It was 4th-and-1 with two minutes to play in the Division II championship game. With Bishop Guertin up by only one touchdown, the Cardinals needed a first down to run out the clock against rival Exeter and secure their third straight title. Head coach Tony Johnson turned to a three-year starter, calling on fullback Steve Travaglini of Pelham.

But Travaglini did something unusual.The 195-pound back lined up in a three-point stance in the backfield – an unusual move at best – and awaited the snap.

“I knew I was getting the ball and I was prepared for that, so I was pumped and confident in my line that we would get it done,” he said.

Sophomore signal-caller Ryan Burgess turned to his left and handed the ball to Travaglini, who dodged left and carried an Exeter defender past the chains.

Final score: Cardinals 24, Blue Hawks 17.

Although Johnson said he didn’t notice Travaglini’s set-up until he watched game tape, he was impressed with the senior’s wherewithal to give himself an extra push off the mark with the game on the line.

“It’s little things like that that you look for when you talk about senior leadership,” said Johnson, who acknowledged the comment sounds like pure rhetoric. “But in that situation I held it to the highest level.”

Though the state final marked the first game this season he didn’t score, Travaglini played an important role in the outcome, pounding the ball down the stretch to finish with 79 yards on 18 carries.

“It was pretty easy,” said Johnson. “He’s a big back that has been playing both fullback and tailback the whole season, and basically he was what we needed in that situation: just a hard-nosed running back with great speed that can run the ball and not have us concerned even remotely with the potential of a fumble.”

It wasn’t the only situation where Travaglini’s number was called late in the season to save the team. Following an 80-yard Central kickoff return – one of several against BG on the season -– in the Cardinals’ regular-season finale, Johnson inserted the senior into kickoff coverage. Problem solved.

“People need to realize he’s the most influential special teams kid I’ve ever had,” said Johnson. “One guy totally changed our kickoff team performance, and it was (Travaglini) because his level of play in every faze of the game has just been at a much higher level than anyone else.”

On the offensive side of the ball, Travaglini excelled for most of the year at tailback. He had been a blocking/power back his junior year. Travaglini had 14 touchdowns and roughly 900 yards on the season. But late in the year, with Johnson’s offense sputtering, Travaglini moved back to fullback to fill a need.

“When you run an option, your fullback needs to hit the hole very quickly, and we weren’t getting that full triple-option look we wanted, so we moved Trav back to fullback so our dive formation and our option attack could be a little more effective,” said the coach.

Now, having helped guide his team to a D-II three-peat, Travaglini is ready to take the next step in his football career. “When he goes to college he’s going to make it, and he’s going to make any team better because of his level of intensity and his commitment,” said Johnson.

“He has been a three-year starter and we have three championships in a row, and one reason we’ve done it is because he’s been a major factor in the development and overall success of my program.”

While a number of Division I-AA and Division II teams have been scouting him, Travaglini said he is leaning toward staying close to home.

“My two favorites are probably UNH and UMass,” said Travaglini, who was in attendance at the UNH 24-17 semifinal loss to UMass on Saturday, Dec. 2. Both teams have been scouting him.

“I guess it comes down to whoever shows me the most love, really,” he continued. “Scholarships are great, but really it’s going to come down to who wants me most.”

Other schools that have shown interest include Bryant University, Assumption College, Monmouth University, Stony Brook University and Wagner College, One scout in attendance at BG’s 35-7 semifinal win over Timberlane, said he was impressed by Travaglini’s combination of speed, size and power. That combination, said Johnson, makes Travaglini a solid option on both sides of the ball.

“He can play any position on the field, anywhere in the backfield in any offensive set and anywhere on defense,” said Johnson. “And I mean literally anywhere. He’s that strong and that fast.”

Likewise, Travaglini said it doesn’t matter if he’s playing fullback, running back, strong safety, or any other position, just as long as he’s playing. He’s just happy to be in the position to take his football skills to the next level, thanks in large part to Johnson and the BG program.

“I think I started off as a defensive player who went 100 percent each play, but didn’t know much about the game,” said Travaglini. “I have improved tenfold and have come out a much more dynamic player.”