2016 CHSFL AAA Preview

By Matt Diano:

stepinac-crestArchbishop Stepinac

Last Season

12-0/Repeated as the AAA Champions by defeating Cardinal Hayes (20-12); Also won the Catholic State Title behind a 42-28 victory over St. Francis (Buffalo)

Top Returning Players

Antonio Giannico (Sr; RB/LB)—Named to the LoHud Super 11 Preseason Team for 2016; Currently holding college scholarship offers from Bryant, Stetson, and Kentucky Christian; Was the team’s rushing leader in every major category, totally 863 yards on 110 carries and scoring nine touchdowns…Three different times in 2015 (including the AAA title game), he eclipsed the 100-mark mark…Also saw time at linebacker, making 27 tackles.

Devonte Myles (Sr; CB)— Pictured below at practice. A thee-year starter for the Crusaders in the defensive backfield, the 6’0, 185-pounder cornerback is another player with multiple collegiate offers on the table, as he is actively being recruited at the moment by Central Connecticut, Wagner, and Kentucky Christian…An individual from which it Is impossible to get separation, when you throw the ball in Myles’s direction, more times than not, you are looking at an incomplete pass.  In 2015, he was third on the team in pass defenses (behind two All-State player) with seven, while also contributing 52 tackles (5 for a loss).devonte-myles

DeVante Reid (Sr; WR/CB)—Joining Giannico as both a LoHud Super 11 selection and a designated team captain, Reid will be one of the most feared two-way players this season…Drawing the attention of Rhode Island, Bucknell, and Stonehill after making vast improvements during the offseason, he ranked fourth on the team last season in receptions with 35 and third in yardage and touchdowns caught with 425 and four respectively….Since graduation did hit Stepinac’s secondary very hard, Reid’s involvement on the defensive side of the ball (11 tackles) should also increase immensely.

Gene Brown (Sr; DL)—A menace whether he is lining up at the end or up in the middle, despite playing with a senior laden defense last year, Brown found a way to make his presence known, ranking in the top-10 in tackles (45) and finishing second in sacks with six…Consistent with the emerging trend, he too will be playing at the next level as Delaware State is hot on his trail.

Izayah Powell (Sr; DE)—Another unrelenting pass rusher, at 195 pounds, you may not think that Powell would present problems, but he is so quick that he has made a habit of beating his man off the snap and getting into the backfield…As a junior, was third on the team with three sacks; he also accumulated 26 tackles, four of which were for negative yards…As skilled in the classroom as he is on the playing field, the Ivy League is lining up to make his acquaintance; he currently holds offers from Brown, UPenn, and Cornell.

Atrillian Williams (Jr; RB/CB)—One of the few sophomore who took the AAA division by storm a season ago, when all is said and done, this young man may end up being among the best to EVER play for Head Coach, Mike O’Donnell…A firework on both sides of the ball, Williams was second on the team last season with three interceptions and fourth in pass defenses with four.  He also made 33 tackles from the secondary….Offensively, his touches may have been limited, but boy were they electrifying, as he broke for touchdown runs on two of his 12 carries to finish the year with an average of 21.5/attempt and 255 yards total…With two of the three tailbacks ahead of him on the depth chart last year having graduated, we cannot wait to see what this stud can do If afforded more opportunities.

Louis Blackwell (Sr; LB)—-The leading hitter among returning players, what we love about Blackwell is that he is a man who knows how to create turnovers by making the ball come free…Last season, he led all Crusaders with three forced fumbles and even had an interception that he returned 40+ yards.  If that wasn’t good enough, he also racked up 58 tackles while being mentored by All-State 2nd teamer, Dan Negron…If he plays anything like the man whose cleats he will be stepping into, the rest of the league is in for a hurtin’.

Key losses

Tyquell Fields (QB)—1st Team All-State selection; 2015 All-Catholic; 2015 Catholic Football Offensive Player of the Year; Offensive MVP of the 2015 AAA Title Game; Currently playing college football at Stony Brook University….Accounted for over 2,700 yards of total offense as a senior, completing 175-of-288 pass attempts for 2,268 yards and 24 touchdowns; ran for 435 yards on 69 carries, reaching the end zone five times.

Jesse Brown (WR)—All-League Selection…The team leader in both receptions (46) and catching yards (561), Brown was #2 in touchdowns caught with six.

David Harris (OL)—2nd Team All-State; All-Catholic honoree; With Harris paving the way, the Crusaders averaged 240 yards a game on the ground and 195 in the air….Harris is plenty starting as a freshman at Monroe College.

Khaleb Celaj (OL)—The sometimes forgotten member of the dominant O-line because of the attention Harris garnered, Celaj was pretty darn effective himself in helping the team repeat as AAA titlists…He was also named as an All-Catholic honoree and even won favor on a state level, being selected as to the Honorable Mention list….Is playing collegiately at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Dan Negron (LB)—A 2nd team All-State selection, it was a no-brainer when Negron was the winner of the 2015 Catholic Football AAA Defensive Player of the Year Award….Sidelined early in the season, when he returned, Negron was a tackling animal, averaging double-digit stops to complete his senior year with 91 (after a junior year that saw him compile 135)….Negron was also instrumental in helping Stepinac win the first Catholic State crown in program history, notching 11 tackles and an INT in the final game of his scholastic career.

Malcolm Koonce (DE)—Joined Negron on the State 2nd Team and was a unanimous pick to be named All-Catholic…Fourth on the team in tackles with 58, Koonce led all Crusaders with nine sacks in 2015…Looking to improve his college recruit offers, Koonce is currently doing a prep year at Milford Academy.

