Article by Matt Diano
St. Dominic
Head Coach: Gian Villante (Entering 1st Season at the helm)
Last Season: Record: 2-6; No Postseason
Top Returning Players:
*Jayden Marshall (Jr.; LB/RB)—Expected to see significant time on both sides of the ball, Marshall was credited with 2 stops last year on defense, but will play a much larger role this season as a junior….2022 will also bear witness him to trying his hand on offense as he is pegged to be part of a running back rotation for the Bayhawks!
*Jonathan Bartolomei (Jr.; QB/CB)—2021 All-Catholic selection…The incumbent under center, the 11th grader took some lumps last year, but is better off because of the experience he accumulated as the ringleader of the offense…Totaling 377 yards and 4 TDs of production, he connected on 14-of-31 pass attempts for 170 yards (1 touchdown), while calling his only number on keepers 51 times for ground gains of 207 yards (3 TDs)…Defensively, he registered 7 tackles from the secondary!
*Cole Cruz (Sr.; RB/LB)—A bit of Swiss Army Knife for the offense, Cruz posted a team-high 5 receptions (for 25 yards), while also gaining 46 yards rushing on 27 carries…As a main focal point, all of his stats should increase in his final year as a Bayhawk!…Defensively, he is listed as having recorded only one tackle; but he did come away with a team-best 2 pass break-ups!
*Luke Woodstock (Sr.; WR/FS)—A bit of a dark horse after serving as a reserve last season, Woodstock will be front and center at the speed positions in his swan song….He was credited with a single stop last year!
*Andrew Nadler (Jr.; OL)—The man of the middle (center) of the offensive line will be a calming and stabilizing force!
*Jet Sanginario (Sr.; Two-Way Lineman)—A warrior who is going to give 110% of himself on every snap, Sanginario’s 8 stops and 0.5 sacks ranks towards the top of the totem poll in regards to returning personnel for the STD defense…He will also be trusted to keep his QB upright as he draws the responsibility of being one of the two OTs…
*Aidan Cornell (Sr.; Two-Way Lineman)—Another student-athlete who won’t be taking too many snaps off in his last scholastic season will be Cornell, who is penciled in to start at both OG and DT!
*Matthew DeBlasio (Sr.; WR/LB)—Not even appearing on the 2021 roster, DeBlasio has made such a positive impression during camp that he now finds himself in the driver’s seat to start on both sides of the ball….
Impact Newcomers
*Jaimes Gilot (Jr.; DT)—An intra-league transfer by way of Kellenberg Memorial, the 250-pound 11th grader will jump straight into the starting-11 at defensive tackle this season…He could also be utilized to add depth to OL if need be!
2022 Overview
If this was a classic, elementary school verbal joust of “my coach can beat up your coach”, then when it comes to the new mentor of the Bayhawks, that statement would be undeniable valid! Taking the reins of the Oyster Bay based program will be Long Island royalty in the person of former NCAA All-American LB for Hofstra and/or Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran, Gian Villante! They don’t come any tougher than the Levittown native and it need not be said that he will bring this “take no prisoners” attitude with him to his new assignment…
Winning both of their games last season against Nazareth Regional (the only other school in the “A” division), “WIN NOW” is a message that Villante hopes resonates with his roster of capable, but perhaps under the radar diamonds in the rough!
Pinpointing the line of scrimmage as a strength of the team, Jet Sanginario, Cam McGovern, Aidan Cornell, Krys Simon, and Andrew Nadler will be tasked with opening holes for an assortment of running backs consisting of, but necessarily limited to Cole Cruz, Jayden Marshall, & Vincenzo Sucaranzo! 2021 was a learning curve for field general, Jonathan Bartolomei, but with experience comes growth and we are quite high on his potential to thrive as dual-threat sensation…As JB goes, so too will the wide-out trio of Matt DeBlasio, Will Olesen, and Luke Woodstock!
With rosters tending to be on the modest size in “A” ball, just about every name cited above should also be factored in on “D” in some shape or form!!!… KMHS Firebird turned St. Dom’s Bayhawk, Jaimes Gilot, is already drawing rave reviews from his coaches and should be an instant contributor as the starting DT in his new environment!