As the cliche suggests, “Defense Wins Championships”….And for two of our three selections today; that prophecy turned to fruition!!!
Each of them a consummate playmaker who “makes things happen” whether the ball is in their control or not; this threesome was credited with generating 12 opposing turnovers (7 interceptions, 5 fumbles caused) to accompany the 200+ combined tackles they recorded!!
Signifying the past (senior), present (Junior), and future (sophomore) of all that is the hard-nosed, “take no prisoners” mentality of the NYCHSFL, these consummate shutdown gems emptied the gas tank week in and week out in and were unapologetic in the carnage that ensued!!!
We bow our heads and pay homage in recognition of the transcending values/characteristics displayed by our 2025 O’Connor honorees—-Joseph Henn (AA-2; Holy Trinity), Robert Milacci (AA-1; Xavier), & Mamadee Sangaray (AAA; Iona Prep)!!
Reggie Francklin (Holy Cross; 2007/2008) and Kennedy Catholic’s Cole Esposito (2017/2018) the only multi-time recipients of this esteemed decree; we anticipate the former [Henn] and latter [Sangaray] doing everything within their abilities to add to the exclusive club in 2026 (and beyond in the case of the Titan)!
Only a sophomore and already a team captain and now an award winner; the 5’10, 175-pound Titan [Henn] is one of the fiercest “young guns” in the entire NYCHSFL…A superstar on both sides of the ball; while 2025 is witnessing him recognized for his defensive prowess; it is quite feasible to envision that subsequent seasons might bear witness to him celebrated on the other side of the ball…His youthful age in no way preventing him from assuming a leadership position and then backing up that trust by “answering the call to duty”, Henn was the catalyst and/or tone-setter for a stout D-Unit that surrendered a modest 14.5 points a season this season on their way to a semifinal berth….A complete LB that handled all assignments with the same elite level of success, the #88 jersey exhibited his willingness to get dirty in the form of 58 accrued stops (10 stops versus Fordham Prep in Mid-October), including five tackles for negative yardage, a sack, and two forced fumbles…When asked to drop into pass coverage, he responded by posting a team-best 4 interceptions (2 versus Morris Catholic in a week #2 non-league affair) to go along with three pass break-ups…His full offensive stat line not available; to truly appreciate how well-rounded the 10th grader is; it ought be noted that per the available information, he topped all Titan receivers with 23 grabs for 472 yards (highlighted by season-bests of 4 for 99 in the semifinal loss to Xaverian) and a pair of scores…The fourth Holy Trinity student-athlete to earn the O’Connor; he sits in the company of former NFL player, Andrew Quarless (2004), Jameer Reader (2021), and Chris Bacon (2022)!!!
His work ethic lauded by the Knight coaching staff; the 215-pound senior LB [Milacci] put “practice into practice” on a weekly basis, as he was among the Metro Catholic leaders in just about every defensive category imaginable during his final scholastic season…Recording five or more tackles in every single outing he made in 2025 (highs of 10 and 12 in weeks 0 and 5 as part of non-league wins over NJ opponents), the #20 shirt was exceptional down the homestretch, as he amassed 21 stops in three playoff games (AA-1 title-game defensive MVP) to aid Xavier in their triumphant quest to hoist Double-A-1 hardware for the first time since 2015!…For good measure, he added six additional stops on Thanksgiving to raise his seasonal output to 98 (3rd most in the NYCHFL regardless of division)…A North/South playmaker who lived in the opposing backfield, among his already cited 98 tackles, 11 was accompanied by a loss of yardage (4 sacks)…The ideal combination of fire and finesse; Milacci was not busy stuffing the run; he proved himself quite adept in pass coverage as well, breaking up six throws in his direction and intercepting two others!!!….But alas, the ultimate compliment that can be given to the inhabitant of the “Big Apple” is that where he went, his teammates followed, as evident by a collective vitae that produced a pair of shutouts and limited their foes to 13 or less points in 7 of 13 outings en route to boasting a divisional-topping 12.7 ppg surrendered!…The fourth Xavier representative to claim DPOY distinction, Milacci walks in the footsteps of the likes of William Soloman (2011), Frank Masella (2015), and Valery Gwardyak (2018)!
The best athlete on the field at all times, the returning 1st Team All-Stater [Sangaray] confirmed why FCS programs such as Syracuse, Boston College, Minnesota, etc are all on the trail to secure his services….Making the transitions from OLB to FS as a junior, the 200-pound Bronx native was credited with 68 tackles, 3 induced fumbles, and an INT during the regular season and was even more impactful during the postseason….Named as the Defensive Outstanding Performer of the NYCHSAA State title contest, the #9 jersey logged 9 tackles and had a well-timed interception in the 4th quarter against St. Francis to round out yet another team sweep of league and Empire-wide supremacy!!!…His numbers somewhat misleading because the Gael coaching staff fights the urge to overuse him; a glimpse into how other-wordly his talents are; consider the fact that in limited opportunities, he still managed to rack up 19 receptions for 259 yards (5 for 58 coming in the two championship games on consecutive weekends)…Destined for “greater days” on the gridiron, Sangaray makes it impossible to take your eyes off of him; and we are grateful to have the privilege of having all of 2026 to watch him continue on his path to greatness!!….Joining the ranks of Michael Longo (2010), Rodney Samson (2016), and Zyian Moultrie-Goddard (2021), Sangaray becomes the fourth Gael to take home the O’Connor trophy!