Jaychar Howell (S)—A player who was praised in last season’s preview for combination of jaw-rattling hits and amazing cover skills, Howell showcased both qualities again in 2015, finishing third on the team in tackles with 83, intercepting a pass, and successfully defending eight other balls thrown in his direction…An All-League pick as a 12th grader, Howell was yet another student-athlete that the state sportswriters could not ignore, as he was named to the Honorable Mention list…The 5’9, 175-pounder is presently playing in the defensive backfield for Southern Connecticut.

Terrell “TJ” Morrison (WR/CB)—Named to the All-State (1st) and All-Catholic teams in recognition of his defensive prowess in the secondary, Morrison was equally effective and scary when lining up at wide on offense…If you don’t believe us, just ask St. Francis of Buffalo, who Morrison torched for four touchdowns receptions in the Catholic State Title contest…On a team where the word “stacked” would be a gross understatement, Morrison was their best overall player, leading the following in the following categories—Receiving touchdowns (10), Interceptions (5), and passes defensed (9)…As an offensive weapon, he was also third in catches (35), and second in receiving yards (525)…The simple way to phrase it, is that there was nothing this young man could not do on a football field….Like many Stepinac football alumni in recent years, Morrison has taken his talents to Long Island to play in the defensive backfield at Stony Brook.

Jordan Gunther (LB)—One of the few players on the loaded Stepinac defense who did not receive All-State acclaim (he probably should have), the All-Catholic pick in 2015 actually led the program in tackles, reaching triple digits with 100 stops on the dot…Gunther also recorded two sacks and scored a pair of defensive TDs on fumble recoveries…The 5’7, 215-pounder is now playing his ball at Springfield College.

Liam Butler (PK)—The eighth and final Crusader student-athlete to win the favor of the All-State selection committee, Butler was a 4th team pick after drilling 10 of 11 field goal attempts and converting on 54 of 57 PAT tries.

2016 Overview

How often can a team lose 25 seniors, 15 of which have gone to play collegiately, eight of whom appeared on the All-State list and still be the prohibitive favorites?  Well, such is the case with the two-time defending Champion Crusaders of Archbishop Stepinac….As the old expression goes, Stepinac no longer rebuilds, they just reload. step

A year removed from the most successful season in program history, when doing the “key losses” section of this preview, we honestly thought that the entire senior class might end up having to be included….THAT IS HOW AMAZING the class of 2016 was.  In two years as varsity players, this group combined to go a breath-taking 24-1.

However, while Coach O’Donnell did indicate that one of the team’s weaknesses (at least at the onset of the season) will be replacing all of these super credentialed seniors, he did not back off on his belief that the talent still remains to pull off the three-peat.

One possible reason for his optimism is that with the exception of the quarterback position (which could be occupied by junior, Mike Nicosia), there is rich and experienced talent at almost all of the other skill positions….Where there is not an established returning superstar, there seems to be a capable player waiting in the wings to make a name for themselves this season.

For the second season in a row, Giannico should spearhead the running attack with his power and bruising style…If he ran for close to 900 yards as a junior while having to share touches with several seniors, there is more than a good chance that he will crack 1,000 yards or more…The dynamo, Williams, will be ready to explode when necessary…Sophomore, Shawn Harris, also factors into the equation out of the backfield

If Nicosia, who played on a junior varsity squad that advanced to the title game a season ago, can find his precision, Reid is going to make for an excellent target.

Stepping in to fill some of the holes on an offensive line that lost two All-State players will be seniors, John Walsh (OG) and Tommy Nevin (OT).

The defensive line looks to be in very good hands as the duo of Brown and Powell will be complemented by senior DT Jaylin Mills (15 sacks/4 TFL as a junior) and rising junior varsity player, Mathew Mitrokos, who will step in at DE and try to emulate the production the Crusaders got out of Koonce last year.

Blackwell, who was far from afterthought as a junior, will be even more in charge as a 12th grader.  He, along with junior Eric Darcy were the names cited as players keep an eye on among the linebacking corps.

Calling the team’s speed (especially on defense) their greatest asset, O’Donnell does not have to look any farther than his defensive backs to illustrate the out of this world athleticism possessed by this roster…Myles and Williams are the names you already know; the one that you will quickly discover is that of junior safety, Justin Hairston. 

Shane Rafferty has the inside track on taking over kicking duties.

Commenting on how well his 2016 shapes up compared to their departed counterparts, O’Donnell said this: “The 2016 team has many weapons, but we lost key position players who led us on & off the field. Obviously everyone will be gunning for us after winning CHSFL championship two years in a row. The 2016 team needs to understand that this is their year. Last year was the 2015 team accomplishments.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Nagelhout @goosesroost
The Crusaders celebrate their 2015 New York State Championship

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hayesCardinal Hayes

Last Season

9-3/Advanced to the AAA title game, losing to Stepinac (20-12)

 Top Returning Players

Christian Anderson (Sr; QB)—Perhaps the best overall dual-threat quarterback in all of Catholic football, Anderson stepped under center midway through last season and the team thrived under his leadership…Completing 97 of his 167 attempts for 1,933 yards and 19 touchdowns, the 6’1, 180-pounder enters 2016 as leader among returning players in ground yards too, accumulating 496 of them on 56 carries, four of which closed out drives for TDs

Shameen Jones (Sr; WR/FS)—The back-end of what we think will be the best pitch/catch tandem in AAA this season, Jones is not just one of the best receivers in the Catholic League, he is among the cream of the crop in all of New York State…An individual who we are confidence will be vying for All-State honors as a senior, Jones has already verbally committed to play collegiately at Rutgers University…Last season, he led all Cardinal players with 48 catches for 1,061 yards.  He tied for top honors in touchdowns catches with seven.

