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The Italian Fighting Irishman from North Babylon may now be just a snap or two away from a national championship.
Rino Monteforte provided the all-important (and perfect) long snap on the field goal that put Notre Dame in college football’s national championship on Jan. 20. With seven seconds remaining in the Orange Bowl on Thursday, Mitch Jeter converted on the 41-yard attempt to give the Fighting Irish a 27-24 win over Penn State.
Notre Dame (14-1) plays Ohio State (13-2) in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday in New Orleans. It’s the first time since 2013 that the Irish will play for a national title.
Monteforte, a Kellenberg High School graduate who earned the starting long-snapping job this year as a junior, has played an essential role in Notre Dame converting on seven of eight field goal attempts during playoff wins over Indiana, Georgia and Penn State. The squad is a perfect eight for eight on extra point tries.
Leaps of joy
Monteforte, a theology major who plays the drums, jumped for joy, together with his ecstatic teammates, after the winning field goal curved inside the right upright in Thursday’s semifinal in Miami. “Dreams to reality, one more☘️,” Monteforte, who wears No. 39, posted afterward, on Instagram.
When Greater Long Island caught up with Monteforte in late August, he spoke of the tremendous opportunity he’s been afforded, while humbly discussing his role on the team.
“At the end of the day, the goal is to be unheard of as much as possible,” he said. “If you watch on Saturday and you don’t hear my name one time, and the Irish win, that means I probably did my job perfect.
“It’s just being able to do the same thing consistently every single time,” he added. “Whether it’s a 62-yard field goal attempt or it’s a P.A.T. (point after touchdown). Whether it’s a P.A.T. to tie the game or a P.A.T. to win the game, or a P.A.T. when you’re up 56 to nothing.”
Of deep Italian upbringing, Monteforte also talked about how his mom, grandmother and entire family have embraced the Fighting Irish lore and culture.
“After I committed to Notre Dame, we have become the biggest Irish Italian people in the world,” Monteforte said. “We love the Irish now. And it’s pretty cool to be able to play for the number one Catholic school in America.”
Top photo: North Babylon’s Rino Monteforte is the long snapper for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The team plays Ohio State for the national championship on Monday, Jan. 20, in New Orleans’ Superdome (Instagram).