By Matt Diano: In all deference to the band, the Trashmen, “Bird” would not be the word during the final week of the
regular season in CHSFL play. Instead, the key term would be “defense” as four of our five selections for
week #8 come from that side of the ball.
Recognized for their impeccable play during the weekend of October 29thNovember 1st are:
Frank Masella; LB – Xavier Knights
Locked in a defensive battle where points were hard to come by, had it not been for Masella and the
rest of the Knight defense’s refusal to give an inch, last Saturday’s game against Holy Trinity could
have gone in an entirely different direction for the Christopher Stevens coached squad…Struggling
to get their proficient ground attack on track during the first 24 minutes of the game (finished the half
with only 28 rushing yards), the defense, led by their returning Most Valuable Player, would stand
tall, overcoming the tilted field to keep the game scoreless. In doing so, as Coach Stevens put it,
“they allowed the offense the time it needed to sort itself out”, which it did, rushing for 142 yards and
two scores (both by senior halfback, Mike Chiarovano) in the second half to seize a 14-0
advantage…Even after their offensive counterparts rediscovered their mojo, the “D” would remain
completely zoned in, as they held the visiting Titans to negative eight yards rushing in the second
half and just missed pitching their first shutout of the season when a HT touchdown pass in the final
21 seconds erased the goose egg…The 5’9, 200 pound senior would post his fourth double digit
tackle game of 2015, finishing with a season high 14 stops, which included one tackle for a loss. He
now has 79 tackles on the season (9.9 per game), which if Xavier’s (71) #2 seed holds true, would
put him on pace to exceed the 102 stops he made as a junior.
Nicholas Cipolla; RB – St. John the Baptist Diocesean HS Cougars
The consummate teamfirst player, for much of the season, the 6’0,178 pound senior would watch
as teammate, Jerome Brooks III, racked up out of this world statistics, garnering player of the week
consideration after every game this season. This past Friday, it would be Cipolla’s turn to step into
that featured back role and shine…Playing in the final regular season game of his scholastic career,
the East Islip resident would stand at the forefront of a lethal offensive attack that put up 34 points in
the first 12 minutes of play, as SJB (71, 61) would lock up the #3 seed in the AA playoffs with the
48-6 victory over St. Francis Prep…Serving as a lead blocker (which he has done on several of the
Cougars’ 31 rushing touchdowns this season), Cipolla would “pave the highway” for the first three
scores [Brooks III runs of 20, 39, and 35 yards] of the game for the Cougars as they built an early
21-6 lead. His unselfishness would be rewarded during the latter part of the opening quarter as
Coach Ralph Carusillo would call his number (#44) on a pair of touchdown runs from 41 and 70
yards out to increase the Baptist lead to 346…Cipolla’s third and final TD of the contest would come
in the second quarter when he found daylight and sped 45 yards to the house to culminate a streak
of six uninterrupted touchdown yielding drives…In total, Cipolla would finish the game with 242 yards
on 16 carries, raising his yearly output to 1,009 yards and eight TDs on 120 carries. Of the 3,000+
yards on the ground compiled by the Suffolk based program, Carusillo estimated that Cipolla had a
hand in at least 2,000 of them.
John Kelly; LB – Monsignor Farrell Lions
Only the second underclassman to be honored in 2015 [Fordham Prep quarterback, Matt Valecce;
week #3, being the first], the sophomore linebacker from Staten Island would spearhead the return
of a Lion shutdown defensive unit that finished the regular season ranked 2nd in total points allowed
(170 points; just over 21 ppg given surrendered). Just a week removed from giving up over 500
yards in the air as a part of a 63-35 shootout loss to St. Anthony’s, Kelly would take it upon himself
to guarantee that there would not be a repeat occurrence as the 6’1, 185 pounder would be nothing
short of remarkable when dropping back into pass coverage, intercepting two balls and holding a trio
of Holy Cross signal callers to just 86 yards on 4 for 11 throwing attempts as Farrell sent the fans home
happy with the 38-14 win…Kelly’s talents for creating turnovers would also spark the offense as
both of his picks would result in touchdowns being scored on the ensuing possessions…With Farrell
already leading 14-0 in the second quarter, the first of Kelly’s INTS would set the Lions up on the
opponent’s 24 yard line; they would punch the ball into the end zone three plays later on a Stephen
Viegas 5 yard run…After witnessing his team score on their opening drive of the second half to pad
the lead to 31-6, Kelly would again find himself in the right place at the right time, as he stepped in
front of another Joseph Fellin pass; with the ball back in his hands, senior QB Michael Cloppse
would hit junior, Gavin Monreale, from three yards out for MF’s final tally of the game…In addition to
his pair of INTs, Kelly would also finish the game with nine tackles, including two for a loss…Kelly is
now the third player from the Lions D-Unit that has earned POTW recognition.
Dan Negron; LB – Archbishop Stepinac Crusaders
The defending AAA Champions and current #1 ranked team in NYS would remain perfect (8-0)
in 2015 as they would stifle anything that the visiting Flyers of Chaminade would attempt to do on
offense, holding their foes from Mineola to a mere 105 yards of total offense in a onesided 41-7
victory on Senior Day…In what was unquestionably a collective effort by the Crusaders defense, the
nomination of the senior captain from Hartsdale is as much in honor of his amazing three year
varsity career, as it is in recognition of his squad leading eight tackles this past Saturday….One of
the most decorated players in A.S. history, Negron, who carries a 4.0 grade point average as an
advanced placement track student athlete was sidelined for the first three games of the season
while recovering from concussion issues. However, since resuming his duties in the middle of the
Stepinac defense he has made 54 stops to surpass the 250 tackle milestone in his scholastic
career…A young man of many diverse interests and talents, the accomplished trumpet player will
have the opportunity to further add to his legacy when these same two teams square off in the first
round of the AAA playoffs on November 8th
Abdoul Kouyate; DE – Cardinal Hayes Cardinals
With the “House That George” built in the background, the senior defensive end from the Bronx
would deliver the kind of clutch performance that would have made Steinbrenner proud…Exploding
off the line on every snap, Kouyate was in the face of St. Anthony’s senior QB, Tom Walsh, so often
last Saturday afternoon that he might as well have been his Siamese twin…The 6’3, 250pound
passrusher looked unblockable at times, making three of his five solo tackles for a loss, including a
pair of first half sacks that helped Hayes take a 12-7 advantage into halftime on their way to the 32-
25 win in the regular season finale…As a cohort, the C.H. defense would apply so much pressure to
the league’s leading hurler that they would limit him to just 197 yards on 21 for 37 passing, his
lowest total in games where he attempted 30 or more throws…St. Anthony’s would not have much
luck in the run game either, finishing with just 52 yards on 19 handoffs (2.7/carry average)…The “w”
this past weekend, the first in program history against the Friars, would also have major playoff
ramifications as it enabled the Cardinals to leap over STA into second place in the CHSFL
standings. Should these two teams meet in the AAA semifinals in a few weeks, Hayes will now
enjoy the perks of being the home team.