Carlos Fernandez (Jr; RB/SS)—Third on the team in total rushing yards as a sophomore, the graduation of 1st Team All-State tailback, Justin Covington, should mean that Fernandez assumes the role of featured back as a junior…As an underclassman, he ran for 393 yards and four touchdowns on 66 carries.

Lucas Nunez (Jr; WR/DB)—Nunez will be asked to serve as a quasi “jack of all trades” as a junior in 2016, as he takes on more responsibility as a pass catcher, while maintaining his status as Hayes’s top special teamer and defensive secondary player…Nunez was the program leader in interceptions a season ago, picking off six opposing passes.   He is prototypical ball hawking safety that “plays centerfield” with the best of them.

Quadir White (Jr. OL/DL)—A towering figure that causes intimidation just by stepping on the field, White’s 6-foot-7, 300-pound frame is impossible to ignore…A varsity player as a sophomore, you know you have to be a star in the making to play in the trenches as a 10th grader…If you think we might be overselling the big guy, then listen instead to Rutgers, Syracuse, Iowa State, Boston College, or Pittsburgh, all of whom have already offered him.

Terrick Moncrief (Sr. OL)—While White is the blue chip prospect, it was his senior teammate, Moncrief who Coach CJ O’Neil referred to as the anchor of the offensive line….Moncrief contributing last season to an O-line that laid the tracks for the Cardinals to pile up an astounding 3,048 rushing yards and 35 TDs.

Souleymane Camara (Sr; DL)—Gained valuable experience as a junior; will be looking to have a career year in his final season manning the D-Line.

Terrell Alexander (Sr. DL)—Featured in last year’s preview where he was hailed as having the best potential on any defensive lineman on the team…After watching two his former teammates earn All-Catholic honors as seniors, he knows this is his year for ability to turn into domination.

Key losses

Justin Covington (RB)—Named 1st Team All-State, as well as All-Catholic, Covington ran for 1612 yards and 23 touchdowns on 165 touches…Exceeding the 100 yard mark seven times as a senior, of the 254 yard the team averaged on the ground per contest, 134 of them belonged to him…He is currently playing collegiately at Villanova.

Raheem Wilson (WR)—An All-League selection in 2015, Wilson was the man who tied Jones for the lead in TD receptions (7) and finished as the runner-up in all other receiving categories, making 30 grabs for 482 yards…Wilson has moved onto the next level, playing at East Stroudsburg University.

Dante Rodriguez (WR)—Third on the team in receptions, he too was an All-Catholic pick last season following a swan song campaign that saw him reel in 28 balls for 469 yards and five scores.

Fred Pantaleon (OL)—The leader of last year’s offensive line, Pantaleon was named to the All-League team, as well as a selection for MSG Varsity’s All-City 2nd team….He is now playing O-Line at Mercyhurst.

Timothy Pointdexter (DB)—A shutdown cornerback, Pointdexter was a top team choice both in the league and in all of NYC, as the NYCHSFL and MSG Varsity both saw fit to honor him…Pointdexter went from being a Cardinal in high school to a Blue Hen in college, as he now plays at the University of Delaware.

Abdoul Kouyate (DL)—After being named All-Catholic and 2nd Team All-City, Kouyate has elected to a prep year at Blair Academy (NJ)…Bowling Green, Wagner, and  Sacred Heart are among the college programs that are pursuing him.

Juwan DeVone (DL)—The owner of a similar profile to Kouyate, DeVone too was voted to both the All-League and 2nd Team All-City squads as an imposing D-lineman…Unlike Kouyate, DeVone has already taken his skills to the next level, playing as a linebacker at Delaware State.

Zahir Williams (DB)—The second All-State (3rd Team) player on the Cardinals, Williams intercepted three passes in 2015…He is now causing nightmares as a part of the defensive backfield at Bryant.

Brasean Stewart (LB)—All-Catholic honoree as a senior…A linebacker on the scholastic level, Stewart’s general athleticism allowed him to make the transition to DB in college.  The 6’0, 190-pounder continued his playing career at Norwich University.

hayesentrance
Coach O’Neill & the Cardinals take the field in the 2015 CHSFL AAA Championship Game at Fordham University

2016 Overview

Called the next wave of Catholic football in last year’s preview, little did we now just how quickly the boys from the Bronx would arrive….Transforming a 4-7 record in 2014 into a 9-3 mark and a runner-up finish in the AAA division, Coach O’Neill and company proved that the future is now !!!

Having reached the promised land and come up slightly short, Hayes has already proven that as a program, they have all of the tools necessary to make deep runs in the postseason….Now, all that remains unanswered is whether or not they have what it takes to be a perennial powerhouse the way the likes of their chief competitors, Stepinac and St. Anthony’s has been able to do.

Graduating nine All-League players (four on offense and five on defense), much like their predecessors in this preview [Stepinac], there will be some holes that require filling in 2016…However, while the younger players maneuver around the learning curve, O’Neil has the luxury of knowing that he has two of the league’s top playmakers in Anderson and Jones, a pair of Offensive lineman (Moncrief and White) that might have careers as civil engineers the way they build tunnels, and vast experience along the defensive line and the secondary to serve as the nucleus of what ought to be another great season that will see the Cardinals move ever closer to hoisting the AAA hardware for the first time in history.

