Chaminade (1-4) vs. Moore Catholic (3-3)
When: Sunday October 15th, 2023 @1:30pm
Where: Goldstar Stadium on the Chaminade HS campus (340 Jackson Ave, Mineola, NY 11501)
Watch: LocalLive (Chaminade Feed)
Players to Watch (Chaminade)
*Tyler Granito (Sr.; QB)—In our GOTW preview last weekend, we suggested that we needed to see better accuracy out of the senior QB for the Flyers; and Granito delivered on that raised expectation, as he completed 10-of-15 pass attempts for 94 yards while recording just his second multiple-TD toss performances of the year (2) in the win over Kellenberg!
*Timothy Murphy (Jr.; QB)—Added to the list of players to watch, Chaminade has been utilizing their back-up signal caller in kind of a “freshman Tim Tebow” package where they capitalize off of his combination of size (6’2, 210-pound) and speed to bolster the running game….His role in this capacity increasing with each passing week, Murphy banked his first career varsity touchdown as part of an 8-keeper, 75-yard afternoon during week #5…He also punched in a 2pt conversion!
*Peter Gerbasi (Jr.; RB)—Growing into the #1 RB that Flyers fan knew he would always become, the injury to senior starter, Jack Tully, has enabled Gerbasi to become one of the breakout stars of the year….Establishing a new personal-best for a second consecutive week, he carried the pigskin 18 times for 93 yards and scored his second touchdowns of the fall in the victory over the Firebirds….He was on the cusp of the century mark in both weeks 4 (87) and 5 (93)…Will week 6 be the occasion where he crosses the threshold?
*Michael Dietrich (Jr.; WR)—Held without a catch last weekend, Dietrich still maintains his lead atop the leaderboard in all receiving categories for the Crimson & Gold, and we are confident that he bounces back and returns to his snatching habits in week #6…With 15 catches through five games, the Massapequa resident remains on pace to have one of the most prolific junior seasons from a Chaminade during our time covering the team/league!
*Brendan Park (Jr.; WR)—Mr. Consistency!!! We remarked that Park had caught exactly two passes in every game this season leading up to the Marianist Bowl showdown with KMHS….And guess what he did in week #5? He caught two more balls!!!…Sitting in 2nd on the totem pole with 10 receptions for 103 yards, he is capable of stretching the “D” more than he has been asked to do this year; but while he waits for the homerun ball to come his way, he is doing a fine job of making steady contributions
*Peter Braz (Jr.; WR)—On the back end of one of Granito’s two TD passes, the junior receiver recorded his second multi-catch game of the season (2 grabs for 26 yards, 1TD) to raise his season totals to 7 snatches for 82 yards, 2 touchdown hauls!!
*James Levelis (Sr.; WR)—While no nomination was submitted, the 6’5 senior certainly would have warranted Player of the Week consideration after having a season day in the triumph over Kellenberg….Entering week #5 having made just one catch all fall, Levelis exploded for a 5-reception, 43-yard outing that was highlighted by his first career varsity TD grab!!
*Nicholas Rinaldi/Lucas Catoggio (Offensive Line)—A significant difference-maker in helping the Flyers break into the win column last weekend, this may have been the offensive line’s finest performance of the season thus far, as their blocking laid the tracks for the program to rush for a season-high 201 yards while scoring a season-best 35 points!!
*Seamus Miller (Sr.; LB)—His usual steady presence as the captain of the Chaminade “D”, Miller was credited with 7 total stops last Saturday (3 solo, 4 assisted) to raise his season total to 40 tackles
*Dean Schmitt (Jr.; LB)—Performing at an All-Catholic level week after week, Schmitt surpassed double-digits in tackles for a second consecutive appearance, recording 13 stops against the Firebirds as a follow-up to a 15-hit game in week #4 versus St. Anthony’s…He currently enjoy a +9 advantage over the next highest tackler on the team, as his 55 stops tops all defensive personnel!
*Luke Cocchiola (Sr.; LB)—Reliable in the role of that hybrid LB/Safety, Cocchiola has logged six or more tackles in four of five contests this fall, including identical 6-stop efforts in weeks 4 and 5!….His 34 total tackles ranks 4th on the squad!
