The562’s coverage of football in 2024-25 is sponsored by The Terry Donahue Memorial California Showcase.
The562’s coverage of St. Anthony athletics is sponsored by Jane & B.I. Mais, Class of 1949.
St. Anthony celebrated All Saints’ Day and Senior Night with a thrilling comeback victory, as senior kicker Christian Martin delivered the game-winning kick at the buzzer, giving the Saints the 30-27 victory.
“Unbelievable,” said head coach Jeff Magdaleno when asked about his team’s performance. “It’s great to face a team that has so much athleticism, especially up front, and for us to come out with a mindset we had talked about all week, stay focused, rebound, and turn it up at the end, it was awesome. A pure team win, our staff and their adjustments, I’m just so proud of our team.”
The Saints started the game hot, as sophomore quarterback Aidan Jones connected with junior wideout Andres Mendoza for a big gain down to the Crespi 24 on the first play of the night. Two plays later, the duo connected again on a fade route, and Saints opened the scoring, 7-0, just over a minute into the game.
The Saints quickly got the ball back with an onside kick, as junior free safety Preston Hochman recovered the ball to keep Saints’ possession and momentum. St. Anthony found themselves knocking on the goal line, but they couldn’t punch it in for another score. The Saints settled for a Christian Martin field goal, and took a 10-0 lead with 8:17 left in the quarter.
Crespi would go on a methodical drive, led by junior quarterback Masyn Harvey. The Celts converted several third and fourth downs to keep the chains moving. The Saints defense kept getting tackles for loss, but Harvey’s elusiveness and decision-making got the best of them. Harvey found freshman receiver Stephen Nunez on a touch pass for the score, as time expired at the end of the first quarter, making it a 10-7 score.
Crespi kept momentum in their hands at the start of the second, as junior defensive end James Moffat forced a strip sack fumble. The Celts recovered, and they were in walking distance to the end zone. However, the Saints defense had other plans, and Marco Transfiguracion forced the Celts to fumble the ball right back.
Crespi tied the game with a field goal at the 5:44 mark, after senior strong safety Evan Stafford made a key stop to force fourth down at the Saints’ 20.
St. Anthony’s tried to keep the ball away from the Celts, but penalties and miscues forced their offense to stall and punt with 1:09 left in the half. Big plays by Harvey and Nunez placed the Saints within the red zone. However, the Saints defense again forced another field as Crespi took a 13-10 lead at the half.
Taking a page out of the Saints’ offense, Crespi struck like lighting to start the second half. Starting at their own 20, Harvey connected with freshman receiver Blue McFarland to Crespi over midfield. Then, Harvey called his own number and dashed up the middle 46 yards for the score. In just over 90 seconds, it was 20-10 Crespi.
On Saints’ next possession, a tipped ball fell into the hands of Crespi’s Tate Benjamin, and Celts had the ball again over midfield. Harvey again calls his own number, this time getting the corner to go up the sideline 35 yards for the score. In a blink of an eye, it was 27-10 Crespi with 8:11 left in the third.
Suddenly, the Saints ripped away momentum from Crespi in three plays with total complimentary football. First, senior play maker Jasiah Lolesio-Pua picked up where he left last week, and he exploded up the middle, breaking tackles, and shifting defenders to find the end zone.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Saints pinned the Celts on their own seven yard line. On the very next play, senior cornerback Brandon Cannon delivered another meaningful salvo, as he stepped into the passing lane for a pick six. In under two minutes, St. Anthony was only down 27-24 with 6:50 left in the third quarter and kept it that way until the end of the third.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the Saints defense forced a key fourth down stop at their own 41 to give offense the ball back. With momentum, Saints went hurry up, finding the Celts defense off guard. Saints converted a huge fourth and 11 at the Crespi 41, as Jones connected with Mendoza again, and got inside the ten. However, Crespi’s defense held strong, and they forced another field goal. It was 27-27 with 7:30 left in the game.
The Saints defense forced a three and out, and with just over five minutes left in the game, it was St. Anthony’s ball with one timeout remaining. The Saints methodically marched down the field, sniffing the end zone, as Crespi called timeouts to stop the clock. Not being able to punch it in, Saints call a timeout with three seconds left to get the field goal unit on the field.
Crowd on their feet, Martin drilled the game-winner from 20 yards out to walk it off, giving the Saints a 30-27 win.
“When [Coach Magdaleno] called me out, it was just routine,” said Martin. “I do not expect to miss those, I really pride myself in my craft. I am really happy [Coach Magdaleno] trusts me in situations like that, and I am proud I can deliver for [the team].”
The Saints are headed to playoffs, which will be announced on Sunday morning by the CIF.
When asked how they are preparing, Magdaleno said “First, we don’t know what division we are going into, then you have no idea what type of opponent you will face. We just need to take it one week at a time, prepare with the film you get, dissect it, scout it, and then execute to go 1-0 each week for a couple of them. Sunday morning, some team is going to find out that they have to play the Saints, and we are coming. No matter where it is or what time, they have to play the Saints. We are ready, and we are firing on all cylinders.”