Even though it is not feasible to expect anyone to have the kind of season that Justin Covington had in 2015, O’Neil did suggest to MSG Varsity that he does have three quality running backs that under the right circumstances (cue the imposing O-line) will combine to have successful seasons…As the only one of the three to log varsity time last year, Carlos Fernandez might have an early lead in the race to the #1 option out of the backfield….But alas, sophomore Tahshawn Brinson and junior Nasier Salgado (played quarterback on the JV in 2015) both have high ceilings and can be major contributors.

Complementing Camara and Alexander on the DL will be 6’2, 205-pounder, Jay-Len Anderson

Nunez, the team’s leader in interceptions a year ago, will take away anything launched into the middle of the field.

Calling every game in the Catholic tough, O’Neil knows that as the hot new kids on the block, his program is going to receive the best everyone else has to give.  He expects his guys to rise to the challenge and show that last year was the new standard.

Cardinal Hayes will get their chance to show that there are here to stay early on in 2016, as they meet Stepinac at home in a rematch of the title game on September 24th….The road contest (October 28th) in the last weekend of the season against St. Anthony’s will also have major playoff seeding considerations…The Cardinals swept the Friars in 2015, so you know there is no love lost and proverbial daggers will be getting thrown on both sidelines.

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chaminadeChaminade

Last Season

0-9/Lost in the AAA Quarterfinals to Stepinac (50-3)

 Top Returning Players

Matt Chmil (Sr; QB)—A freak athlete whose speed can be a difference maker….Last season, he threw for eight touchdowns, ran for four, and even caught a TD pass….Is committed to play lacrosse at Duke University

Frank Tangredi (Sr; RB)—A running back whose hands are as dangerous a weapon as his feet, Tangredi is a definite passing catching option out of the backfield.  This ability to be an asset in the passing game addresses a need for the Flyers who lost their two best WR’s to graduation…Committed to play lacrosse in college at Harvard

Dominic Doria (Sr; WR)—Committed to play lacrosse at the U.S. Naval Academy

James Errante (Sr; LB)—A player whose versatility allows him to play multiple positions on defense, Errante is listed as a lineback, but if necessary, he could move to the secondary to help shutdown the opponent’s passing game.

Luke Pacher (Sr; DE)—A wiz at creating turnovers on the lax field, if the Flyers hope to break into the victory column, they are going to need Pacher to do his share of turnover creating from the defensive line.

Key losses

Daniel McEntee (WR)—All-League Recipient

Tyler Toussaint (WR)—All-Catholic selection as a 12th grader

John Coughlan (OL)—All-League as the team’s leading blocker

Jack O’Hanlon (PK)—All-Catholic kicker

Alex Cappellino (OL/DL)—All-League on the defensive side of the ball

Jack Morris (DB)—All-Catholic pick

Thomas Martello (DB)—All-League

chs
Presentation of the Colors at Gold Star Stadium

2016 Overview

During the past four years in Mineola, It has been a case of feast or famine…AAA Champions in 2012 and runners-up in 2013 when the likes of Sean Cerrone, Rob Speranza, Thomas Zenker, Danny Fowler, Aidan Lynch, and company were still proudly wearing the Crimson & Gold, the past two seasons have been quite unkind to the Marianist All-boys school, as they produced a sub .500 overall record in 2014 and 2015.

This is a team that is certainly not hurting for manpower or top-caliber players, if you look at many of Chaminade’s key players entering 2016, you find that the majority of them are future DI athletes as lacrosse players. Translating this high degree of coordination and athleticism onto the gridiron will be much of the key to the Flyer’s success this season.

2016 will mark the commencement of a new era in Flyer football history as after 13 years on the sidelines (seven as the Head Coach), former NFL All-Pro linebacker, Stephen Boyd, stepped down from the helm at the conclusion of last season….Coach Boyd left after returning the Flyers to glory as AAA Champions in 2012 ending a 13 year drought and another Championship appearance in 2013 marking the first time the Flyer’s played in back to back championship games since 1977 & 1978….Exit Boyd, enter Mr. Kevin Dolan a Chaminade Grad who brings with him a wealth of experience, having previously made stops at Lynbrook (where he helped lead them a Long Island Championship) and most recently at New Hyde Park….A 1985 graduate of Chaminade, if anyone has that desire to see his alma mater return to the glory days of yesteryear, that person is Dolan.

In reviewing their posted roster a characteristic that seemed to be illuminated is the amount of junior players listed….Of the student-athletes, majority are 11th graders, meaning that the rising junior varsity players are going to be force to swim or sink in their varsity debuts….As freshmen, this group did show greatness, winning the 9th grade crown.  Unfortunately, last year was subpar comparatively speaking, as the young men seemed to struggle to find that dominant drive for much of the 2015 season….Chmil (13 total touchdowns) is the only returning player who has been to the end zone multiple times in his scholastic career up to this point. Hence, in order to restore this proud program to glory others will need to find a next gear and help out the senior signal caller.

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holy-cross-crestHoly Cross

Last Season

Went 1-8 last season/lost in the AAA Quarterfinals to Cardinal Hayes (31-14)

 Top Returning Players

Christian Valdez (Sr. QB)—Split snaps last season with senior Joseph Fellin…While his numbers were kind of on the shaky side (17-for-46, 310 yards, three TDs/5 INTs), there is something to be said for entering a season with an experience field general…If he can raise his completion percentage a few points, there is a good reason to think a win or two more will follow.

Tyler Hallerdin (Sr; RB/OLB)—Stuck behind a pair of All-League players in the Knight backfield in 2015, Hallerdin’s carries were minimum, but productive.  Averaging 5.5 yards/touch, he completed his sophomore year with 82…He enters 2016 as the top man among returning players in the category…More will be asked of him and we are confident he will respond.

