Undersized fullback Capuano stands tall as St. Ignatius knocks off Maine South
St. Ignatius fullback Nino Capuano is listed at 5-foot-8, 186 pounds, but somehow he runs the ball like Derrick Henry.
Asked if there's a nickname that's caught on, he mentioned “Skat” for New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo, or “Cap,” based on his name. Sometimes he'll hear “Bowling Ball.”
What about “Rudy?” Based on his height compared to everyone else on the field, Capuano does give the vibes of Notre Dame's famous undersized walk-on from the 1970s.
“I used to watch that movie growing up,” Capuano said with a laugh. “I actually thought about that during practice this week when I ran out on the field.”
The sophomore certainly produced a memorable performance at Maine South on Saturday, rushing for 271 yards on 31 carries, leading the Wolfpack to a 35-21 victory in the 8A playoffs.
St. Ignatius (9-2) stuck to the option offense, throwing just one (incomplete) pass all day.
“They kept grinding the clock, credit to them,” Hawks coach Dave Inserra said. “That's a tough offense. We don't see it in 8A, and they've got the guys to run it. Big linemen, elite fullback, quarterback really runs it well.”
Capuano also made a miraculous comeback from the training table. Early in the fourth quarter, with St. Ignatius clinging to a 28-21 lead, Capuano got a short gain up the middle and collapsed to the ground. It was one of those situations that looked like a season-ending injury, with the runner visibly upset, then needing help to leave the field.
But five plays later, Capuano came back in and ran for a clinching 13-yard touchdown with 6:51 remaining.
“I think one of the D-lineman's foot just stepped right on my ankle and I just collapsed,” he said. “In the moment, I thought, 'There's the season, my ankle's blown, can't get back.' Then once the trainers came over, I was just thinking, 'I've got to get back in the game. I can't let my team down like this.’
“So I had the trainers tape it up and I went back out there, finished the game. Right now, it's hurting but it'll be good for next week. I promise that.”
Maine South (9-2) got off to a great start. The first drive produced a 66-yard touchdown pass from Jameson Purcell to Keaton Vitel. The Hawks followed with two more drives deep into the red zone, but those resulted in a missed field goal and interception in the end zone.
Purcell finished the day a very uncharacteristic 12 for 27 through the air for 195 yards and 3 interceptions.
“Obviously we left chances on the board,” said the senior Indiana commit. “I made some mistakes. I'll take the blame. Obviously, we're on the goal line down there, we've got to score that in. I'm just proud of the way the whole team fought.”
Junior Jackson Brown had a pair of interceptions for St. Ignatius, and both set up touchdowns as the visitors took a 21-7 lead on Capuano's 76-yard burst with 4:39 left in the third quarter.
Maine South didn't quit. Purcell hit Vitel again for a 51-yard touchdown pass. Four plays after the kickoff, lineman Forrest Greenhill forced a fumble and Matthew Schlenhardt took it for a 42-yard scoop and score to tie the game at 21-21.
St. Ignatius answered right back with Brown's long kickoff return, then a 32-yard run by J.P. Rydz setting up Capuano's 3-yard run to make it 28-21 with 14 seconds left in the third. Maine South punted on its next possession, then its final scoring chance ended with a fourth-down incompletion at the nine-yard line.
“I've been with these coaches since I was a toddler, since I could walk,” Purcell said. “I mean, Catholic League, public, it doesn't matter. A school like Maine South, we're just a community, and we've grown up with each other, and it's just like a brotherhood.
“We're all about traditions, and digging into the culture that coach Inserra has built for us. Even though we fell short, there's things you'll carry on with for the rest of your life.”