*Brian Knapp (Sr.; LB)—Leading all Chaminade players with 5 solo tackles during week 5, Knapp finished with 6 total stops to fall just one short of matching his career-best set during week #1 versus Iona Prep…
*Declan Trainor (Sr.; LB)—Entering week #5 having registered just 5 stops all year, the 215-pound Huntington resident elevated his output in a major way in the win over KMHS, as he amassed season-bests in tackles (8) and TFLs (2)
*Eamonn Welch (Sr.; DE)—A week removed from establishing a career-high of 12 stops in the loss to St. Anthony’s, Welch did not remove his foot from the gas pedal, as he finished tied for second on the team with 8 total tackles (to bring his seasonal sum to 46), knocked down a pass with his mitts, and even pounced on a loose ball for a fumble recovery to anchor the Flyer DL!…Welch has no fewer than 8 tackles in a single outing thus far in 2023!
*Giancarlo Viscardi (Jr.; DE)—After getting off to a slow start to the fall, the 11th grader out of Franklin Square has emerged as one of the most active members of the Chaminade “D” the past two weeks, as he complemented a career-best 8 stop performance in week 4 by tacking on 6 more hits in week 5 to raise his fall sum to 18 and counting!!!
*John Marshall (Sr.; CB)—The seasoned veteran and leader of the last line of defense, Marshall was in on 2 solo tackles and 3 assists to register his third game with 5 or more stops…Against a Maverick team that has a plethora of capable receivers, he will need to be at his best!
*William Handley (Jr.; SS)—Turned Defense into Offense, the junior safety made sure that his second INT of the season would be one to remember, as he took it all the way back to the house for the 21-yard Pick-6 during week #5….The Williston Park resident also tacked on 4 tackles (3 solo, 1 assisted) to show that he is adept at all responsibilities!
*Timothy Tomlinson (Sr.; PK/P)—Still trying to iron out the scoring aspects of his kicking duties, Tomlinson went 3-for-4 on PAT attempts during week #5….But the element of his talent that really are transformational have been his ability to single-handedly bury opponents with poor starting field position….Averaging just under 60 yards (58.5) and notching four touchbacks on his six kick-offs, the senior specialist also booted the ball within the opposing 20 on his lone punt attempt to make the Firebirds continually have to take the long route!
Players to Watch (Moore Catholic)
*Thomas Zeh (Fr.; QB)—Quickly becoming one of our favorite young guns in all of New York State, Zeh may still be in the “game-manager” stage of his career, but he is doing a heck of a job orchestrating win after win….Connecting on 26-of-33 pass attempts for 302 yards and 4 touchdowns during the Mavericks’ two-game winning streak, he is playing with a poise well beyond his age!
*Matthias Lighten (Sr.; WR/CB)—Now sitting at 20 catches for 274 yards and 1 touchdown after posting a team-best 5 for 54 in the victory over St. Peter’s during week #5, there is never a moment that Lighten is not considered dangerous…Defensively, he is fresh off of his most complete effort, as he racked up 6 total tackles, 1 TFL, and a sack
*RJ Pacheco (Jr.; RB)—Capable of beating you with either power or speed, the 11th grader has now rushed for 100+-yards in back-to-back outings, as his display in week #5 was his best to date in 2023, as he gained 105 yards and scored a pair of TDs on 21 attempts while adding 20 additional yards off of 2 receptions as a pass-catcher out of the backfield!!….
*Boakai Veikai (Sr.; WR)—His team-best 7th TD haul being the signature moment of his week #5 performance, the 6’4, 210-pound Staten Island resident made four grabs in total to raise his senior stat line to 16 catches for 261 yards and the aforementioned 7 scores…Held without a touchdown snatch just once this season, you almost take for granted that Veikai is destined to be on the back-end of a TD strike at some point during the 48-minute melee!!
*Jayden Melendez (So.; WR)—Relatively quiet during week #5, the Swiss Army Knife for MC only touched the ball twice on offense for the Mavericks, making a 12-yard grab for his lone reception and gaining 6 yards on his only carry of the afternoon….While history tells us that he may only be the third option in the aerial attack, we regard him as a time bomb that can detonate at any moment!
*Aqil Meredith-Smith (Sr.; OT/DE)—Further his cause for Lineman of the Year consideration, the 285-pound two-way player hailing from Elizabeth, NJ was the foundation of an OL that enabled Moore Catholic to accumulate 304 yards of total offense and score 3 touchdowns in their battle of SI triumph against St. Peter’s….He got his named call on four different occasions on “D” to complement his dominance along the line of scrimmage, as he made 2 solo stops and helped on two other tackles!!!