Justin Moore (Sr; WR)—The team leader in receptions as a junior, Moore tallied 11 catches for 226 yards and a pair of touchdowns (#1 on the team in all three categories)…In addition, Moore is a superstar on special teams, leading Holy Cross last season with 161 yards and a touchdown as a kick returner.

Jason Mohr (Sr; OL)—One of only two returning All-Catholic performers back this season for the Crusaders, Mohr was an instrumental force in helping the school average 154 rushing yards a game.  With him on the job, HC averaged five yards a carry (1,386 total yards) and scored nine times via the rush.

Antwan Clay (Sr; DB)—Fourth on the team in both tackles (36; returning leader) and passes defensed (3) last, Clay will be counted on to anchor the secondary in Flushing.

Dylan McCutchen (Sr; TE/DL)—Named to the All-League team for his play on defense, McCutchen proved his worth on both sides of the ball a junior, finishing second on the team in reception with nine catches for 95 yards and two TDs…From the DE position, he accumulated 30 tackles (second only to Clay among playing who are back in 2016) and heads into the final weekend of his high school career as HC’s best passing rusher after ranking 2nd on the team a year ago with two QB bags….As if he was not a busy enough guy as a junior, the 6’2, 225-pounder took care of kicking and punting duties as well.

Key losses

Aaron Griffin (RB)—All-Catholic honoree; Ran for 841 yards and five of the team’s nine touchdowns…He posted three 100+ yard games as a senior and was a 1x Catholic Player of the Week recipient.

Edwin Villegas (FB)—A senior leader who set the tone for the team, Villegas cannot be measured by a stat line…He did however average over four yards/carry, earning 70 yards and scoring once in 17 running attempts…Was named All-League as a way of acknowledging the intangibles he brought with him on a weekly basis.

Jeremiah Nelson (RB)—The #2 running back last season, Nelson joined Griffin on the All-Catholic squad, running for 316 yards and three touchdowns of his own….In addition, the 6’0, 225-pound two-way player also caught eight passes for 145 yards (18.1 average) and a score…As a starting LB, he contributed 36 tackles.

Stephen Barongi (DE)—The undeniable leader of the defense, there was not too many categories on that side of the field that Barongi did not own the top spot…He totaled 55 stops as a senior and sacked opposing quarterbacks four times.

Donte Snell (LB)—At only 5’8, 180, Snell’s level of play was much bigger than his actual body…As a senior, he made 34 tackles, forced a fumble, and had three pass defenses…Another cool factoid regarding this student-athlete is that he was a constant headache for opposing punters, blocking the only two punts of the season for the Crusaders.

2016 Overview

If we are being frank, we are not 100 percent sure what to make of this Crusader squad….With a limited roster  (per Max Preps) at the time of publication,  then we are unsure how they are going to manage a whole season in such a rugged league with limited  man power.

On the positive side, of the young men currently listed majority are seniors, meaning that what they may lack in quantity, they may make up for with quality of experience in some spots.

If there is an area where we feel they are strong, it is in the defensive backfield where in addition to Clay, Holy Cross also brings back Michael Ciardiello, a 5-8 cornerback who notched 23 tackles, four pass breakups, and had one of the team’s three interceptions in 2015….Fellow 12th grader, Khalil Tawfiq, who is known more so for his kick returning skills, is another player who saw time in the secondary last year.  He too finished the season with three defended passes, but only registered nine tackles.

Now that he knows the team is fully in his hands, we are hoping Christian Valdez elevates his game in his senior season…Moore and McCutchen both showed last year that if the ball is on target, they will reel it in.

Having waited his turn, this time has arrived for Tyler Hallerdin to become “the man” in the HC backfield…Running behind a returning All-League offensive lineman (Jason Mohr), the openings should be there for him to exploit and have a big final season in the Green & Gold colors.

Note: We reached out to the Holy Cross coaching staff, but did not hear back prior to publication.

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farrell-crestMonsignor Farrell

Last Season

The Lions went a solid 5-4/lost in the AAA Quarterfinals to St. Peter’s (22-21)

Top Returning Players

Gavin Monreale (Sr; DB/RB)—The most experienced running back on the roster, Monreale has always been capable; he just has not had the chance to show it till now, as he played behind MSV Varsity 2nd Team All-City/All-Catholic selection, Stephen Viegas…In 2015, Monreale only took 16 hand-offs, but averaged nearly six yards per touch, ending the year with 92 yards and a touchdown run….If his talents as a running back were hidden last season, his prowess as a defensive back were the total opposite, as he more than proved his worth, making 42 tackles, intercepting two passes, and breaking up  seven other balls thrown in his direction (his 7 PD tied for best on the team.

Nick DiStefano (Sr; TE)—An individual who is being included not for what he has done in the past, but for what the Lion coaching staff feels he will do in his senior season…Entering his 12th grader year, it is no secret that DiStefano is kind of an unproved/unknown student-athlete…However, at 6’0 and 200 pounds, he offers a very big target at an area of need following the graduation of Farrell’s top-2 pass catchers a season ago.

Rocco Miraglia (Sr; WR)—Like the scene from Top Gun when the commanding officer tells Maverick and Goose that Cougar was #1 and lost it and now they are #1, so too is true of Miraglia…A second ago we mentioned that the Lions had graduated their top-2 receivers; Miraglia ranked third, catching 14 ball for 193 yards and one touchdown…As a senior, it is will be his job to play like a true #1 that he now is.

Noah Lancia (Sr; OL)—The 6’2, 260-pound man in the middle (center), Lancia is a returning starter along an offensive line that did the grunt work in aiding Stephen Viegas to a 1300+ yard season.  He will need to be just as prudent with Monreale now being the beneficiary.

