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As the Yale football team changed its coaching staff this offseason, former Bulldogs recruit and Stepinac senior fullback Caleb Gilligan-Evans didn't fret much about it.

"It was frustrating at first but things happen for a reason," Gilligan-Evans said. "There's no stability in coaching. I knew it opened up chances for another thing."

That other option would be Holy Cross, the school the bruising fullback is now headed to after being accepted on Friday. The Crusaders beat out Yale and Bryant for Gilligan-Evans' services.

"The atmosphere is great, everyone there is passionate about football," Gilligan-Evans said. "There are opportunities and you work together as a family and the players are great, I really enjoyed visiting them."

When Yale hired Tony Reno as its new coach, the Bulldogs still had their offer out to Gilligan-Evans, but the fullback was told that the team was going in a different direction offensively that wouldn't utilize his services like the previous staff would have. The senior decided to check out other teams who had prior interest.

Holy Cross had been trying to recruit Gilligan-Evans but stopped once he committed to Yale. The Crusaders re-entered the picture and offered Evans a spot and he said he feel in love with it. He told the coaching staff that as long as he was accepted, he would be heading there.

Gilligan-Evans, who rushed for 792 yards and nine touchdowns this season according to MaxPreps.com, will be used as an h-back/fullback at Holy Cross, a similar role to the one he played in Stepinac's offense this season.

"I'm very excited," Gilligan-Evans said. "Everything happens for a reason and the door was open for Holy Cross and it feels amazing. This is a great opportunity and I'm very excited and I can't wait for it to happen."

NAROG TO SACRED HEART: Gilligan-Evans' teammate, wide receiver Vincent Narog, recently committed to Sacred Heart, according to coach Mike O'Donnell. Narog had interest from Lafayette, Southern Connecticut and Trinity, but liked Sacred Heart's football staff and the physical therapy program at the school.

Narog took his time to make his decision, making sure he visited each school and that he felt comfortable at whatever school he ultimately decided to attend. Narog caught 24 passes for 655 yards and seven touchdowns this past season, according to MaxPreps.com.

"It's a good fit for him, a great school with a good football team and they got a good player in Vinnie," O'Donnell said. "He has a lot of potential and Vinnie got a lot better this year and I think he will continue to get better.

"He didn't want to just go somewhere because the school was interested. He really wanted to study physical therapy and that was very important to find the right fit for him."

OGUNDEKO DECOMMITS: Jefferson junior defensive lineman Ebenezer Ogundeko decommitted from UConn over the weekend. He had previously committed to the Huskies despite planning to visit other schools, and wants to keep his options open.

The 6-3 lineman has offers from Arizona State, Boise State, Boston College, Maryland, Rutgers, Syracuse and Vanderbilt, according to ESPN Recruiting Nation.

The high school football season is over in New York City. Lincoln ended it with a dramatic 20-12 win over Erasmus Hall for the Public Schools Athletic League title. Let's take a look at the last poll of the year:

1. St. Anthony's (10-0): How would a matchup of St. Anthony's vs. Lincoln gone? For one, there would have been a lot of running involved.

2. Lincoln (13-0): One year after losing a heartbreak at Yankee Stadium, Lincoln returned to the title game and brought home the title this year.

3. Erasmus Hall (9-4): A lack of a legitimate passing game came back to doom Erasmus Hall on Tuesday night against Lincoln.

4. Tottenville (10-2): With Brandon Barnes returning, there's no reason to not think that Tottenville won't be among the city's best the next year.

5. Stepinac (9-3): Stepinac will be losing some key seniors from this year's team. Will the Crusaders be able to turn in another great campaign next year?

6. Xaverian (7-3): It would be intriguing to see Xaverian play some of the elite Brooklyn teams in New York City like Lincoln and Fort Hamilton.

7. Fort Hamilton (8-3): Fort Hamilton has to wonder if it would have made it to the title game had Marvin Centeno not been injured.

8. Iona Prep (6-4): With quality players returning across the board, Iona Prep will be in the hunt for the CHSFL title next season.

9. Dewitt Clinton (8-4): For the second straight season, Dewitt Clinton has proved to the best team from the Bronx.

10. Boys & Girls (7-4): To show Brooklyn's strength in the PSAL: Boys & Girls is the 10th best team in the city but the fourth best team in its borough.

Just one game remains this season. Erasmus Hall and Lincoln will meet for the Public Schools Athletic League title on Dec. 6 at Yankee Stadium. Every other team is already looking to next year. With that in mind, let's check out the poll:

1. St. Anthony's (10-0): Like we say every year, it would have been sweet to see St. Anthony's take on the PSAL champion. Up next: Season over.

