Week 6 CHSFL Player’s of the Week

By  Matt Diano:

hayesChristian Anderson (Sr.); QB – Cardinal Hayes Cardinals

It took four weeks to occur, but the sleeping giants that is CJ O’Neil’s Cardinals are wide awake and starting to look to clearly resemble the AAA title contenders we pegged them as at the start of the 2016 season….Losing their first three games of the year, the Bronx based program has been in the midst of a complete 180 since week #4, knocking off Xavier, St. Peter’s, and now Chaminade in back-to-back-to-back outings…..Through all of the ups and downs,  one student-athlete who has consistency made his presence known on a weekly basis has been the 6’0, 155-pounder senior under center, Anderson. 

Playing three of his best statistical games (in regards to quarterback rating) during the current winning streak, the always dynamic signal caller has thrown for an average of 230.6 yards, totally eight aerial TDs….The “do-it-all” overseer of the Hayes offense also posted his two best running games of the season in weeks 5 and 6, cruising to the promised land two times each against the Eagles and Flyers. 

 An individual who has already received college offers from SUNY-Albany and Central Connecticut, and is being actively scouted by Syracuse, Rutgers, and Temple among other major programs, Anderson’s stock most definitely increased last Saturday as he combined to pile up 336 yards on a neutral field to propel Hayes to a fiery 34-31 win over their foes from Mineola. 

Connecting with junior WR, Lucas Nunez (4 catches, 89 yards) on a pair of first half touchdown hurls, Anderson was instrumental in helping the Cardinals build a 20-0 advantage…While they never trailed at any point during the contest, the game did become very dramatic with the “visiting” Flyers getting as close as a two-point margin (26-24) in the 4th quarter….But alas, having already torched them twice in the air (as mentioned above) and once on the ground (went 60 yards untouched to make the score 26-17), Anderson delivered the fatal blow with 2:47 remaining in regulation, feeding off of junior teammate,  Carlos Fernandez’s 22-yard scrambler, by punching the ball in from the 1-yard line on a QB keeper to open up a 10-point advantage…His fourth overall score proved to be the game-winner as a Chaminade TD on their next position drew them within a final deficit of three.

Anderson’s stat line for week #6 read as such: 11-for-19 passing, 204 yards, 2 TDs; 132 yards rushing on 15 touches and two additional touchdowns….Easily one of the most respected dual-threat QBs in the Catholic League, his ground work represented the first time this season that the Hayes 12th grader surpassed 100-yards running….Despite not being as explosive with his legs as he was as junior, Anderson still ranks second on the team with 248 rushing yards and is the Cardinals’ leader with six TDs….When you combine these numbers with the 13 touchdown passes he has thrown (79-for-138, 1,323 yards), his total of 19 scores is only four less than his 2015 output.    

 

fattell-lionPaul Inzerillo (Sr.); PK – Monsignor Farrell Lions

If we were to tell you that a student-athlete would catch six balls, rack up over 200 receiving yards, and record multiple touchdowns and NOT be the most influential player on his team, you might give us a sideways look to convey your amazement….It is no exaggeration to say that quite possibly this scenario may never again be the case, but last Saturday, despite having a career defining afternoon, WR Rocco Miraglia was overshadowed by of all people, the Lions kicker [Inzerillo].

Converting on three of his four field goal attempts (including a 52-yarder earlier in the 4th quarter), the selection of the senior special teamer has everything to do with not only his willingness in embracing the big moment, but also in his ability to overcome the intense pressure and succeed with his team’s hopes squarely on his back (and leg)….Countless times at higher levels of the sport, we have watched as men many years his elder have succumb in the closing moments….However, instead of being a “Norwood”, Inzerillo showed himself to be a “Vinatieri” in the closing seconds of Farrell’s week #6 game against the defending State Champion Stepinac Crusaders, drilling a 37-yard game-winning FG with no time remaining on the clock to send the Anthony Garofalo mentored squad to a 23-20 victory on the road.   The “w’ improved Farrell’s overall record this season to 5-1, keeping them very much in the hunt for the top-seed in the triple-A playoffs. 

