How a 1-win Kellenberg Football Team Last Year Started Off New Season on High Note

The Firebirds’ lone win last year came midway through the 2025 season

Kellenberg Memorial's Jaden McLeod runs the ball in a New York Catholic High School Football League regular season game against Archbishop Stepinac last season. The Firebirds upset Chaminade, 21-10, in their season opener on Saturday. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Kellenberg Memorial football team (N.Y.) had all but one victory last season.

A Rough Few Seasons for the Firebirds

The win, which was a 14-10 result over St. John the Baptist, came midway through the campaign after the Firebirds started off with an 0-4 record.

Before the 2025 season, Kellenberg had just three wins each in the 2023 and 2024 campaigns.

Early-Season Upset

The Firebirds, however, started off the 2026 season on a high note by a 21-10 upset away victory over Chaminade on Saturday. The Flyers, who were 13th in High School On SI’s New York Preseason Football Rankings, are coming off a 7-5 season in 2025 and entered this year with the hopes of turning things around.

Kellenberg Breaks Skid

A longstanding rivalry between Kellenberg and Chaminade, the Firebirds redeemed themselves after losing a 24-17 heartbreaker to the Flyers last season.

“We had trouble in some of these tight games last year, so I feel this sets the tone that we can do better in those kinds of situations,” Kellenberg head coach Eric Meisse said via Newsday after Saturday’s game. “We’re a good team, and where we used to come up a little short, I have a feeling we can make those plays this year.”

The Firebirds also snapped a four-game skid against the Flyers. The last time Kellenberg beat Chaminade was a 35-8 result on Oct. 3, 2021.

How the Big Win Happened

Kellan Stapleton notched a 32-yard field goal to give Chaminade a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Kellenberg’s defense stepped it up in the second quarter.

Christian Eleazar grabbed a fumble and returned it 15 yards for the touchdown, then William Auerbach picked off Chaminade’s quarterback and dashed 70 yards for the score.

With a few minutes before the half, the Firebirds had a 14-3 lead. QB Brayden Farrelly capped off the Firebirds’ scoring effort with a rushing TD at the start of the fourth quarter.

Farrelly, a junior, was 15-for-20 on completions for 120 yards in his first start for Kellenberg.

“Everyone looks forward to this game every year, and for it to be my first varsity win, that’s the stuff I used to dream about when I was a kid,” Farrelly said via Newsday. “It’s an amazing feeling to get this win on this field, in front of this crowd. We were fired up and we played for each other.”

Up Next

Kellenberg (1-0) hits the road again to face New Rochelle. Chaminade (0-1) heads to Rhode Island on Saturday to take on Bishop Hendricken.