2. Lincoln (12-0): Lincoln is back to the finals after beating Dewitt Clinton. Can it make up for last year's loss? Up next: Dec. 6, vs. Erasmus Hall.

3. Erasmus Hall (9-3): Erasmus Hall is one win away from winning the PSAL title as the five seed. Up next: Dec. 6, vs. Lincoln.

4. Tottenville (10-2): Tottenville has to wonder what would have happened had Brandon Barnes not gotten injured. Up next: Season over.

5. Stepinac (9-3): Stepinac defeated its rival White Plains on Thanksgiving to pick up its ninth win. Up next: Season over.

6. Xaverian (7-3): Despite losing in the semis, Xaverian is taking steps in the right direction as a program. Up next: Season over.

7. Fort Hamilton (8-3): Fort Hamilton was supposed to have been the other team in an all-Brooklyn final. Up next: Season over.

8. Iona Prep (6-4): The question for Iona now becomes what school will Justin Combs commit to? Up next: Season over.

9. Dewitt Clinton (8-4): Dewitt had a heck of a season but fell short in the PSAL semifinals against Lincoln. Up next: Season over.

10. Boys & Girls (7-4): Boys & Girls in the top 10 is more proof of how good Brooklyn was this year. Up next: Season over.

The CHSFL has handed out all its hardware.. The PSAL "Championship" division is down to its final four teams. With just a few games left in the year, let's look at the rankings.

1. St. Anthony's (10-0): Another perfect season for the Friars, who capped off their undefeated year with a 14-0 win over Stepinac. Up next: Season over.

2. Tottenville (10-1): Tottenville is back to the semifinals following a win over Campus Magnet in the semifinals. This week's game against Erasmus Hall is the best game in New York City. Up next: Nov. 26, vs. Erasmus Hall.

3. Lincoln (11-0): The Railsplitters are the only undefeated team left in the "Championship" Division and get the No. 7 seed in Dewitt Clinton. Up next: Nov. 26, vs. Dewitt Clinton.

4. Stepinac (8-3): Stepinac, like every other team in the CHSFL, failed to beat St. Anthony's and lost to the Friars in the title game. Up next: Nov. 24, at White Plains.

5. Erasmus Hall (8-3): There's no doubt that Erasmus Hall is playing to the level of its talent after whooping Boys & Girls in the PSAL quarters. Up next: Nov. 26, at Tottenville.

6. Xaverian (7-3): Do the Clippers look at this season as one of great success or one of what could have been? Up next: Season over.

7. Fort Hamilton (8-3): Fort Hamilton had injuries catch up to it at the end of the year and found itself ousted from the playoffs in the quarters. Up next: Season over.

8. Iona Prep (6-4): Iona Prep will again be one of the best teams in the league next year with plenty of talent remaining on offense. Up next: Season over.

9. Dewitt Clinton (8-3): The Governors are the lowest seed remaining in the playoffs but are on quite a roll after beating Fort Hamilton in the quarters. Up next: Nov. 26, at Lincoln.

10. Boys & Girls (7-4): Boys & Girls saw its season come to an end after losing to Brooklyn rival Erasmus Hall in the PSAL quarterfinals. Up next: Season over.

Around this time a year ago, all the talk in the Catholic High School Football League focused on a game that would never happen.

Fans, coaches, teammates pondered who would have won a contest between the league's undefeated "AAA" champions, St. Anthony's, and undefeated "AA" champions, Archbishop Stepinac. Since the two teams didn't meet during the regular season and rules forbade them from meeting after their title games, talking was all anyone could do.

"I know a lot of people would have liked to see us play St. Anthony's since we were the two champions," Stepinac senior tight end/defensive end Austin Taps said. "They'll get their wish this year."

Yes, they will.

Sure, it's one year later and the circumstances are different, but the heavily coveted matchup from last year will take place this Friday night when No. 1 St. Anthony's takes on No. 2 Stepinac for the "AAA" title at 7 p.m. at Mitchel Field in Uniondale, N.Y.

It's the second time in league history the defending "AAA" and "AA" champions will battle for the "AAA" title, with it last occurring in 2009 when Holy Trinity took on St. Anthony's. The Friars will also be searching for their third straight title and look to defeat the Crusaders for the second time this season.

"I think it's great," Taps said of the teams matching up in the title game one year later. "It's going to be a great game. They're a good team and we're clicking. We got to come out and give it our all and not hold anything back."

Before each season, the CHSFL has its coaches align the 20 teams into two divisions, the "AAA-AA" division for the top 12 teams and the "AA-A" division for the bottom eight. The top 12 all have the opportunity to potentially play for the "AAA" crown while the bottom eight teams can only play for the "AA" title in the best-case scenario.