*Isaiah Vanterpool (Jr.; LB)—Recognized for his mind-blowing effort in the win over the Eagles last weekend, the reigning NYCHSFL Player of the Week honoree set new personal-bests with 11 total stops and 4 TFLs to vault himself to the top line of each category….And as if that was not sufficient enough, he added a sack to give him a Mav-leading 2.5 on the year!!…Vanterpool has registered at least tackle for negative yardage in four of six appearances in 2023; he is a nightmare for opposing OLs!
*Michael Herbert (Jr.; LB)—Heating up as we approach the homestretch of the regular season, the 11th grader has posted consecutive 9 tackle demonstrations in weeks 4 and 5 to increase his fall total to 40 (3rd on the team)…
*Omar Mendez Jr. (So.; LB/DE)—A bit of a Jekyll & Hyde type performer during his ongoing sophomore campaign, we are never sure which version of the 5’11, 205-pound edge rusher is going to show up on a given day….For much of 2023, he has putting up 1-3 tackle resumes….But in weeks 3 and 4, he showed the potential he possessed to be the ultimate disruptor when he recorded 19 stops/5 TFLs/2 sacks….If the “beast” shows up, he is a difference-maker!…
*DJ Stewart (Sr.; DB/WR)—-Showing his versatility in spades, there was not a hat that Stewart did not try on during week #5, as he gained 70 yards rushing on his first four carries of the season, added a 10 yard reception, had a 20-yard kick-off return on special teams and still had enough left over in the tank to be in on 5 tackles (1 solo, 4 assists)….With averages of 17.5 per run and 15.4/catch, the Ramsey resident is one of those guys that may not touch the ball much; but when he does, he treats the audience to something magical!!
*Gerald Green (Jr.; DB/RB)—Breaking into double-digits in tackles for the second time this season behind a 10-stop illustration in the win over St. Peter’s, opposing team already had plenty of reasons to fear Green; but he provided them with yet another reason to be terrified as he went end to end on an 84-yard kick-off return for a touchdown to showcase another manner in which he can influence the game….Not asked to carry the ball at all during week #5, do not forget that in limited opportunities, he is averaging 6.4 yards per try (109 on 17 hand-offs)!!
*Glenn Shepperd (So.; SS)—Accounting for 20 of his 34 tackles, as well as 4/5s of his TFLs in the past three weeks, the 10th grader is in a zone and will be a major asset in stuffing the run from inside the box!
*Billy Cozidente (So. DB)—Putting himself on the watch list for week #6 by virtue of being on the heels of his finest scholastic performance a week ago, the 6’2, 185-pound defensive back logged a career-best 7 stops while adding his second interception of 2023!!
*Giovanni Bennardo (So,; PK)—Another first-time PTW inclusion, Bennardo is quietly having one of the best seasons of any place-kicker in the entire NYCHSFL…..Successful on 15 of 18 total kick, he has gone 12-for-14 on PATs (3-for-3 in week 5), while also hitting on 3/4s of his FG tries (long of 45), including knocking a 30-yarder through the uprights last weekend!
Synopsis
Let’s play it back for a second straight week!!!!
A match-up of two programs that have gone a combined 3-0 in spotlight games this season (including both earning wins in week #5), the fact that this is a rematch of the 2021 AA-1 title game adds an extra element of motivation on one sideline when the Flyers welcome in the Mavericks to Gold Star Stadium on Sunday!!
While only senior place-kicker, Timmy Tomlinson (5-for-5 on PAT attempt), returns for Chaminade on that title-winning team, Moore Catholic knows that RJ Pacheco (55 yards on 17 carries; 2 receptions for 17 yards), DJ Stewart (18 yards on two hand-offs), Matthias Lighten (3 grabs for 32 yards on offense; 1 tackle/1 PD on Defense), and Isaiah Vanterpool (1 stop) have not forgotten the pain inflicted via the 43-7 defeat at the Mitchel Athletic Complex nearly two years ago!!
Pacheco is riding a streak of two straight 100+-yard outings on the ground; Lighten has 9 grabs (119 yards, 1TD) during the current mini-winning steak; Stewart is fresh off of compiling 80 yards of total offense a week ago; and Vanterpool is a reigning Player of the Week selection…Hence, the merge of motivation + God-given talent is a potent recipe for prosperity….And it is not as if they are alone either with regard to potential impact personnel on either side of the line of scrimmage!!
