In the 2024 CHSFL AAA quarterfinals, the Chaminade Flyers marched into a raucous Friday night environment at Monsignor Farrell and ended the Lions' season in a 14-7 barnburner. 

Just over one year later, on an eerily similar Friday night, Farrell got its getback.

As the day faded to dusk, the AAA's top team played lights out from start to finish, defending the "Lions Den" in a 34-3 semifinal romp that sent Farrell to the finals. 

It was the first time in 32 years that the Lions earned the top seed in the AAA playoffs, and they made sure the wait was worth it in a near-perfect showing. 

"They played mistake-free. They came out and they played hard, they didn't have a lot of penalties, and they executed better than we did," said Chaminade head coach Tom Claro. "I think we came out and we played hard. We just played a very good football team, and we didn't play well."

Farrell got off to quite the start on both sides of the ball, as David Leverock came up with a clutch interception to stop Chaminade's progress on the opening drive. The Lions offense parlayed this stop into a score, as QB Bryce Moye linked up with his twin brother Braxton for a 38-yard touchdown to get the home team on the board first. 

Not long after, the Lions tacked on - this time courtesy of another one of their stars.

Kevin Gumb, Jr., the second-leading rusher in the AAA division, made his first impact play of the game on special teams. The tailback not only blocked Justin Jones's punt, but he also chased down the loose change in the end zone for Farrell's second score in as many minutes.

Things quickly went from bad to worse for the Flyers, as QB Sean Carnevale tossed his second pick of the quarter on the ensuing possession. 

Turnovers killed the Flyers on Friday, as they committed three, all of which took place during positive drives that were close to or across midfield. 

Fortunately for the Flyers, their defense - which had been so good in the team's previous three victories - responded by forcing a turnover of its own. Two-way star Anthony Trapani jarred the ball loose from Gumb, allowing linebacker Liam Trainor to scoop it up and give the Chaminade offense advantageous field position. 

Trainor recovered the fumble with green grass in front of him and the end zone in sight, but he stumbled and rolled to the turf after picking up the ball. This later proved crucial, as the Flyers had to settle for a field goal.

Despite the fumble, the Lions offense remained unfazed, bouncing back with an impressive drive to tally the third touchdown of the half. Gumb continued to dominate on the ground, while Bryce Moye and the passing attack carved up the Chaminade secondary. The possession culminated on a one-yard TD run by Alexander Ustun to make it 20-3. 

Both teams threatened to add on late in the frame but were unable to do so. Thus, the score remained the same at the halftime break. 

If the Flyers had any hopes of making a second-half comeback, the Lions dashed them with a pair of scores in the third quarter. Ustun and Gumb each registered their second touchdowns of the game to put the contest out of reach for good.

"Farrell's offense was legit, and we were just outmanned," said Chaminade linebacker Luca Smith. "Tackling and attention to detail will always be a problem in every game, but they really just bested us."

By the conclusion of the night, Farrell had accumulated over 500 total yards; the Flyers barely managed 200.

In a year of many ups and many downs, the Crimson and Gold battled its way to a 7-5 overall record with a 6-4 mark during the regular season. The team started its campaign by winning three of the first four games, including remarkable overtime wins at Seton Hall Prep and Stepinac.

However, this 3-1 start was immediately followed by a 1-3 homestand in which the Flyers dropped games to St. Peter's, Iona Prep, and St. Anthony's. 

With the playoffs looming and their record at 4-4, the Flyers picked up close wins against Cardinal Hayes and Kellenberg to set up a rematch at Stepinac in the first round of the playoffs. Once again, the boys from Mineola made their trip to White Plains a fruitful one, eliminating the Crusaders in what would turn out to be their final win of the campaign. 

"They were resilient all year. They were never down-and-out, and they were never completely out of the game," Claro said of his squad. "I'll always remember them as a team that had some amazing wins - even come-from-behind - and never stopped fighting."

Friday night's tilt was the final one for the senior class. Although it was not the way they wanted to go out, these upperclassmen still made a mark on the program, posting two winning seasons and a pair of playoff victories. 

"Taking my pads off for the last time for a program that has given me everything is a feeling I don't think I'll ever feel again," recalled Smith, one of the team's two captains. "Being the leader of such a prominent program is something else. This experience is something I can barely describe because I know that having everyone on the team look to us in the highs and lows is surreal."

"I've been through a lot. I've been here when we were 1-8, been here last year when we went 8-4, and now this year," reflected offensive lineman Declan Miller, the team's other captain and the only senior in this year's class who spent three years at the varsity level. "I'm going to remember my teammates. From the guys that helped me when I was a sophomore to the guys that I played with as a junior, and now to the guys that I've been helping develop as a senior."

"I wouldn't want to do it with any other group," added defensive back Benjamin Bekiers. "I'll remember the strong bonds we had. We built a really good relationship with each other throughout camp and all the trips we've taken. It's a big family here, and we all love each other."

Monsignor Farrell will now shift its sights to next weekend's championship showdown with Iona Prep. As for the Flyers, it's on to the offseason, where they hope to retool and rebound in 2026. 

"This was a very positive season. The seniors have a lot to be happy about, and I'm proud of what they accomplished these last two years," said Claro. "We won a lot of games, we had a lot of really good times, and it was a positive year for the program."