Last year, St. Anthony's was in the top 12 while Stepinac ended up in the bottom eight. Stepinac coach Mike O'Donnell said he had his team in the bottom eight because there were a lot of question marks surrounding his team and constant struggles to put together a big roster with the school's small enrollment.

Ultimately, both teams went undefeated all season and won championships on the same day—raising the chatter about which team was the best in the conference and who would have won a game had the two teams been able to meet.

"It certainly would have been a good game," St. Anthony's coach Rich Reichert said.

This year, the teams were both placed in the top 12 and there were no worries about them possibly not meeting. In fact, they already have meet this season, a 55-29 win by St. Anthony's on Oct. 7, which makes Friday's title game one of adjustments.

Reichert, whose team is looking for its 10^th title in 11 years, wants to see his team play better offensively and limit big plays when its on defense. The Friars have battled some injuries along the way and it's been far from an easy road to the title game but they once again have a great shot to end up as the league's beast.

"There's a lot of pressure that guys can be putting on themselves but we want them to think it's just another game," Reichert said. "Obviously, it's a championship game but we're going about our business like we've approached it week in and week out. It just happens to be our last game."

Stepinac, meanwhile, will be looking to win its first-ever "AAA" title and cut down on the turnovers that have plagued it in its two losses.

"We're extremely excited," senior fullback Caleb Gilligan-Evans said. "Especially with the way our semifinal game ended. It's just a good opportunity ahead and we have the chance to do something special. Our entire team can't wait."

Several teams in our poll fell this week and saw their seasons end earlier than they would have liked. There are just 24 teams left playing football in the New York City leagues and after this weekend we will be down to just 10 teams. Let's take a look at the poll.

1. St. Anthony's (9-0): St. Anthony's played a solid game to oust Iona Prep and will look to win its third straight title Friday vs. Stepinac Up Next: Nov. 18, vs. Stepinac.

2. Tottenville (9-1): Tottenville made easy work of Brooklyn Tech and advances to the quarters where it has a rematch against Campus Magnet. Up next: Nov. 19, vs. Campus Magnet.

3. Lincoln (10-0): Another easy win for Lincoln vs. John Adams but this week's game against Jefferson in the quarters could be the most interesting matchup of the weekend. Up next: Nov. 19, vs. Jefferson.

4. Stepinac (8-2): Despite a total of eight miscues on offense, Stepinac won in overtime over Xaverian in a classic to reach its first ever "AAA" title game. Up next: Nov. 18, vs. St. Anthony's.

5. Fort Hamilton (8-2): Fort Hamilton needed a rally to take care of Sheepshead Bay in the first round and now takes on Dewitt Clinton. Up next: Nov. 18, vs. Dewitt Clinton.

6. Xaverian (7-3): Xaverian could not get its patented running game going and ended up losing in the semifinals against Stepinac. Up next: Season over.

7. Erasmus Hall (7-3): Erasmus Hall obliterated JFK in the first round and now has an all-Brooklyn quarterfinal against Boys & Girls. Up next: Nov. 18, vs. Boys & Girls.

8. Iona Prep (6-4): Iona Prep got a tough draw having to face St. Anthony's in the semifinals and lost, ending its season with a 6-4 record. Up next: Season over.

9. Boys & Girls (7-3): Boys & Girls shutout Flushing in the first round and now looks to try and upset Erasmus Hall in a rematch from earlier this season. Up next: Nov. 18, at Erasmus Hall.

10. Canarsie (7-3): Despite its loss, Canarsie will stay in the poll -- at least for this week. The Chiefs suffered the biggest upset of the weekend falling to Jefferson. Up next: Season over.

In the span of a minute, silence turned into sheer jubilation and excitement for the Archbishop Stepinac football team.

After missing its extra point in the first overtime of Saturday's CHSFL semifinal against Xaverian, Stepinac forced and recovered a fumble at the two-yard line to secure a 27-21 victory Saturday in White Plains.

The win put Stepinac in the "AAA" title game for the first time in school history and left some players talking about it as the best game that they have ever played in.

"This is the best way to do it," quarterback Mark White said of the finish. "I've waited my whole life for this moment right here. I wish I could have this moment for life right now."

HOW THE GAME WAS WON: No. 2 Stepinac (8-2) led 21-7 late in the third quarter and outplayed Xaverian for most of the game but kept making offensive mistakes and No. 3 Xaverian (7-3) eventually tied the game with 7:52 left.

Stepinac lost four fumbles, tossed an interception, missed an extra point and a field goal and also had a high snap on a field goal attempt that led to sack. Those errors almost canceled out a great defensive effort by the Crusaders.