The 5’8, 165-pounder would put three other kicks between the uprights last weekend, as he initially gave Farrell a 3-0 lead when he hit a 40-yarder in the first quarter…Inzerillo was also a perfect 2-for-2 on PAT attempts in the third quarter, tacking on those often important extra points after each of Miraglia’s TD receptions….These two gentlemen, along with quarterback Frank Patalano, played such a pivotal role in this “upset” victory that it was only right that the winning kick was set up by a 58-yard completion. 

Through six games, Inzerillo has posted a 90 percent success rate, hitting on eight of his 10 FG tries, complemented by a 22-for-23 on PATs….Hence, should Farrell find themselves in another down to the wire war next week against St. Anthony’s, you know there will be no hesitation on the sideline to summon their special (teams) weapon.    

 

seaDom Anderson (Sr.); WR/DB – St. Joe’s by the Sea Vikings

Farrell was not the only Staten Island school this week that picked up a “w” by virtue of a heroic effort on special teams in the waning ticks of the 4th quarter….The host Vikings of St. Joe’s by Sea also had saw their fate resting on the success/failure of one field goal attempt….However, unlike the neighboring Lions, Mike Corona’s squad found themselves on the other side of the equation, having to defend a 21-20 lead versus Xavier…. Needing only to convert a kick from the very makeable distance of 27 yards, if you were a betting man, you probably already had the win penciled in for the visiting defending Double-A Champion Knights…And, to be quite truthful, more times than not, your instincts would probably be correct….But alas, MAJORITY OF THE TIME did not mean a hill of beans last weekend, because SJS had senior, Dom Anderson, and if there is one thing we know, it is that the 6’3 future Ivy Leaguer (Cornell) is a playmaker….After all, when his team needed it most, he was there to register the two game-changing plays that enabled his school to improve to 3-2 in AA contests and 3-3 overall. 

One week removed a nine catch, 185 yard, 2 TD performance in a loss to Fordham Prep, Anderson (who ranks 1st on the Vikings in all major receiving categories), had been kept relatively under control by Xavier, as he entered the last half minute of regulation with four grabs for 77 yards and no touchdowns…But, as the Bee Gees once sang, “you can’t keep a good man down”, and for Anderson that translated into a 7-yard TD catch off of a slant pattern to turn a 20-14 deficit into a 21-20 edge. 

Needing to defend only for the remaining 30 seconds, SJS made things interesting to say the least when they got burned on a Hail Mary that put the ball on the Viking 5-yard line, thus setting the stage for act #2 of the All-Anderson variety minute….Timing the snap perfectly, Anderson exploded into the backfield, blocking the kick and saving the day. 

While nothing will compare to the two previously cited plays, it is worth recognizing that Anderson was tied for 3rd on the team with seven tackles, including one TFL as a key member of the Viking secondary…Offensively, he raised his team-high stats to 30 catches for 637 yards and six scores…. On “D”, his seven stops brings his total to 21. 

 

holy-trinity-50Will Corchado (Sr.); RB/DB – Holy Trinity Titans

A player to whom we owe an apology; when the season started, we made a very poor assumption that the key to defeating Holy Trinity was to limit the damage done by fellow Titan senior tailback, Umari Taylor…This statement is no longer close to accurate thanks in large part to the emergence of the 6’2, 180-pound resident of Elmont [Corchado]….If seeking evidence to support the fact that there is a multi-headed monster in Hicksville, you need go back no later than this past weekend where Corchado averaged an astonishing 23.3 yards per carry (140 yards for the game) and scored two first half rushing TDs to thrust HT to a 52-0 non-league win over Single-A title contender, Cardinal Spellman. 

The second Titan this season chosen for his outstanding play (Taylor in week #1), Corchado also happens to be the second consecutive student-athlete honored in the week in which his school celebrated a golden anniversary…Last week it was St. John the Baptist RB, Sean Cavanagh ringing in the 50-year anniversary of the school’s opening; this past weekend, Corchado left his own mark on five decades of Titan football glory. 

With his team already leading 10-0 in the first quarter, the team captain made his first trip to the end zone when he broke away for a 34-yard run to further pad the lead….Following a Taylor TD run that made the score 24-0, Corchado again found daylight before the conclusion of the opening half, posting his biggest gainer of the day when exploded on a 67-yarder to send the host school into the break with the 31-0 advantage. 