John Kelly (Jr; RB/MLB)—A player who saw significant time on defense as a 10th grader, Kelly is ready to have a breakout year…In 2015, he registered 17 tackles and had multiple interceptions, showing that he is a full-service linebacker who can play ran and pass with equally proficiency.

Antonio Greaves (Sr; LB)—Further solidifying the linebacker position will be Greaves, who is second only to Monreale in tackles (25) among student-athletes who are back in 2016…Greaves has had injury problems in the past, but when he is 100 percent healthy, he is a young man who knows how to get things done.

Key losses

Michael Cloppse (QB)—All-League Honoree; MSG Varsity All-City Honorable Mention; 2015 Catholic League Scholar-Athlete of the Year….As a senior, he completed 57 percent of his pass attempts, connecting on 75 of 132 for 997 yards and 11 touchdowns…While he appeared much more poised in the pocket than on the run, Cloppse was no stranger to finding the end zone with his legs either, adding an additional seven scores on scrambles/QB keepers.  His 162 rushing yards were second on the team to Viegas’s 1000+ season.fattell-lion

Stephen Viegas (RB)—All-Catholic selection; Named to the 2nd Team All-City squad; ran for 100+ yards seven times as a senior, averaging close to 170/contest…His 1,340 yards were among the best in all of Catholic football.

Joseph Schmidt (WR)—Named to the All-League Team; Established himself as the top WR for the Lions in 2015, leading across the board with 23 grabs for 276 yards and three scores.

Joseph Landi (OL)—A key run blocker whose work on the line sprung Viegas free on many an occasion; named to the All-Catholic squad as a senior.

Zach O’Neill (2-Way lineman)—The only All-State player (3rd) on the Lions in 2015, O’Neill was so good on both ends of the line, that people were lining up to throw accolades at him.  In addition to being among the best in the Empire State, he was named 1st team All-City, as well as being the recipient of the Catholic Football AAA Lineman of the Year Award…O’Neill, who led all Farrell players last season with five sacks, remained in the city for college, taking his talents to the next level as a part of the 2020 class at Columbia University.

Robert Regina (CB)—All-Catholic from the secondary, Regina tied for the program lead in two key categories, intercepting two passes and knocking away seven more balls…

Carmine Bruno (LB)—As a senior middle linebacker, this All-League selection ranked in the top-3 in both tackles (26) and sacks (3)..

Joseph Pucciarelli (LB)—Just above Bruno in many of those same categories was his fellow senior ‘backer, Pucciarelli, who had 30 stops and 4 four sacks to earn his place on the All-League squad.

2016 Overview

After losing several of their superstar players, including their starting quarterback, tailback, and the best two-way linemen in the AAA division, it might be easy to write off the 2016 Lions….That would be a mistake!

While no one is going to debate the fact that there will be some growing pains at the onset of the season with unproven players having to occupy essential positions, Head Coach Anthony Garofalo seemed to be taking a “glass half full approach”.

Telling MSG Varsity that he feels his roster is comprised of a “good mix” of both returning players and high-skilled rookies (off of a junior varsity that is a year removed from earning the #2 seed in last year’s playoffs), Garofalo spoke of the chemistry that was built on last year’s team.

At first glance, the defense appears to be the strength of the team as the Staten Island located school returns their leading tackler in Monreale, has three experienced linebackers in Kelly, Greaves, and A.J. Froner, and brings back one of their top pass rushers at DE, Sean Koppenheffer.

Offensively, we think it may take a week or two to find their groove, but with talented targets like Miraglia and DiStefano to team up with, there is a strong belief that Frank Patalano will quickly go from unknown to well-known.

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saSt. Anthony’s

Last Season

Compiled an overall record of 7-3/were defeated in the AAA semifinals by Cardinal Hayes (44-39)

Top Returning Players

Dion Williams (Sr; RB)—-Stuck behind two seniors (one of whom was his older brother), explosiveness just runs in the Williams family….In limited carries as a year, Dion proved that if you give him open field, he’ll deliver a big gainer…Don’t be the least bit surprised if at the end of the season, he becomes the second Williams sibling in as many years to earn an invite to the pancake breakfast.

Tyler Palminteri (Sr; SB/RB)—An excellent goal line running option, five of Palmiteri’s 61 carries resulted in a touchdown…Like Williams, the onus will fall on his shoulders to maintain the prestige of the Friar tailback tradition…When he is not carrying the ball, Palminteri will should also be among the most popular targets  as a receiver.  As a junior, he soured in this regard, finishing second on the team with 41 catches.  His 484 receiving yards were good enough for fourth best on the Friars.

Andrew Hancock (Sr; WR/SB)—Second last season in both receiving yardage (535) and TDs caught (5), with St. Anthony’s forced to break in a new signal caller, Hancock will have to continue to get open and make himself the primary option for whomever is taking the snaps.

Terrence Mooney (Sr; WR)—A two-way midfielder on the lax field who has already locked up his future by committing to the University of Pennsylvania, Mooney’s athleticism is second to none…If need be, he could assert himself as another pass catching option, but where we know he will continue to shine is in the special teams part of the team.  As a junior, he accumulated 317 yards as a kick returner.  He has “take it the distance” ability each and every time you kick it in his direction.

Daniel Lord (Sr; DL)—The leader of the defensive line, the 6’5 DE has made an art of disrupting the opposing QB.  When he is not getting into the backfield for a sack (had eight of them, along with 52 tackles as a junior), his height enables him to tip a lot of balls at the line of scrimmage…Lord has several college suitors after him, including Stony Brook, the U.S. Military Academy, Fordham, Holy Cross, Bryant, Albany, and Monmouth.

