By Matt Diano:
In Week #7 of NYCHSFL action, no record, milestone, or personal best would be safe, as our four selections feature a 300-yard rusher, two dominant return men and a lethal ball hawk on both sides of the field.
Recognized for their impeccable play during the weekend of October 24th-October 25th are:
Alex Benson; WR/DB – Kennedy Catholic Gaels
For the second time this season, it would be the junior from Beacon, NY putting the Gaels on his back and leading them to a one-score victory over Nazareth. A POTW honoree back in week #2 when his four touchdown effort led the Somers based program to a 26-18 triumph over the Kingsmen, Benson would be just as outstanding in the rematch, as he compiled over 300 total yards in leading KC to the 28-22 victory on Saturday afternoon. In addition to the satisfaction of earning a sweep of the series versus their foes from Brooklyn, the win, which improved Kennedy Catholic to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in league play (the first game was considered a non-league contest) would have an even bigger consequence as it would secure the school’s first playoff berth since the 2009-2010 season…While he is capable of being a game-changer from anywhere on the field, this past weekend, Benson would choose special teams as his forum to shine. Returning both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown, it was as if the 11th grader was lathered in butter as no one could get a handle on him. Never was this point more visible than on another of his touchdown yielding plays, as he would salvage a “HB toss right” attempt that was destined for a loss of yards by reversing field in a single motion to find the end zone from just inside the 20-yard line…On the season, Benson’s stat line now reads: 16 total touchdowns, with four interceptions and three forced fumbles. Numbers like this more than support Gaels’ head coach, Ted Florio’s belief that his student-athlete “has consistently proved himself to be among the best all-around players in the A division.”
Umari Taylor; RB/DB – Holy Trinity Diocesan HS Titans
While it may have officially been “Senior Day” this past weekend in Hicksville, the afternoon would unquestionably belong to the 5’8, 160-pound junior…Taylor, who scored his first two rushing touchdowns of the season in the aforementioned week #6 loss to SJB, would be invincible this past Saturday, racking up more carries, yards, and TDs in one 48 minute span than he had in the Titans’ previous six games…Embracing the role of workhorse for Coach Tony Mascia’s HT squad, Taylor would be on the backend of 30 handoffs, rushing for a mind-blowing 309 yards and four touchdowns in his school’s runaway (no pun intended) 41-16 win over the Vikings of St. Joseph’s by the Sea…Unbelievably, Taylor would require less than 12 full minutes to single-handedly outscore the opposition from Staten Island, as he broke a trio of double-digit (61, 10, 71) yardage runs in the first quarter as a part of the Green & White’s 28-point effort (led 28-0 at the end of 1). His fourth and final touchdown of the game would come from a much closer distance as he increased the Titan lead to 35-0 when he punched the ball in from one-yard out in the second quarter…Fellow junior, Peter Zarba, would also have a career day from his kicking position, as he connected on all seven of his attempts, going 5-for-5 on extra points and adding a pair of 27-yard field goals in the second half to round out the scoring for Holy Trinity who improved to 3-3 in the AA league and 3-4 overall. This win has ensured the Titans of the #5 seed in the upcoming playoffs.
TJ Morrison; WR/DB – Archbishop Stepinac Crusaders
After missing the first two games of his senior season and then being less than 100 percent for the next few that followed, the WR/CB from Yonkers is back to his top form, as he showed this past Saturday when he made a season high five catches for 76 yards and a pair of touchdowns to help the Mike O’Donnell mentored Crusaders remain perfect (7-0/6-0) in 2015 via a 52-6 conquering of St. Peter’s Boys…Morrison, who is being wooed by 10 NCAA schools (including instate institutions—SUNY-Buffalo, the United States Military Academy, Stony Brook University, and SUNY-Albany) has now posted back-to-back multi touchdown games as a wide-out for Stepinac…With A.S. already leading 24-0, the 5’11, 180-pounder would be on the receiving end of the first of QB Tyquell Fields’s (15-for-19, 213 yards) four TD passes, as the two seniors hooked up on the 28-yard second quarter strike to pad the lead to 31-0. One quarter later, the duo would again be in synch as Fields hit Morrison on a 5-yard pass to make the score 45-0…Morrison, from whom opposing quarterbacks tend to throw away, would temporarily be credited with his third score of the game when he intercepted his third pass of the season and raced 60 yards to the house. However, an off the ball penalty following the INT would erase the TD. The Crusader upperclassman would complete his resume for the day by making two tackles and defending two additional passes in holding Eagles’ senior field general, Joe Mazziotta, to 137 yards in the air…Morrison and his teammates will look to cap off their second straight undefeated regular season next week when they return home to host Chaminade. Regardless of result, the #1 ranked team in the Empire State (per the New York State Sportswriters Association) has already guaranteed itself the top spot in the AAA playoffs.
Jake Lamb; DB – Kellenberg Memorial HS Firebirds
For the second week in a row, a KMHS win would be complemented by a player of the week selection. In both instances, it would be the performance of the student-athlete on special teams that proved to be of the utmost importance in yielding a Firebird victory…For Lamb, the 6’3, 155-pound senior out of Freeport, that breakout moment would come in the second quarter when he set up the second TD of the game (35 yard pass from junior Joe Grimm to Week #6 POTW, senior Kieran Fitzgerald) for Kellenberg by bringing a kickoff back 50 yards (he finished with 85 total yards on three return attempts) to give his offense excellent starting position on their drive. The touchdown that ensued would give the Kevin Hanifan coached team a 19-7 lead at the half, as they went on to claim the 26-14 win over Mount St. Michael Academy to up their 2015 record to 3-4 overall (2-4 in the AA league)…By no means a one trick pony, Lamb would also be a force on the defensive side of the ball, recording 11.5 tackles (4 solo), with two of these stops resulting in a loss of yards for the Mountaineers…The “w” on Saturday afternoon would ensure that the Firebirds would be playoff bound as this second league victory would clinch a top-8 finish in the nine team division. Kellenberg will put the finishing touches on the regular season this Saturday when go on the road to face unbeaten Christ the King. The Royals have already earned the #1 seed in the postseason, whereas the Firebirds will be fighting to maintain the slight edge they currently enjoy over Joe’s by the Sea and St. Francis Prep in the battle for the #6 slot in the double-A bracket.