In overtime, Stepinac started with the ball and White (17 rushes for 114 yards) rushed in from seven yards out for his second touchdown of the game. Xaverian blocked the extra point, shocking the Stepinac sideline.

On Xaverian's first play of overtime, quarterback Isaiah Kearney (224 total yards, three touchdowns) ran up the middle for eight yards before Stepinac defensive end Austin Taps came over the top and ripped the ball from Kearney's hands. Teammate Shane Hogan hopped on the ball to seal the win and Stepinac's players rushed the field to celebrate.

"The one thing going through my mind was please don't let this slip through my hands, please don't," Hogan said.

He added: "Words can't describe how that felt."

TURNING POINT: Facing a fourth down at Stepinac's 43-yard line with 20 seconds left and the game tied at 21-21, Kearney hurled a bomb down the field toward receiver Tu Shaun Plummer, who had a step on the Stepinac defensive back. The ball had too much air under it and Plummer barely got his fingertips on it, bobbling it for a second before it fell incomplete.

Had Plummer hauled in the ball, which would have been a hard catch, his team would have been in field goal range with 12.5 seconds left.

"We saw two safeties high with about 18 seconds left and we said, 'Oh my God, this is it' and we have a play that defeats that coverage," Xaverian coach Joe DeSiena said. "We saw him come open and the wind kind of took the ball a little bit and it went right off his finger tips. I haven't seen too many balls got that guy's way that don't come down in his hands."

PLAYER OF THE GAME: White is part of a two-quarterback system but he was the one mostly under center Saturday. While he lost a fumble and saw a high snap go off his fingertips and lead to another turnover, he was getting nice chunks of yards each time he ran. His first score gave Stepinac a 14-7 lead in the third.

"I came out nervous in the first half and my team picked me up in the locker room and the team said everything they needed to say to me and I performed," White said. "I put the team on my back. The coaches called great plays and the line did everything they could and so did the defense. I'm just happy right now."

UP NEXT: Stepinac will meet the winner of the Iona Prep vs. St. Anthony's semifinal game in the "AAA" title game next week. Xaverian's season is over.

"It's unbelievable," Hogan said. "Nobody believed we were going to make it this far except for the coaches and us and we're still not done. We still have one game to go."

While St. Anthony's hosting Iona Prep is the Game of the Week, there are plenty of other great games this week to keep an eye on. Here are five other games to pay attention to this weekend as the playoffs heat up.

No. 4 Xaverian at No. 6 Stepinac (Saturday, 1 p.m.): It's rare that two of the top teams in the CHSFL missed out on each other during the season but that holds true with these two teams. Xaverian and Stepinac will meet for the first time with a spot in the CHSFL "AAA" title game. Xaverian is perhaps the sexy pick to win the league title but Stepinac doesn't want to blow a game on its home field. The key will be to see if Stepinac can keep up with Xaverian's speed on both offense and defense.

Thomas Jefferson at No. 8 Canarsie (Saturday, noon): The two Brooklyn schools meet in a first round matchup of the PSAL playoffs. Jefferson was beating Canarsie last time time the teams met before Canarsie rallied for the victory. Will the Orange Wave be able to put it all together this time? Canarsie, meanwhile, is a top seed in the tournament one year after missing it. How will Canarsie handle the pressure? This is a game you don't want to miss.

Curtis at Campus Magnet (Saturday, noon): This is the best first round matchup in the PSAL playoffs. The pair of 6-3 teams meet in what should be a great matchup between two even teams. Campus Magnet has had its stretches of brilliance but has also struggled at times. Curtis has also had its share of ups and downs but did win a city title just two years ago Whoever wins will certainly be a tough opponent for the remainder of the playoffs.

Port Richmond at Dewitt Clinton (Saturday, noon): Another great first round matchup. These two teams did not meet during the regular season and now meet in a win-or-go-home format. Dewitt Clinton has been a good team for most of the season but had some lapses toward the end of the year. Port Richmond started out strong before losing a few games. Let's see how comes out on top in this battle between Staten Island and the Bronx.

Petrides at Franklin K. Lane (Saturday, noon): We shift gears fro the playoffs to the biggest regular season game remaining. Franklin Lane is currently ranked fourth in power points for the "Cup" division while Petrides is fifth. With just four teams making the playoffs from that division, the loser of this game will get the boot from the playoffs. What could be better than two teams fighting for one playoff spot?