Charles Barsella (Sr; MLB)—-Returning staring linebacker; Barsella was among the team’s leading tacklers in his junior campaign, racking up 103.

Jason Martello (Sr; DL)—Considered the strength of the team in 2016, Martello is a strong candidate to be an All-League player in his senior season

Nick Greer (Jr; DL)—Another returning starter from the DL; the starting heavyweight on the STA wrestling team, Greer knows how to fight for every inch.  It takes that kind of heart and will to thrive on the line…Greer willed his way to 31 stops as a sophomore.

Key losses

Tom Walsh (QB)—5th Team All-State; 2nd Team All-Long Island; All-Catholic selection….Perhaps the most polished quarterback in AAA last season, Walsh was no pinpoint on his throws that he made it a weekly ritual to pick apart opposing defenses…Even in the three games where St. Anthony’s fell short, he played well….The owner of a 63 percent completion rate, Walsh threw for 2667 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2015….

Jordan Williams (RB)—The aforementioned older brother of current Friar top back [Dion], presently, it is Jordan that holds bragging rights at the dinner table, turning in an All-League effort as a senior with a team leading 643 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground..

Kwesi Thomas-Henderson (RB)—Second on the team In rushing yards, Thomas-Henderson had a fine year in that #2 back role, tallying 342 yards on 70 carries with four touchdowns…He was productive as a receiver too, catching 24 balls for 181 yards.

James Pryor II (WR)—An All-Catholic pick who after watching him week after week, we feel deserved a heck of a lot more love from the sportswriters…The peanut butter to Walsh’s jelly, there was not a more lethal partnership in AAA last season…Accounting for half of Walsh’s TD yielding passes), Pryor II led every receiving category in his senior year, making 49 total catches, racking up 811 yards, and as previously mentioned, reaching double digits in TDs…Not too shabby for a guy whose best sport is not even football…Pryor is currently attending MAPS this season as a precursor to playing lacrosse at West Point.

Nick Watts (WR)—A player who most years probably would have garnered All-League honors, Watts may not have had the blow your mind season of Pryor, but he still was darn good, making 40 catches for 523 yards and three touchdowns.

Robert Gregor (OL)—All-League selection for a team that put up over 400 yards of total offense per week….With him manning the line, Walsh had the time necessary to throw for an average of 278 yards/game and the running back committee had the openings that enabled them to dash for an average of 141.

Ryan Westerhaus (OL)—All-Catholic pick; another big-time blocker along that O-line

Kyle O’Donnell (LB)—All-League selection; one of the hardest hitting players in the league last year; O’Donnell had a way of always finding his way to the ball carrier and ceasing him in his tracks.

Josh Griskie (DB)—All-Catholic pick as a senior; was among the team leaders in interceptions

Russell Kohler (DL)—Brought senior leadership to the defensive line…Lord referenced both Kohler and O’Donnell as being mentors that took him under their wing and helped him to make a smooth transition to the varsity last year….Kohler may not have won a title on the gridiron, but he did a few on the wrestling mat, as he was an essential part to the Friars’ sweep of the Dual, League Tournament, and CHSAA State Tournament team crowns.  He himself won individual titles at 195 pounds.

2016 Overview

The Friars who celebrated their last title in 2013, are looking to get back to their championship pedigree

When you do nothing but win for over a decade, it is often difficult to stay positive when all of a sudden, the annual hoisting of the hardware comes to an end….For the St. Anthony’s Friars and their fan base, this is a challenge that they have had to battle every day of the last two seasons.

Semifinal losers in back-to-back years after going on an incredible 11-for-13 run throughout the early 2000s, it might be easy to start second guessing everything you are doing…But, those who think this will ever happen in a Rich Reichert coached program must not know the man.

Now entering his 30th season at the helm, if there was ever a season that the Hall of Famer had added motivation to guide the team back to its winning ways, 2016 would be it as the program is getting ready to embark on its silver anniversary.

Facing many of the same problems as the team that precedes them in this preview [Monsignor Farrell], the Suffolk based powerhouse too must replace their starting signal caller and both of their top-2 running backs from 2015…In addition, there is unproven talent along both the O-Line and in the defensive secondary….Does that mean that the Friars do not consider themselves title threats?

Nothing could be further from the truth…In much the same manner that we praised Stepinac’s uncanny ability to replenish lost talent, Reichert and his staff have a collective lifetime of taking under the radar players and developing them into stars…One of the things about St. Anthony’s that even their biggest rivals have to respect is that no matter the circumstances, the battle cry has always been “next man up”….Individuals within the Friar system have a way of going from afterthoughts as juniors to All-League, All-LI, All-State caliber players a year later….We don’t know what they have in that South Huntington water, but whatever it is, we’d like to bottle it and ship It by the caseload to the rest of the NYCHSFL.

reichert
Coach Reichert enters the 30th season of his legendary coaching career

You see, the trophies are not what defines the STA program; they are the shiny things you can point at as an example of greatness, but ultimately, it is the system and the personnel that built this never-ending dynasty.

It is for the reasons above that our gut tells us that the Friars are going to be fine in the long run at the inexperienced positions.

One luxury they have is that in a league where ability to move the ball on the ground has always been important, they may have the best run-stopping defense in the league thanks to Lord, Greer, Martello, and Barsella….It does not get any more basis than this—if you cannot score, you cannot win…And, with the exception of the front-runners (Stepinac and Hayes), it is going to be hard for much of the league to sustain drives if the running game is being shut down.

