John Jay’s offensive surge falls short in shootout with Pearl River

CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - After struggling to put points on the board last season, John Jay entered opening night at Contest Field with plenty of questions about its offense. By the end of the night, the Wolves had scored 47 points—making last year’s struggles feel like a distant memory. Unfortunately, it still wasn’t enough.

Pearl River matched every punch John Jay threw and came away with a thrilling 55-47 victory in a high-scoring shootout.

The game started with defensive stops on both sides before a special teams miscue gave Pearl River the early edge. A blocked punt was recovered in the end zone, putting the Pirates ahead 6-0. Minutes later, quarterback TJ Lanese connected with Kieran Fitzgerald for a 64-yard touchdown, stretching the lead to 13-0.

John Jay responded with resilience. Patrick Ryan and Nick Rinaldi powered the offense downfield, and Rinaldi muscled his way into the end zone to cut the deficit to 13-7. But Pearl River answered quickly, and despite John Jay’s fight—including a 30-yard touchdown run by Ryan—the Pirates carried a 25-14 lead into halftime.

The Wolves stormed back in the second half. Rinaldi’s bruising 52-yard touchdown run gave John Jay its first lead, 28-25, early in the third quarter. From that point, the game turned into a back-and-forth offensive showcase.

Lanese kept the Pirates rolling, hitting multiple receivers for big gains, while running back Tommy Mahoney broke loose for a 65-yard touchdown. Each time Pearl River surged ahead, John Jay countered—highlighted by Ryan’s clutch throws to receiver James Tesi and a trick play where Tesi lateraled to Rinaldi for a long touchdown.

With under seven minutes to play, John Jay trailed just 47-41, and after a dramatic onside kick attempt appeared to keep their hopes alive, officials ruled the ball had been touched before going ten yards. Pearl River capitalized, picking up a first down to seal the 55-47 win.

Despite the loss, John Jay’s offensive explosion was a statement. Rinaldi, Ryan, and Tesi carried the Wolves in a game where the scoreboard hardly stopped moving.