The Playoffs are officially upon us. The CHSFL began its playoffs last week and the PSAL begins its bracket this weekend. There were no crazy upsets in the CHSFl and we have some great matchups in store for the upcoming weeks. With that in mind, let's check out the poll, which features only teams that are still alive:

1. St. Anthony's (8-0): St. Anthony's pitched the shutout in its CHSFL quarterfinal as it blanked Mount. Next, a rematch of last year's title game as it takes on Iona Prep. Up Next: Nov. 12, vs. Iona Prep.

2. Tottenville (8-1): Tottenville didn't look like it missed quarterback Brandon Barnes too much as it rolled to an easy win against Campus Magnet and secured the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Up next: Nov. 12, vs. Brooklyn Tech.

3. Lincoln (9-0): Lincoln got revenge on Fort Hamilton and locked up the No. 1 seed in the PSAL playoffs. Can the Railsplitters take the title this season? Up next: Nov. 12, vs. John Adams.

4. Xaverian (7-2): Xaverian used a strong second half to take care of Monsignor Farrell and advance to the CHSFL semifinals against Stepinac. Up next: Nov. 12, at Stepinac.

5. Iona Prep (6-3): Iona Prep got revenge against Chaminade in the quarterfinals. Now, it's time to see if it can exact revenge against defending league champion St. Anthony's. Up next: Nov. 12, at St. Anthony's.

6. Stepinac (7-2): Stepinac defeated Holy Cross in the quarterfinals and is now one win away from back-to-back championship games. Up next: Nov. 12, vs. Xaverian.

7. Fort Hamilton (7-2): Fort Hamilton lost to Lincoln and it ended up with a bad draw in the playoffs as there's a chance that it will have to play the two teams it lost to in the quarterfinals and semifinals. Up next: Nov. 12, vs. Sheepshead Bay.

8. Canarsie (7-2): Canarsie responded with a strong win against Sheepshead Bay to finish 7-2 and secure the No. 3 seed in the PSAL playoffs. Quite the accomplishment. Up next: Nov.12, vs. Thomas Jefferson.

9. Erasmus Hall (6-3): Erasmus Hall finishes the season on a hot streak after beating Midwood and will be one of the biggest sleepers in the PSAL bracket coming out of the No. 5 seed. Up next: Nov. 12, vs. JFK.

10. Boys & Girls (6-3): Boys & Girls makes its way into the poll after a win against Brooklyn Tech and will be the No. 6 seed in the playoffs. Up next: Nov. 12, vs. Flushing.

With the CHSFL playoffs beginning this weekend, we polled our staff of high school writers to get their takes on which teams they see emerging victorious. Matt Ehalt, Amara Grautski, Chris Hunt and Rob Abruzzese give their takes on how the CHSFL "AAA" playoffs will breakdown.

AAA BRACKET
No. 1 St. Anthony’s vs. No. 8 Mount St. Michael’s
No. 2 Stepinac vs. No. 7 Holy Cross
No. 3 Xaverian vs. No. 6 Farrell
No. 4 Iona Prep vs. No. 5 Chaminade

WHO IS THE TEAM TO BEAT?

Ehalt: St. Anthony’s: No matter how they play, until someone beats the Friars, they’re the top dogs in the league. They earned their No. 1 seed and found ways to win.

Abruzzese: St. Anthony’s: St. Anthony’s is the kick, having won nine of the last 10 championships. It’s hard to say if they have what it takes to go all the way but a 26-game winning streak is pretty convincing.

Grautski: St. Anthony’s: As if it isn’t obvious, undefeated St. Anthony’s is the one to beat. However, the Friars came close to losing twice, winning two games by only 2 points or less.

Hunt: St. Anthony’s: St. Anthony’s hasn’t lost to anyone. Regardless if the games looked good or not, the Friars are the undefeated, defending champs. That makes them the team to beat.

WHICH TEAM IS THE SLEEPER?

Ehalt: Iona Prep: Iona is a team that has three losses but played well in two of those games. If this team gets hot, they could conceivably pull some upsets and end up as the champ.

Abruzzese: Xaverian: Its offense had the most points in the league and they should thank their defense for that. Their defense is quick and efficient in shutting down other team’s and keeping their own offense on the field.

Grautski: Iona Prep: Iona Prep gave St. Anthony’s a scare, but ultimately lost to the Friars, 21-20. Iona Prep may have a chance for redemption in the second round of the playoffs.

Hunt: Xaverian: Ok, so Xaverian isn’t really a sleeper. They are the team that looks the best in the CHSAA right now. But the Clippers lost to St. Anthony’s and Holy Cross. That wasn’t last year.

WHICH TEAM COULD GET UPSET EARLY?

Ehalt: Stepinac: The Crusaders are a good team but Holy Cross could be problematic in the first round and Stepinac has had some down games in recent weeks.