Clearly asserting himself as the quarterback of the present and the future, Thomas Zeh has been the genie in the bottle, throwing for 574 yards and 7 touchdowns since making his varsity debut on September 16th…Just under 70% on his competition percentage (39-of-56), he is going to test the Chaminade secondary by spreading the ball out to an assortment of targets that features Lighten, but also has received (no pun intended) tremendous contributions from Boakai Veikai (7 TD grabs in 2023) & Jayden Melendez, who have combined to make 30 catches for 394 yards…
Defensively, after surrendering 308 yards and four touchdowns rushing in a week #0 non-league loss to Trinity (PA), a big catalyst towards getting the season back on track has been the ability of the squad to bear down and become extremely difficult to move the ball against via land….Limiting both Monsignor Farrell and Xavier to less than 100 total yards running in weeks 3 and 4, Aqil Meredith-Smith, Elijah Jones, Michael Herbert, Omar Mendez Jr. have been menacing presences among the front-7, and even have received extraordinary assistance from DBs Gerald Green and Glenn Shepperd as the Mavericks have stockpiled 37 tackles for negative yardage!!!
Billy Cozidente has been the ballhawk of the group in the defensive backfield, as he tops all MC corners/safeties with two interceptions in 2023!
If Moore Catholic succeeds in their mission to plug the holes and make their hosts from Mineola beat them in the air, then all roads may travel to Victoryville!!!
On the other sideline, the Dolan mentored Marianists [Chaminade] seemed to have figured some things out on “D” as well, as after struggling mightily in all areas (allowed an average of 199.3 yards and 7 touchdowns in the air; 140.3 and six scores rushing through their first three games), the returning AAA semifinalists have been much more effective in halting both the pass and the run in their last two outings…
At the heart of this resurgence has been the stellar play of Dean Schmitt, Eamonn Welch, Seamus Miller, Giancarlo Viscardi, and Luke Cocchiola among others, who have tallied 28, 20, 18, 14, and 12 stops respectively in weeks 4 and 5….Brian Knapp & Declan Trainor were both exceptional last weekend to further solidify the unity between the DL and LB corps!!!
Senior, John Marshall (9 total tackles, 3 pass break-ups, 1 fumble recovery the past two weeks), and Junior, Will Handley (pick-6 in the win over KMHS; 12 total stops) have commanded the no fly zone!!
Enjoying an offensive explosion a week ago, as they scored a season-best four touchdowns (after being held to 13 or fewer points in weeks 1-3), the “next man up” and/or “depth kills” philosophies seem to be providing immense returns on investment for Chaminade….
With starting running back, Jack Tully, not able to give it ago, the Flyers have found other reliable resources of production on the ground thanks to the emergence of junior Peter Gerbasi (180 yards, 1 touchdown on 37 carries the past two outings) as a primary RB and the introduction of a QB-RUN package starring fellow 11th grader, Tim Murphy!!
Senior QB, Tyler Granito, was as accurate as we have ever seen him during week #5, as he took what the opposing “D” would allow him and was smart in his decisions, hitting 10-of-15 for 94 yards and two TD hurls versus the Firebirds….In the past two weeks, he has hit on 24-of-45 (53.3%) for 255 yards and 3 TD passes….He will need to stay red hot!
With so many capable wide-outs at their disposal, Chaminade is going to especially test the secondary of Moore Catholic on Sunday as any one of six different people (maybe more) have shown that they can impact the game!!
Heroes in week 5 included James Levelis (5 of his 6 receptions this season came in week #5), Peter Braz (4 receptions for 61 yards in weeks 4 and 5), and Brendan Park (2 grabs in every game this season), but you can never sleep on an individual like Michael Dietrich, who despite being kept off out of the box score by the Firebirds, still is the chart-topper in every receiving category on the roster!!!….John Carroll (3 catches for 45 yards during his last two outings) is another under the radar option that does the little things to move the chains!!
If you are Moore Catholic, having played Monsignor Farrell tough (13-10 loss) and then coming back to defeat St. Peter’s in a possible AA-1 finale preview, a win on October 15th is just another reason for you to believe that after being bridesmaids in both 2021 and 2022, that this is your year to shine!!
For Chaminade, who is officially into the win column, but still needs to make amends for a loss to AA-1 opponent, St. John the Baptist, week #6 is about leaving no doubt that the team that is finishing 2023 is a leap above the brethren that commenced it!!!!