By Charlie Adams

NEFJ Staff

CRANSTON — You’d think watching the same two teams compete for the state championship for the 11th time in 14 years would be stale. Friday’s game showed that this rivalry has far from run its course.

No. 1 Bishop Hendricken appeared in its 16th straight state championship, defeating No. 2 La Salle for the ninth time. A late field goal earned the Hawks its 19th state championship win, 24-21.

“I’ve had a feeling that it was going to happen,” Hendricken kicker Scot Belford Jr. said. “It was a dream come true, I’ll just never forget this moment.”

Hendricken opened the scoring with Will Mascena taking an 18-yard rush to the one-yard line. Jeremy Seidi punched in the rushing touchdown on the next play, and Belford Jr.’s PAT gave the Hawks an early, 7-0 lead.

Things didn’t come as easy for La Salle on the following drive. The Rams converted a fourth down in Hendricken territory as Samuel Perry found Antonio Bearden to keep the drive alive.

Another fourth down came at the goal line, Perry waited in the shotgun as Grey Iannitti slipped under center and took the snap for a one-yard score. Max Wallace evened the game with the extra point as the first quarter finished.

Second-quarter action got started with the Hawks retaking the lead with Dylan Lynch scrambling for a 22-yard touchdown.

La Salle had a chance to tie within the 10-yard line, but Hendricken forced a 30-yard field goal chance on fourth. A high snap had the holder swarmed for a turnover on downs.

The Rams bounced back with its next drive. Perry connected with Timoy Stitchell for a 14-yard touchdown with under a minute in the half. Wallace nailed the extra point to tie.

Bishop Hendricken received the second-half kickoff, turning the ball over on downs after a fourth down attempt was held short by the La Salle defense.

Perry again found Stitchell for a 28-yard touchdown to give La Salle its first lead.

Hendricken’s Seidi scored his second touchdown a 10-yard rush to even the score entering the fourth quarter.

Lynch led a drive into the red zone with a 47-yard catch and run to Ryan Santo Jr. Faced with fourth down, the Hawks sent out Belford Jr. for a 28-yard field goal attempt. La Salle’s Bearden jumped up with a raised hand, but it was his helmet that blocked the kick and kept the game tied.

Hendricken took a drive back into field goal range and ran the clock down as much as they could. Belford Jr. was left with a 36-yard chance, his kick split the uprights to take the lead with one minute remaining.

“We think he’s the best kicker in the state and I had no issues going back to him (after the blocked kick),” Hendricken head coach Keith Croft said.

Perry’s final pass fell incomplete on fourth down, allowing Hendricken to kneel out the final seconds of the game.

Seidi was presented with the game’s MVP for his two-touchdown day.

“He’s been huge for us all year, he gets better and better every week,” Croft said. “I think he’s a high-level college player and he showed it today.”

Both Croft and Belford Jr. talked about what made this year’s Hawks another State Championship winner postgame.

“They’re a great group,” Croft said. “We talk a lot about “we over me” and we knew this was going to be a “we” thing, not a “me” thing.”

“You just have talent all across the board,” Belford Jr. said. “The best part about it is not the talent, it’s how we work together.”

Hendricken finishes their season with a 7-2 record, while La Salle ends 6-4 as both programs look to rebuild for next year after losing a strong graduating class.