Abruzzese: Iona Prep: They nearly beat St. Anthony’s last weekend, but not long before that they lost to their first round opponent, Chaminade, two weeks before that. They could get hot and go all the way or they could go out in the first round. Hard to say with them.

Grautski: Archbishop Stepinac, although ranked slightly higher than Xaverian, could fall to the Clippers. Stepinac has already lost to St. Anthony’s and sleeper pick Iona Prep.

Hunt: St. Anthony’s: The Friars are on their third-string quarterback and Dariyan Riley left the season finale against Iona Prep with a knee injury. If Iona Prep can put together two strong halves against St. Anthony’s, the Gaels could find themselves in the championship final.

WHAT’S THE TITLE GAME?

Ehalt: No. 3 Xaverian over No. 1 St. Anthony’s: It came down to the last play last time around and St. Anthony’s barely won. This time, Xaverian makes the big play it needs to claim the title.

Abruzzese: No. 3 Xaverian over No. 1 St. Anthony’s: St. Anthony’s has been the best in the league for a while, but lately their wins haven’t been as convincing. It is time for a new champion and that is Xaverian thanks to a defense that is capable of stopping teams in their tracks and an offense good enough to put them over the top.

Grautski: No. 1 St. Anthony’s defeats No. 3 Xaverian: The Friars aren’t blowing teams out every game, but they know how to win. As long as their defense – which has allowed 17 points per game – settles down, the Friars will have an undefeated season.

Hunt: No. 3 Xaverian over No. 1 St. Anthony’s: Despite their 7-0 record, St. Anthony’s looks beatable. The Friars have fought through adversity and injury all season but it’ll finally come to an end against Xaverian.

TOURNAMENT PICKS:

Ehalt: St. A’s over Mount; Stepinac over HC; Xaverian over Farrell; Iona over Chaminade; St. A’s over Iona; Xaverian over Stepinac

Abruzzese: St. A’s over Mount; Stepinac over HC; Xaverian over Farrell; Iona over Chaminade; St. A’s over Iona; Xaverian over Stepinac

Grautski: St. A’s over Mount; Stepinac over HC; Xaverian over Farrell; Iona over Chaminade; St. A’s over Iona; Xaverian over Stepinac

Hunt: St. A’s over Mount; Stepinac over HC; Xaverian over Farrell; Iona over Chaminade; St. A’s over Iona; Xaverian over Stepinac

We have some change to the poll this week. Lincoln shutout Canarsie in a big matchup while Mount St. Michael's got defeated by lowly Holy Trinity to bounce it from the rankings. Let's take a look at the top 10 as we head into the playoffs and the the final week of the PSAL schedule.

1. St. Anthony's (7-0): The theme for St. Anthony's this year must be survival as it again needed a big play in the final minute to take down Iona Prep in the regular season finale. Up Next: Nov. 5, vs. Mount.

2. Tottenville (7-1): Tottenville's hopes of a great season could be in jeopardy after touted QB Brandon Barnes hurt his right knee in a win over Susan Wagner. Up next: Nov. 5, vs. Campus Magnet.

3. Lincoln (8-0): Lincoln might be the best team in the PSAL after defeating Canarsie 54-0 on the road this weekend. Up next: Nov. 6, at Fort Hamilton.

4. Xaverian (6-2): Xaverian took care of Chaminade to wrap up the No. 3 seed in the CHSFL playoffs. Up next: Nov. 6, vs. Monsignor Farrell.

5. Fort Hamilton (7-1): It may not have been the prettiest win but Fort Hamilton defeated FDR to set-up a crucial game against Lincoln this week. Up next: Nov. 6, vs. Lincoln.

6. Iona Prep (5-3): We can't penalize Iona Prep too much for losing in the final seconds to St. Anthony's. That could be an epic rematch in the CHSFL semifinals. Up next:Nov. 6, vs. Chaminade.

7. Stepinac (6-2): Stepinac secured the No. 2 seed in the playoffs by defeating Fordham Prep. Up next: Nov. 6, vs. Holy Cross.

8. Canarsie (6-2): Tough loss for Canarsie as it got blanked at home by Lincoln. Let's see how it responds. Up next: Nov. 6, at Sheepshead Bay.

9. Campus Magnet (6-2): Campus Magnet re-enters the rankings as it improved to 6-2 on the season with a win over John Adams. Up next: Nov. 5, at Tottenville.

10. Erasmus Hall (5-3): Erasmus Hall has the best two wins (Fort Hamilton and Tottenville) of any team in the PSAL. Up next: Nov. 6, at Midwood.

