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Football: Monarchs take their medicine again, this time from Glenn

Bishop McGann-Mercy quarterback Kevin Santacroce looks for running room against Elwood/John Glenn's defense. (Credit: Robert O'Rourk)
Bishop McGann-Mercy quarterback Kevin Santacroce looks for running room against Elwood/John Glenn’s defense. (Credit: Robert O’Rourk)

The Bishop McGann-Mercy Diocesan High School football team had the unenviable task of playing the top two teams in Suffolk County Division IV to start its season.

In its game Friday evening against Elwood/John Glenn, the Monarchs were again overcome by a potent offense that propelled the Knights to a 49-12 win in Riverhead.

In their season-opening game on the same field a week earlier, the Monarchs were shut out by the defending Long Island Class IV champion, Shoreham-Wading River, by a 35-0 score.

Starting off the game, the McGann-Mercy defense played well until a 42 yard run by Glenn started Glenn’s scoring. McGann-Mercy’s coach, Jeff Doroski, in a postgame interview, said his team fought hard on defense and showed a lot of character. That was especially true in light of a number of long runs by Glenn that resulted in touchdowns.

One of the bright spots for the Monarchs was Jack Pavelchak, who stood out on both offense and defense. He caught several passes from quarterback Kevin Santacroce and he also intercepted a pass from Wayne White. Pavelchak ran the interception in for McGann-Mercy’s first points of the year. In the offensive running department, Sam Schrage ran for over 100 yards and set up the team’s first offensive touchdown of the season with a 30-yard run. Joe Jeskie then punched the ball in for a 4-yard touchdown run.

Despite playing the top teams to start the season, Doroski, when asked about bright spots in McGann-Mercy’s play, said his team was able to move the ball, only had several turnovers, and received standout running from Sam Schrage.

The main goal for the Monarchs is too reach the playoffs. The team will have to work hard and not take anything for granted. In looking to the next game against Wyandanch, Mercy has a bye week to rest up. While Wyandanch is athletic, the two teams are believed to match up well. Doroski believes his skill positions have strength, but the team has to work harder to catch some of the passes it has missed.