With regard to offense, if you think that just because over 3,000 yards of total yardage walked out the door last June that this team is going to have to win low-scoring games, then you are underestimating the ability that guys like Hancock and Palminteri have to make everyone around them better…Both are such adept receivers that even if it a series of screen passes and dinks, they will find a way to turn the ball up field and make something out of nothing.

The first AAA team to step foot on the field in 2016, St. Anthony’s will get the chance to test themselves when they host NJ’s Delbarton on Friday night…A few other fun games that should keep those in attendance glues to their seats are the September 24th game against AA favorite, Christ the King (on the road), and their two home games against the only two teams to best them in 2015, Stepinac (October 7th) and Cardinal Hayes (October 28th).

Note: St. Anthony’s won both the Freshman and JV titles in 2015…Hence, if they are able to connect all of the dots and upend their fellow heavy hitters, it is quite possible that another prolonged run of glory is on the horizon.

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st-petersSt. Peter’s

Last Season

Had a very solid season, going 6-4/lost in the AAA semifinals to Stepinac (49-7)

Top Returning Players

Bobby Wing (Sr; RB)—If he does not hold the title yet, Wing is well on his way to leaving no doubt as to who the best running back in St. Peter’s history is…Last season, the All-City 2nd teamer was unstoppable at times, running for an average of 136 yards per game (1,356 total) and 11 scores…It goes without saying that he will continue in his workhorse role as a senior.

Tyler Catone (Sr; OL)—An experienced senior offensive lineman, the 6’0, 235 pounder will draw the task of assuming leadership responsibilities at an area where three All-Catholic players graduated.

A.J. Mistler (Sr; WR/DB)—An All-City honorable mention as a junior, Head Coach, Mark DeCristoforo told MSG Varsity that in all of the years he has been walking the sidelines, he has not had a better returning DB…Mistler has all of the qualities you look for in a superstar….Look for him to add to his overall impact on the team as there is a good chance he will see significant time as a wide receiver too.

Shakim Douglas (Jr; TE/DE)—One of the elements of the game that St. Peter’s is hoping to improve upon is in the overall execution of the passing game…Douglas, who stands 6’4 and weighs 265 should enjoy a size advantage against anyone who draws him as their assignment.  This ability to win position should allow him to be one of STP’s greatest downfield weapons…Douglas will perform double-duty this season, playing on the DL.

Roger Montalvo (Sr; CB)—Returning starter

Christian Croner (Sr; CB)—Returning starter

Key losses

Joseph Mazziotta (QB)—While the passing game was far from perfect a season ago, Mazziotta did not do a bad job, as he did throw for 913 yards  and seven touchdowns….If his completion percentage (.486) had gone up and his INTs (9) had gone down, we might be talking about an All-Catholic selection for him last year.

Mike Brancato (OL)—One of three imposing blockers that laid the way for Wing to have his breakout season…Was a three-year starter on the OL; Named to the All-City 2nd Team, as well as was picked for All-League honors

Michael Noone (2-way lineman)—If Farrell’s O’Neill had not won Lineman of the Year, the acclaim likely would have gone to this strapping lad…Acknowledged the NYS Writer’s Association for his defensive play, Noone was a 5th-team All-State pick…On the flip side, MSG Varsity was blown away by his performance on the offensive line, as he earned 1st Team All-City distinction…Maybe the best way to end the debate is just to say that at 6’4, 300+ bills, everything about this guy comes up BIG!

Joe Yannaco (OL)—The third returning O-lineman….Like his teammates, he was named to the All-Catholic squad in 2015.

Aidan Smith (DL)—The only returning player on last year’s D-line, Smith’s leadership helped turn the unit into one of the team’s strengths….In addition to being an All-Catholic pick, he had the privilege of finding himself on the All-City 2nd team.

Jason Karteron (DL/LB)—A first-year starter as a senior, Karteron made the most of his final season, earning All-City 1st team honors and being selected for the All-League Team.

Tom Walsh (LB)—All-Catholic honoree as a senior

Chris Filippides (DB)—All-League pick in 2015.

2016 Overview

Semifinalists each of the past two seasons, the Eagles will have some work to do replacing three All-League players on the offensive line, but overall like to be in good shape to go back-to-back-to-back in top-4 league placement.

Led by a serious All-State candidate in tailback Bobby Wing, if the new O-line (should contain four seniors) shows any promise, you know that ball control and time of possession is going to make them competitive in every game they play this season, including the ones against the Big-3.

There was no better illustration of the way Wing can affect the outcome of a game than his 47 carry, 250+ yard, three score effort against Hayes last season…We are not whistling Dixie when we say that this young man is “the franchise”.

Now, while we admittedly boast quite a bit about Wing, it should be understood that the Eagles are by no means a one-person team.

With All-City HM, A.J. Mistler captaining a defensive backfield that returns two additional starters (Montalvo and Croner), and a linebacking corps that with Ryan Thatcher on the inside and Nick Volpe on the outside, points may be at a premium when you play the Eagles.

St. Peter’s will have their two Staten Island rivalry games on the bookend weekends of the season, opening up on Friday night against St. Joe’s by Sea and then capping off the regular reason on October against Monsignor Farrell…Farrell and Peter’s split last year, with the latter getting the bigger win, 22-21 in the AAA playoffs.  You know that when they renew the war for bragging rights, they neither team will leave anything left in the tank….With their ambition to not just reach the semifinals again this season but to leap that hurdle, the middle part of their schedule will be very telling as they face off with St. Anthony’s, Cardinal Hayes, and Stepinac in weeks 4,5, and 7…Even one win in this trio will give them a jolt that they can carry into the postseason.

Good luck to all teams competing this season!!!