With three of the top 10 teams losing this week, there's some change to the poll. With the CHSFL entering its last week of games before the playoffs, this is a big slate of contests coming up this week in New York City. Let's examine the poll:

1. St. Anthony's (6-0): St. Anthony's survived a scare against Chaminade to improve to 6-0. This weekend, it faces Iona Prep in a rematch of last year's CHSFL title game. Up Next: Oct. 29, vs. Iona Prep.

2. Tottenville (6-1): Tottenville has put together a nice stretch after losing to Erasmus Hall, this time beating Curtis. Up next: Oct. 29, at Susan Wagner.

3. Lincoln (7-0): Lincoln is the only undefeated team left in the PSAL after defeating Sheepshead Bay this past weekend. Up next: Oct. 29, at Canarsie.

4. Xaverian (5-2): After dominating Fordham Prep, it sets up a big matchup this weekend against Chaminade with big playoff implications. Up next: Oct. 28, vs. Chaminade.

5. Iona Prep (5-2): Iona Prep seems to be inconsistent from week to week but when it plays like it did against Stepinac it's an elite team. Up next: Oct. 29, at St. Anthony's.

6. Fort Hamilton (6-1): It was a heck of a run for Fort Hamilton but after 38 straight wins in the regular season it lost to Erasmus Hall. Up next: Oct. 29, vs. FDR.

7. Canarsie (6-1): Canarsie continues to get it done after beating Thomas Jefferson and will host Lincoln is a big showdown this weekend. Up next: Oct. 29, vs. Lincoln.

8. Stepinac (5-2): Stepinac has beaten some quality teams but has lost twice in the last three weeks after falling to Iona Prep. Up next: Oct. 28, vs. Fordham Prep.

9. Mount St. Michael (4-2): Mount won its third straight after pulverizing Kellenberg this weekend and should make the AAA playoffs. Up next: Oct. 29, at Holy Trinity.

10. Chaminade (5-2): Chaminade lost a tough one at St. Anthony's and will be tested once again with another tough game at Xaverian. Up next: Oct. 28, at Xaverian.

While Erasmus Hall looks to end Fort Hamilton's 38-game win streak in the Game of the Week, there are plenty of other intriguing games this week around the city. Let's take a look at five other games to watch this week.

No. 6 Chaminade at No. 1 St. Anthony's (Friday, 7 p.m.): The battle between Long Island teams picks up some extra spice as the two teams are a combined 11-1 heading into this matchup. St. Anthony's has proven why it's the class of the league as it has taken care of the title contenders in the league to get its 5-0 record. Chaminade, meanwhile, has emerged as a top team in the league after its win against Iona Prep last weekend.

No. 8 Iona Prep at No. 5 Archbishop Stepinac (Saturday, 7 p.m.): Stepinac gets to play its first game at home on its new field and what better way to christen the field than a great game against Iona Prep. Stepinac rebounded from its first loss of the season with a nice win against Holy Cross while Iona Prep fell in a heartbreaker at Chaminade. The Gaels will be desperate to avoid their third loss of the season.

Sheepshead Bay at No. 3 Lincoln (Friday, 7 p.m.): Will this be the week that Lincoln finally gets challenged? The Railsplitters continue to roll by their opponents and are facing a 5-1 team in Sheepshead Bay. The only question, though, is how good is Sheepshead Bay? While its off to a 5-1 start, it hasn't exactly beaten world beaters to get its record. A win or a good showing here can validate Sheepshead Bay's hot start.

No. 2 Tottenville at Curtis (Saturday, noon): This Staten Island rivalry is a big game this weekend. While Tottenville is still the class of the league, it hasn't played up to its capabilities recently. Curtis might be able to cash in on that as it plays at home and looks to improve its record to 5-2 on the season. If Curtis were to lose, a 4-3 record could keep the Warriors from getting a top seed in the PSAL playoffs.

Flushing at Campus Magnet (Saturday, 11 a.m.): It seems like its borough battle weekend as these two Queens teams with identical records square off. While Campus Magnet was supposed to be one of the top teams in the league this season, Flushing is off to a hot start with its 4-2 record. If the Red Devils can get the win against Campus Magnet, it could be a big blow to Magnet's hopes for a top playoff seed. Flushing would also establish itself as a team to reckon with.

St. Anthony's defeated Xaverian in a tight game that came down to the final minute to remain atop the rankings. The Friars will face another stiff test this weekend against Chaminade, continuing their streak of facing top teams. Let's check out the rest of the poll.

1. St. Anthony's (5-0): A late interception sealed its win against Xaverian and it finally heads home to face resurgent Chaminade. Up next: Oct. 21, vs. Chaminade.

