Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson hosted a celebration for the Cardinal Hayes High School football team on Dec. 21 at Bronx Borough Hall, after the South Bronx school won its first state championship against St. Francis High School 40-22.

 

“Tonight is a great night of celebration,” said Gibson at the event. “You all have done something never been done before across our great city. I want to say, ‘thank you’ because I know this victory was not easy.”

 

Cardinal Hayes High School is the first New York City school to win the Catholic League’s AAA State Title and is considered one of the top honors in Northeast high school sports. The celebration featured a live performance by the Cardinal Hayes Marching Band as well as a dinner.

 

In addition, Gibson also declared Dec. 2 “Cardinal Hayes Football Day” to mark the school’s victory. That win did not come easy, as the team was forced to overcome several obstacles over the course of the season. The Cardinals were not able to use their home field the entire season.

 

They were 12-2 going into the championship game, and under normal circumstances would have hosted the game in their home field in Macombs Dam Park, close to Yankee Stadium. However, the synthetic turf field wasn’t properly maintained as the field was filled with divots and the park’s lighting system was also out on one side.

At the celebratory event at Borough Hall was former New York Jets running back Tony Richardson who gave a speech congratulating the school team on their feat. “When you talk about grit, perseverance, and overcoming obstacles, this is a classic example,” said Richardson. “What these young men have been able to accomplish and what they will accomplish in the future is amazing.”

 

In addition to the referenced obstacles encountered by the team, the Cardinals also endured an accidental fire that broke out in the coach’s office which required the replacement of equipment and meetings to be held in the gymnasium hallway. Meanwhile, the weight room had deteriorated to the point where the team began lifting weights in the school’s parking lot, even in the rain.

 

The Cardinals championship win comes after bouncing back from a 2-8 record the previous season. “At 2-8, in a society where most kids are jumping into the transfer portal, and getting sad, and want to go home, they went to work,” said head coach C.J. O’Neill. “They went into the offseason, and they believed in themselves. Resilience is something we believe in at Cardinal Hayes.”

 

Meanwhile, Michael Carey is president of Cardinal Hayes High School and is in his 4th year in that role. “It’s awesome for the students, the players, and their families, and also for the school at large because it’s never been done before,” he said. “The atmosphere has been filled with excitement and just joy. They went through a lot of adversity and had a tough year last year. They earned it for sure.”

Each player on the team was presented with an award to commemorate their championship victory. They later posed for photos with Cardinal Hayes High School leadership, coaches, and with Gibson.

 

The Cardinals were led by team captain and quarterback Rich Belin who is being recruited by Princeton, though still a Junior. He was named the league’s best offensive player and was named MaxPreps New York High School Football Player of the Year. “It’s just been unreal for me and my teammates,” said Belin.