Doug Cristales, Brendan Barkley, Brayden Farrelly power Kellenberg (2-1) as it surpasses win total from last season
Brendan Barkley of Kellenberg scores his second touchdown of the game in the second quarter during a non-league CHSFL game against South Shore on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 at Mitchel Field in Uniondale. Credit: Dawn McCormick
The field-goal try sailed through the uprights as time expired, and a one-point Kellenberg lead on Sept. 4 had turned into a painful two-point road loss against New Rochelle.
“It was tough, but we knew that it was our fault,” Firebirds junior running back/receiver Doug Cristales said. “We needed to work harder and bounce back.”
They bounced back rather nicely Friday night at Mitchel Athletic Complex, pulling away in the second half for a 42-20 non-league win over South Shore from Brooklyn.
So Kellenberg moved to 2-1, meaning it has already surpassed its win total from all of last season when it went 1-9.
“We were right there last year,” coach Eric Meisse said. “We lost a lot of close games. Games like this would kind of slip away from us in the second half. So it’s very encouraging. We’ve got a lot more experience this year.”
They have also added talent from the JV. Junior quarterback Brayden Farrelly went 13-for-15 for 116 yards and a touchdown. Cristales ran 12 times for 102 yards and two TDs.
“We have so much potential,” Farrelly said. “We’ve got a great group of guys. We are so together right now, especially after this win.”
Then there was returning junior Brendan Barkley, who carried 12 times for 70 yards and two scores.
“It definitely feels more like a family [this year],” Barkley said. “We all love each other and are playing as a team.”
This CHSFL AA team led 14-12 at halftime against its PSAL opponent. Then it took off.
Farrelly found another JV grad, 6-4 junior receiver/kicker Finn Hastings, in the left side of the end zone for a 19-yard score.
“Basically all thanks to Doug,” Hastings said. “He ran a post instead of a go, and it let me go one-on-one with that DB, and Brayden threw a perfect ball.”
Cristales followed with a 23-yard scoring run on Kellenberg’s next possession. And he raced 26 yards to the end zone early in the fourth.
“The blocking was there, so I just worked with what I had,” Cristales said.
Quinn Saccheri ran for a 22-yard touchdown after a Nicholas Rugen INT. Hastings’ PAT made it a 28-point run and a 42-12 cushion.
“We’ve got a lot of guys going both ways and they just kind of wore us out,” coach Rucard Benjamin said after his Vikings fell to 1-2. “I think we can still make a playoff run.”
They were minus starting quarterback Charles Barnhart, who suffered a season-ending broken leg in the opener. But senior George Adams, the starter in 2025, threw for 206 yards and a TD.
“Today,” Benjamin said, “was his best game I’ve seen him play in a while.”