2. Tottenville (5-1): Tottenville took care of business against winless New Dorp and has a tough task this weekend against Curtis. Up next: Oct. 22, at Curtis.

3. Lincoln (6-0): Lincoln had yet another easy game this weeekend and although it plays a 5-1 this weekend, its opponent, Sheepshead Bay, doesn't have many quality wins. Up next: Oct. 21, vs. Sheepshead Bay.

4. Fort Hamilton (6-0): Fort made easy work of New Utrecht. Up next: Oct. 22, at Erasmus Hall.

5. Archbishop Stepinac (5-1): Impressive win for Stepinac as it trounced Holy Cross at home. Up next: Oct. 22, vs. Iona Prep.

6. Chaminade (5-1): Chaminade has its highest ranking of the season after defeating Iona Prep with a late field goal. Up next: Oct. 21, at St. Anthony's.

7. Xaverian (4-2): Xaverian played St. Anthony's close but came up one play short in the loss. Up next: Oct. 21, vs. Fordham Prep.

8. Iona Prep (4-2): Iona Prep lost a tough one at Chaminade but it gets no easier with a road trip to take on Stepinac. Up next: Oct. 22, at Stepinac.

9. Canarsie (5-1): After defeating Boys & Girls this weekend, Canarsie makes its first appearance in the rankings. Up next: Oct. 22, at Jefferson.

10. Mount St. Michael (3-2): Mount has two losses to Chaminade and Stepinac by a combined three points on the year. Up next: Oct. 22, vs. Farrell.

Even before Archbishop Stepinac played St. Anthony's last Friday, Stepinac head coach Mike O'Donnell had his thoughts on Saturday's game against Holy Cross.

He downplayed the significance of that game against the Friars, despite both teams being undefeated at the time, not wanting to build that game up so much that Saturday's game got overlooked. He didn't want any rollover effects from a game his team ultimately lost.

"He stressed that all week," junior quarterback Mark White said. "He said statistically it shows that teams that lose to St. Anthony's create a losing streak so he really stressed this game and worked hard in practice to get us to keep going and get a winning streak back."

The winning streak is now at one after Stepinac played perhaps its most complete game in weeks as it took care of Holy Cross 34-14 on Saturday afternoon at SUNY Purchase in Purchase, N.Y. The Crusaders (5-1) outscored the Knights (3-3) 20-0 in the second half.

"I think of all the games we had, this game really set a statement," White said. "I think this is one of our best games and there is more to come, but this really set a statement for us."

HOW THE GAME WAS WON: A strong defensive effort propelled Stepinac. Despite turning the ball over three times in the first half, Stepinac's defense only allowed points off one of those turnovers and the teams were tied at 14-14 at the half.

To start the third quarter, Stepinac recovered a fumble and scored on the ensuing drive on the first of White's two rushing touchdowns to take a 21-14 lead. White's last touchdown sealed the game by making it 28-14 with 5:14 left.

Caleb Gilligan-Evans led the rushing attack with 113 yards and one touchdown while quarterback Daniel Hoffer completed 7-of-13 passes for 177 yards and two scores. Vincent Narog hauled in two touchdown passes.

O'Donnell thought personnel moves helped the defense. It promoted safety Narenda Itwaru from JV to varsity, while also moving Garfield Heslop from linebacker to defensive end.

"We didn't play as good as we thought we would against St. Anthony's so we needed to make a statement this week by shutting them down," senior linebacker Ryan Wasylenko said about the defense. "I think we did."

TURNING POINT: The first drive of the second half changed the game's momentum. On a 3rd-and-6 at the Holy Cross 45-yard line, Holy Cross quarterback Yianni Gavalas found Lawrence Laventure for a first down but the senior receiver fumbled the ball while being tackled and Wasylenko hopped on it.

Both coaches though Laventure was down but the referees ruled it a fumble and Stepinac scored a touchdown off the turnover to take a 21-14 lead.

"That play turned the game around," Holy Cross head coach Tom Pugh said. "We came out and get two first downs, we're going for the third, that would have been a first down and fumble and all of a sudden they break a touchdown and it's 21-14."

PLAYER OF THE GAME: White finished with 125 total yards on the day (66 rushing, 48 receiving and 11 passing) and came up big in the second half, rushing 13 times for 57 yards and two touchdowns. In the first half he made some dazzling catches as a receiver.

"Our line is huge, we have a great line and I just run behind them and Caleb Gilligan-Evans and he just blocks for me," White said. "I just rely on my teammates to make everything. I just find ways to get the team going."

UP NEXT: Stepinac gets to play its first home game on its new field when it hosts Iona Prep at 7 p.m. next Saturday. Holy Cross gets a home game against Kellenberg on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.