Vincenzo Copolla (Sr.); PK/DB – St. Peter’s Eagles
Epitomizing the “Jack of All Trades” mantra; a season ago, all the 5’8, 145-pounder had to concern himself with was handling kicking duties (HM All-State)…
Now one year later; the senior from Staten Island could use an extra head to fit all the proverbial hats he has been asked to wear for an Eagle cohort that is looking to get back to the AA-1 title game (lost in the 2024 finals) …
His work as a specialist being an essential factor in St. Peter’s 33-13 victory over St. John the Baptist in a preview of this weekend’s quarterfinal match-up; the first-time POTW selection would personally account for a career single-day best of 9 points courtesy of a combined 5-for-6 afternoon (2-for-3 on FGs; 3-for-3 on PATs) with his booming leg…
The provider of all points scored by the Blue & Gold during the initial 12 minutes of play; Copolla propelled STP to a 6-0 lead when during an extended sequence in the last 4:00 of 1Q, he’d hit a 28-yard field goal; execute and recover his own onside kick, and then drive the pigskin through the uprights from a distance of 35 yards out…He later tacked on a PAT trifecta following touchdowns in the 3rd quarter Josiah Jones (33-yard TD reception), Chase Navarro (57-yard pick-6), and Victor Baez (15-yard draw to the house)!!
Defensively, he was credited with 5 total tackles as part of a collective effort that kept a potent Cougar offense (averaged 29.3ppg entering week #9) scoreless for 31.5 minutes of action and held them to their second lowest output of the fall!
In the game of “Football Bingo”, he also registered an 8-yard reception on offense!
As noted above; these same two schools will clash for a second straight weekend meeting this coming Saturday; and it need not be said that #8 will be looking to dazzle us again with his mastery and trickery!
The full breadth of his contributions noted; Copolla becomes the first “primarily recognized” place-kicker to garner POTW accolades since week #5 of the 2024 campaign (Justin Jones; Chaminade)!
Kenneth “KJ” Dillon (So.); QB – Kennedy Catholic Gaels
Putting forth one of heck of a bounce effort would be the 6’5 senior signal caller for the Gaels [Dillon], as Kennedy Catholic snapped a two-game losing streak and created some momentum heading into playoffs when they cruised to a 28-6 win over Cardinal Spellman during the regular season finale!
Fresh off of a rare “down” performance during a week #8 loss to Xaverian; the gunslinger from Brewster could not have been any finer or pinpoint precise in carving up the Pilot defensive backfield to the tune of a 14-for-18, 215-yard, 2TD tossing exhibition on November 1st!!
Reaching the 200+ yard hurling milestone for the third time this season and notching his fourth multi-TD passing game of his swan song; the four-year varsity starter (including two seasons at Brewster HS) proved to be the best version of himself when the outcome was still in doubt as both of his TD-producing money throws came during the final 24 minutes of the contest…
All squared at 6-6 in the 3Q, Dillon took it upon himself to break the stalemate when he lofted a perfect 20-yarder into the end zone to sophomore wide-out, Austin Lanera (4 catches for 46 yards, 2TDs) for the first of their two TD exchanges to put the boys from Somers back on top, 14-6 (he hit Dom Rubino for the 2pt conversion)!
The scoreboard unchanged as the clock dipped below 6:00 remaining in regulation; the Dillon to Lanera combo issued a “death blow” when on 3rd &7 from the opposing 7-yard line; they played pitch-and-catch on a slant to make it a 21-7 margin!!!
His 2TD chucking heroics putting Dillon atop the NYCHSFL leaderboard with 17 touchdown passes this fall; he enters the postseason with the following numbers: 88-for-177; 1,228 yards (17 TDs)!
Anticipate another banner day for the gentleman in the #11 shirt; as the last time in which he was pitted against Christ the King (KC’s quarterfinal foe); he posted career-highs of 235 yards and 5TDs in a 40-37 shootout loss!
An individual who likely would have already had multiple Player of the Week distinctions adjourning his name had he not returned to his home district for his sophomore and junior seasons; we welcome Dillon to the POTW scrolls!
Bryce Moye (So.); QB – Monsignor Farrell Lions
In case you may have forgotten that the shining sophomore signal caller for the Lions is a bona fide stud and an Offensive Player of the Year candidate; here is your weekly reminder of the greatness inside of Bryce Moye!!!
Named to the POTW scrolls for the second time in a matter of three weeks (third time this season; fourth career nomination); the 6’2, 200-pound prodigy extended the Lions’ current winning streak to six in a row and secured the top line of the triple-A playoff bracket when he pulled all the stings in orchestrating a 38-14 conquering of Cardinal Hayes on November 1st!
Elevating the term “marksman” to another level; Moye would surpass the 200-yard throwing milestone for the third time in the past four outings, while banking his fifth multi-TD hurling display of the year during the regular season finale!!!
His field vision exquisite, he’d spread the rock out to seven unique targets last Saturday on his way towards completing 14-of-18 pass attempts for 235 yards (second highest total of 2025) and a pair of TD tosses!!
The opening series acting as a foreshadow for what was to come during the remainder of the afternoon on Amboy Road; Moye went 3-for-3 in air, including a 19-yard hook-up to Ryan Tait (2 grabs for 34) to move chains on 4th & long to set up his own 3-yard QB keeper to paydirt to give Farrell a 7-0 edge 5:37 into 1Q!
On the next possession, he’d find Gianni Pasqualone (3 receptions for 37 yards, 1TD) on a 21-yard WR screen to increase the lead to 14-0 with just under 20 seconds to go in 1st quarter!
