Vestal, New York – The quest for a ninth New York state title for the Aquinas football team came to a heart-breaking end on Saturday. The Lil Irish faced off against Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) in the NYSPHSAA Class AA semifinals and fell short with a score of 21-14 in a tightly contested game. This marks a continued drought for Section V, now lasting five years since the last state title win, which is the longest period in the history of the section.
Aquinas looked strong in the second half, at one point leading 14-7 after impressive plays from running back Derrion Battle, who scored on a stunning 60-yard touchdown, and quarterback Trent Buttles, who managed a 2-yard rushing touchdown. However, the tide turned late in the game. CBA had earlier struggled to find the end zone, but with just 1:26 left on the clock, they secured a pivotal touchdown with a clever jump pass from quarterback Isaiah Coleman to Steve Grosso, giving CBA the lead at 21-14.
The first half was a defensive battle, with both teams unable to score. It wasn’t until the second half that things shifted in Aquinas’ favor, particularly after they had previously been shut out on several drives. Notably, Aquinas’ defense delivered one of its best performances, significantly limiting CBA, who had averaged over 50 points in earlier games this season. The game saw an early touchdown return by CBA’s Darien Williams, who registered a 10-second kickoff return for a touchdown, marking a rough start for Aquinas.
As the final minutes wound down, Aquinas pushed hard to regain the lead, moving to CBA’s 31-yard line, but ultimately, on the last play of the game, Buttles’ pass was knocked away, sealing their fate. Aquinas concludes the season with a record of 10-3.
This defeat adds to the disappointment for Section V teams, as both Brighton and Pembroke were also eliminated in their respective classes. The last time Aquinas celebrated a state title was in 2018, underscoring a challenging stretch for the section.
