Rams Take Two From Kellenberg and Cardinal Hayes, Retain Duffy Cup

The Prep took home two quality wins last week, versus Cardinal Hayes and Kellenberg Memorial, with the win against Hayes keeping the Duffy Cup on Rose Hill.  The Rams and Cardinals were knotted up 4 - 4 after a quarter before the Prep took a one goal lead at the half.  The third quarter belonged to the Rams as the offense found a groove and took the lead to four before Hayes scored a few late goals to make it a 14 - 11 final.  Fordham was led by four goals each by Will Freel ‘26 (Manhattan), Ryan Bracchitta ‘27 (Scarsdale), and Aidan Pymm ‘27 (Rye) while Cash Berner ‘27’s (Rye) was the difference maker with 18 saves between the pipes.

After Kellenberg scored first the Prep went on a four goal run to take an early lead, paced by Pymm ’27’s four goals in the first quarter.  The Firebirds hung around, getting within one before Jakob Gilbert ‘26 (Bedford), Nicholas Marciano ‘26 (Eastchester) with his fifth pole goal, and the rest of the longsticks killed their momentum with stifling defense - a hallmark all season.  Seven Rams scored in the balanced attack as the Prep avenged last season’s loss with a 12 - 9 victory. 

The boys have another full slate this week with games against three tough opponents.  Tomorrow is Long Island’s Port Washington HS, with a 6 - 2 record and its only losses to 2025 Nassau Class B runner-up Manhasset and 2025 state semi-finalist Cold Spring Harbor.  It will be the first match-up between the two schools.  Thursday Bronxville HS comes to Murphy Field ranked #5 by Lohud.com and #1 in Section 1 Class D.  Always a strong team, the Broncos are 7 - 1 with wins over Stepinac, John Jay, and Scarsdale and a lone loss to Yorktown.  An annual opponent, Bronxville has had the Rams number as of late, winning the past five meetings.  The week finishes up on Saturday with upstate Capital region Guilderland HS coming down to the Bronx for a late afternoon showdown.  The Dutchman are 3 - 2 so far against their local opponents and it will also be the teams first ever game.

We have a new streaming partner and all home games will be streamed live on the Hudl Fan platform (here).  Replays will be available as well.

Cardinal Hayes Recap:  W 14 - 11

The Rams opened the scoring at two minutes in when Will Freel ‘26 ripped a low angle shot from the wing but Hayes tied it up less than a minute later.  The Prep took the lead again off a nice dish by Drew Pagen ‘26 (Rye) to Freel ‘26 who slipped under the defense to the crease and dunked it in.  At the six minute mark the Prep extended the lead to two off a broken play when Ryan Bracchitta ‘27 scooped up a loose ball and buried it past the Cardinal goalie.  Hayes then notched two in a row to tie it 3 - 3 but Freel ‘26 gave the Prep the lead again on a great face dodge and score with under a minute to go in the quarter.  A late score from Hayes made it 4 - 4 after one quarter.

The second quarter started off with Cash Berner ’27 stopping the Cardinals on their first possessions and the Rams took the lead again off of a Dima Athanson ‘26 (Mamaroneck) lefty rollback jumpshot.  Another from Bracchitta ‘27 and John Denning ‘28 (Bronxville) gave the Rams its largest lead at 7 - 4, which was short -lived as two straight from Hayes cut it to 7 - 6 in the final minutes of the half.  Bracchitta ‘27’s third of the day, off a man-up opportunity to start the third quarter, brought it to 8 - 6 and another by Freel ‘26 at the eight minute mark took the Prep lead to three.  Bracchitta ‘27 followed that up on the next possession, driving from X for the score, and a Pagen ‘26 step down crank from up top made it 11 - 6.  A minute later Athanason ‘26 snuck a lefty shot past the Hayes keeper but two in a row from the Cardinals made it 12 - 8 at the end of the third quarter.

The Fordham offensive continued in the fourth quarter as Athanson ‘26 notched his third and fourth, while a flurry of three late goals by Hayes brought it to a 14 - 11 final. 

Stat Line: Athanason ‘26 4G/1A/4GB, Freel ‘26 4G, Bracchitta ‘27 4G, Pagen ‘26 1G/1A, Denning ‘28 1G/4GB, Pymm ‘27 2A, Berner ‘27 18 saves