A collection of Kevin Gumb Jr. (130 yards and 1 score on 20 carries) having made it 21-0 earlier; Moye wrapped up an immaculate first half (four drives, four touchdowns) when in the closing 41 seconds prior to intermission; he flung a 20-yard dart in the slot to Alex Ustun (2 receptions for 27 yards, 1 touchdown) to send MF into the locker room enjoying the 28-0 cushion!
When the festivities resumed in the 3Q; Moye was not feeling merciful, as he worked some of that twin magic with brother, Braxton (4 snatches for 70 yards), on completions of 19 (4th & long) of 24 yards to advance the ball inside the Cardinal 6….Carmine Scotto (8 carries, 50 yards, 1 touchdown) then cashed to make it 35-0 3:03 into the 2nd half!!
On what would be his encore/punctuation, Moye launched a 58-yard bomb to Senior WR, Matthew Tristano, on 3rd down to propel the Maroon & Gold juggernaut from their own 10- yard line to the opposing 32…A few snaps later, Jake Burrowes drilled a 32-yarder (after Moye’s third TD pass of the game was negated by a penalty) to round out the damage (38-0 with 10:40 to go in the 4Q)!…
Relishing the joy of earning a bye into the semifinals; when he does return to the gridiron; Moye will bring with him a stat sheet that reads as follows: 73.4% connect rate (105-for-143) for 1,601 yards (16 TD passes); as well as an additional 258 yards and 7 TDs on 36 carries (7.2/per)!
Admittedly our mission and/or desire to not have the same person hoard POTW accolades; the #1 jersey is frankly making it impossible to omit him!
Willie Reeves (Jr.); LB – Iona Prep Gaels
Stepping onto the field last Saturday knowing that they would be facing a Stepinac squad that features not one, but two quarterbacks who have previously had Player of the Week honors bestowed upon them; the Gaels fully understood that “tight coverage” was the theme of the day…
And no one took the message more to heart than the junior linebacker hailing from the Big Apple [Reeves]!
Providing an instant spark when on the opening snap of the game, he jumped the route and took the ball back to the promised land on a 33-yard pick-6; the 6’0, 185-pounder set the tone for the rest of his defensive teammates…
Smothering in every assignment undertook; both Reeves individually and the D-Unit as a cohesive force kept the Crusader offense off of the scoreboard for the better part of 36 minutes (only TD of the 1st half was on a KOR to the house) before eventually surrendering a score late in the 3Q…
Allowing just 167 yards of cumulative yardage (per the MaxPreps box score), including a modest 5-for-14 for 74 yards (2 interceptions) in the air; the Maroon & Gold performed at an impassioned aggressiveness and chips on their shoulder as the 49-21 triumph in the regular season finale locked up the #2 seed in the triple-A bracket and bought them a week of relaxation and recovery (top-2 seeds receive byes into the semis)!!
On pace to easily notch a double-digit tackle display had the starters not been removed prior to the beginning of the 4th quarter; Reeves complemented his fiery start by racking up a steady array of hits, concluding the day with 9 stops (2 TFLs)…
The reigning NYCHSFL League and NYCHSAA State champs will play the waiting game to see whom they will face in the final-4!!!
Today marks his debut on the POTW list!
Caleb Rivera (So.); WR/LB – Holy Cross Knights
Earning his first career POTW nomination in a 18-13 road victory over Mount St. Michael Academy that locked up the top seed in the AA-2 bracket; the Holy Cross super sophomore [Rivera] was stellar on both sides of the line of scrimmage….
Tying existing or establishing new single-game highs on multiple fronts last Saturday afternoon in the Bronx; the 5’11, 165-pounder out of Crown Heights made his biggest contribution of the day when down 13-12 late in the 4th quarter; he’d beat his man deep down the sideline and hauled in a 44-yard TD strike from Junior field general, Madden Martinez (15-for-29; 248 yards; 3 TD throws), for what would ultimately serve as the game-winning touchdown in the last :40 of regulation for the Flushing based squad!
The game-swaying massive gainer being the second of a pair of TD receptions made by Rivera; one quarter early (approximately 3:00 into the 2nd half); he’d end a 0-0 deadlock when he cut across the middle and was on the back-end of a 20-yard dart from Martinez to give the Knights a 6-0 advantage…
Concluding the contest with five total catches for 111 yards and the cited two touchdowns; the yardage represented a new personal-best; while the TD sum matched his week #0 output in a loss to Joe’s by the Sea; and the total quantity of grabs matched his efforts in the week #3 victory over St. John the Baptist…
His contributions on defense being every bit as necessary in delivering the “W”; the #20 jersey was registered his second double-digit tackle performance of the fall, as his 10 total stops on November 1st mirrored his stat sheet from just weeks earlier (wk #6)…
The main difference between that October 11th loss to Holy Trinity and the triumph this past weekend would be that Rivera’s activity also generated a two turnovers; as he jarred balls loose in both the 1st (on the HC 35) and 3rd (allowed HC to take possession on the MSMA 39) quarters to both keep it a scoreless game and then to set up his own TD snatch on the ensuing drive!
Rivera heads into the postseason as the owner of a stat line that reads as follows: 20 receptions for 382 yards (1st on the team) and 5 TDs (tops on the team); not to mention a team-leading 50 tackles (3 stops for negative yardage), 4 pass break-ups, 1 sack, 1 INT, and the double dose of forced fumbles!