The result was a defeat but there were plenty of positive feelings expressed by the coaches and players for the Donovan Catholic High School football team.
Donovan Catholic was eliminated from the NJSIAA Non-Public, Group 3 playoffs when it fell to Mater Dei Prep, 35-21, in the opening round on Nov. 3 in New Monmouth.
“I saw fight out of my team today. We had the lead in the fourth quarter here against a really good football team. I saw the belief from our guys. The guys took the coaching to the field. They fought together. I am very disappointed in the loss, because I feel like we could have won this game. I am just proud of the way this team fought,” Donovan Catholic coach Dan Curcione said.
Mater Dei moved on to meet DePaul Catholic High School in the playoff semifinals this weekend while Donovan Catholic will now face Manchester Township High School on Nov. 16 in Manchester. Kick off is set for 7 p.m
“To finish the season strong, we have to just keep getting better. We have a lot of young guys,” Curcione said about his team that is now 5-3.
Donovan Catholic scored in the first, second and third quarters on a windy afternoon.
The first TD came from sophomore running back Quamire Green, who scored from seven yards out. Junior quarterback Ryan Clark produced the other two Donovan Catholic touchdowns when he kept on runs from the four and one.
Clark finished with 62 yards rushing while he completed six of his 19 passes for 76 yards, but suffered two interceptions.
“We had heart today. Everybody came together. We all took it personally. We really went out there and tried our best. Unfortunately, it was not enough. Our team is closer as a group and we are on a nice path for the next year to come,” Clark said.
Green is anxious for Donovan Catholic’s next and final game.
“We are a much better team then we thought we were, since the beginning of the year and last year. We just have to work on what we did wrong in this game to finish out the season strong,” Green said.