Now up 38-0, Corchado’s versatility as a two-way player was showcased in a colossal capacity, as he made it three straight quarters with a score when he stepped in front of a Judges’ pass and raced 44 yards for the pick-6….He also contributed four solo tackles from the cornerback position in aiding the defense in pitching their first shutout of 2016. 

Second only to Taylor in total rushing yards (340) and touchdowns scored (9), Corchado tops the HT charts this season with 10 catches and three receiving touchdowns….His INT on Saturday gave him the team lead in that category as well, with 2 on the year. 

 

kennedyEd Longest (Jr.); OL/DL – Kennedy Catholic Gaels

The boys from Somers are on fire as they are now riding a two-game winning streak following a 40-20 win on October 15th over Nazareth Regional to improve their record in 2016 to 2-3 in league play and 3-3 overall. 

Much like the dilemma we faced when having to choose between the two players from Monsignor Farrell, when evaluating the KC triumph over the Kingsmen, there were young man that immediately stood out as equally deserving….In fact, for the first time this season, there was genuine contemplation regarding whether or not to wave the “one-person per team” guideline to which we try to adhere. 

While the decision was ultimately made to opt for the player who was active on both sides of the ball, we would be remiss if we did not take at least a moment to acknowledge that senior, James Wieder Jr. (228 yards of total offense—106 rushing w/1 TD; 122 receiving w/3 TDs) could just as easily have been the individual who had his name called. 

 When weighing all considerations, the tie-breaking criteria that resulted in the 6’1, 250-pound dual-lineman being “our guy” is that there was a feeling that his work in the trenches was a precipitating factor in his teammate’s success on the ground….With the 2016 Catholic State Wrestling Champion (the first for the Gaels since the team was reinstated a few seasons ago) anchoring the O-line, a trio of Kennedy ball carriers averaged 9.2 yards on 21 attempts, combing for 194 yards and the aforementioned one touchdown. 

While it is impossible to discount the value he brings to the blocking game, where Longest really thrived (both over the weekend and all season) was on the other side of the ball, as in the words of Head Coach, Dominick Tassone, “he lived in the backfield most of the night” and “reestablished the line of scrimmage all game.”…Proof that the 11th grader who hails from Katonah was worthy of his coach’s high praise came in the form of a seven tackle (3 for a loss), 2.5 sack effort that saw him recover a fumble and log three QB hurries. 

Viewing the season as a whole, Longest has been so unbelievable in his defensive pursuit that he not only leads the Gaels in tackles, he enjoys a nearly 40 stop advantage in the category…His 17 TFL is 14 more than the next closest teammate, and his 2.5 sacks on Saturday moved him into the #1 spot with three in 2016.

st-petersJohn Martinos (Sr.); QB – St. Peter’s Eagles

The man who needs no introduction, Vince Lombardi, once said, “Perfection is not attainable; but if we chase perfection we catch excellence.”…This past Sunday, the Eagles of St. Peter’s caught everything including perfection in a 48-2 victory over St. Francis Prep that snapped a two-game losing streak. 

Fresh off of a three interception game in a week #5 loss to Cardinal Hayes, the 6’1, 188-pound field general from Staten Island, Martinos, was immaculate in his bounce-back effort, displaying sharp shooting precision in captaining Coach Mark DeCristoforo’s to a “w” that improved their overall record to 4-2 in 2016. 

Completing a career high 19 passes on 19 throw attempts, Martinos would also surpass the 300-yard mark for the first time in his varsity career, concluding his historic afternoon with 320 yards and two passing touchdowns. 

Demonstrating superior field vision, Martinos utilized six different receivers, four of whom notched multiple catch days…Sophomore stud, Chris Ledlum, who is quickly emerging as one of the preeminent young wide-outs in NYS, was on the back end of 10 of his quarterback’s completions, ending the day with 215 yards and one TD….Senior receiver, Kyle Volpe, made the most of his lone catch, taking it 30 yards to the house for the other of Martinos pair of touchdown tosses.

Following his storybook tale faultlessness, Martinos raised his completion percentage on the year to a strong 64.2% (88-for-137), throwing for 1,022 yards, and six touchdowns. 

The Eagles have a showdown with two-time defending AAA league Champions, Stepinac, next weekend, so you know that DeCristoforo and staff are praying the clock does not struck midnight on whatever magic the STP signal caller had working against Francis Prep.