the quarterback and Braxton the star receiver.
Bryce Maye finished with a rushing touchdown and three passing scores, including one in the third quarter and another early in the fourth that pushed the Lions’ lead to 21-7.
Holy Spirit (0-1, 0-0 West Jersey Football League Classic) is never a team to back away from a challenge, and seemingly every year the Spartans take on top-notch talent to start the season, especially at the prestigious Battle at the Beach at Ocean City High, one of the top showcases on the east coast. And the Spartans were right there with Farrell for much of the game, trailing just 14-7 heading into halftime.
“We love touch matchups and getting challenged. We want to play the best competition,” said senior linebacker Freddy Marczyk. “To be the best, you have to beat the best. We had a lot of injuries and a lot of cramping, but we knew that was going to happen coming into this game. We tried to hydrate as much as we could.”
Holy Spirit began the game with an interception by Dante Franchini on Farrell’s first possession, but later in the first quarter a long punt return by Mason Morales set up Bryce Maye’s 4-yard touchdown run. Spirit turned the ball over on downs on the ensuing possession, and the Lions took advantage, stretching their lead to 14-0 on a 20-yard scoring strike from Maye to Morales.
The Spartans responded right away, as sophomore quarterback Dominick Sweiderk hooked up with junior Dylan Granzow for a huge passing play that eventually set up Marczyk’s 1-yard plunge that cut the deficit in half. But the Lions scored on their first possession of the second half, as Maye hooked up with Joseph Augustine-Marino for a 10-yard touchdown pass that gave Monsignor Farrell a 21-7 lead. They went ahead by three scores in the fourth quarter on another Maye touchdown pass before Spirit’s Abdul-Azeem Carrington scored on a 3-yard run late in the game.
“Our quarterback has some of the best talent I’ve seen in a while. He can really throw the ball, and his confidence is going to keep growing throughout the season. He’s going to have a huge role on this team. And on defense, it’s all about chemistry. I think as we go on, we’re only going to get better,” Marczyk said. “We have a lot of young guys starting — including three freshmen. They are talented, but again, they are freshmen, so they need reps and experience. I think we’re a team that’s going to keep getting better throughout the season. We’re relying on a lot of young guys to grow.
“We’re never going to not thing we’re good. We have a solid crew, we just need to get a couple of wins under our belt.”
WHAT’S NEXT: Holy Spirit travels to Camden on Friday at 6 p.m.
