Crusaders Create Daunting National Football Schedule

will be embarking on its most ambitious football schedule in school history in 2012, and will face four state championship winning programs hailing from four different states from across the country. Five of BC’s eight regular season opponents were ranked in the National Top 100 at various points last season, where BC itself finished among the nation’s elite programs in several publications. 

BC will begin their 2012 football campaign on Friday September 7th by visiting the top football program in the state of New York when they take on the Friars of St. Anthony’s High School on Long Island. St. Anthony’s has won 10 of the last 11 CHSFL AAA Championships in New York, have currently won three-straight state titles, and own an 18-game win streak heading into 2012. The Friars finished just ahead of BC in the MSG Varsity Tri-State Poll in the #2 spot last fall. 

In Week 2, the Crusaders will travel across the country to Las Vegas, Nevada to take on national football powerhouse Bishop Gorman High School on September 14th. The Gaels finished last season (15-1) and captured their third consecutive Nevada state championship. Bishop Gorman finished in the top ten in several national rankings last fall, and have gone (43-3) over the past three seasons. The Gaels are considered to be a preseason Top 25 program for next season, and will be challenging for a national championship thanks to their own demanding national schedule. 

“Following the waiver granted to us by the NJSIAA for additional out of state games, I believe we have assembled the most challenging schedule in the storied history of our football program," Bergen's Athletic Director Jack McGovern said. "Coach Campanile, his staff, and our student-athletes have embraced the direction of our program. Our entire community, current and past, as well as our over 10,000 alumni, will have the opportunity to support a team representing our beloved school, competing out there on the national stage. I couldn’t be more excited, and along with Brother Walsh’s [BC president] and Tim McElhinney’s [BC principal] ever-present support and direction, I believe we are poised to chase our broader goal of achieving excellence in all endeavors.” 

BC will make its New Jersey debut in Week 3 in Montvale against long-time rival St. Joseph Regional. The Green Knights are coming off a (10-2) season in 2011 which included another Non-Public Group 3 state championship last season. One of the team’s two losses in 2011 came at the hands of BC in a (30-17) loss in Oradell. SJR will be considered among the elite teams in all of the Garden State next year thanks to their core of returning talent. 

The home opener for the 2012 season will come on Saturday September 29th when BC hosts Passaic County Tech at Crusader Stadium for a 1pm kickoff. The Bulldogs will be the lone North Jersey public school opponent for the Scarlet & Gold this season. 

BC will continue their home stand with a tilt against on Saturday October 6th at 2:30 PM. The Spartans have gone (23-8) over the last three seasons, and have become a perennial playoff contender in Non-Public Group 3. It will be the first time since 1981 that both these schools will meet one another on the football gridiron. 

History will be made on Saturday October 13th when Cocoa High School becomes the first Florida school to travel north to New Jersey for a regular season game. The Tigers have gone (50-6) over the past four seasons, and have captured state titles in three of their past four seasons. Cocoa went (8-5) last season, with three of their five defeats coming against nationally ranked out-of-state opponents. 

"We are extremely excited about the 2012 football schedule," head coach Nunzio Campanile said. "We believe we have put together the most challenging schedule in the storied history of Bergen Catholic Football, as well as one of the most challenging schedules in the country. It will be a tremendous opportunity to play not only many of the best teams New Jersey has to offer, but four exceptional opponents from different regions of America. As a football program we are truly lucky to represent a school that appreciates the educational value of great competition. We feel this schedule will force us to raise our expectations and our performance level. Our players and coaches feel they are up to this challenge and can't wait to get started."

BC will engage in their annual showdown with archrival Don Bosco Prep on Saturday October 27th in what has become the most popular high school football game in New Jersey each season. This year the game will be played at the Overpeck County Park Football Complex in Palisades Park, as part of the Bergen County Fair. Don Bosco Prep is coming off their , currently own the nation’s longest winning streak at 46 games, and finished #1 in the nation last season in several national publications. 

Following their rivalry game, BC will once again face a national opponent when they travel down to Washington D.C. to take on emerging Mid-Atlantic power in Friendship Collegiate Academy. The Crusaders handed the Knights (9-1) their lone defeat of 2011 season with their (48-32) victory at Fordham University. FCA finished last season as the #2 ranked program in the DC/Maryland region, and have already developed a reputation of producing several high caliber Division I talents. 

Once again, the Crusaders will conclude their regular season schedule with a Thanksgiving morning contest against this season in Paramus. The Paladins are coming off another winning season (6-5), made it to the state semifinals last year, and will be considered to be a program on the rise in 2012. 

Several of Bergen Catholic’s 2012 regular season contests will be televised on either local or national cable television networks, and every BC football game will be heard live on the Bergen Catholic Radio Network. 

Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Eamon Harbord at Eamon.Harbord@patch.com, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.