Marcello Viscoso (Sr.); LB – Fordham Prep Rams
An irreplaceable cog in the machine that powers the Rams defense, the senior ‘backer is in the midst of a banner senior campaign that has routinely witnessed him collect averages of close to 10 stops per appearance…
In Fordham Prep’s 20-7 victory over Xaverian last Friday night, the scholar-athlete extraordinaire (sporting a 3.96 grade point average) would enjoy one of the finest performances of his varsity career, as he’d collect a team-best 11 tackles, while also adding a sack!!
Hailed by the FP coaching staff as the ultimate run-stopper, when you watch his game film, you cannot help but notice the ease in which he naturally glides to the play; and when he arrives, he detonates with heavy-impact contact!!
Priding himself on being that disruptive presence from the MIKE position, it is no coincidence that under his leadership, the Rams have allowed 14 or less points (one shutout) in three of their five outings versus fellow NYCHSFL Double-A-1 competition this winter!!
Week #8 marking his debut on the POTW list; Viscoso not only became the first FP player on the defensive side of the line of scrimmage to receive the honor this season; he is the first among D-personnel since week #3 of the 2023 grind!
Blake Belin (Sr.); Two-Way Lineman – Cardinal Hayes Cardinals
After years of the Belin name being recognized for Offensive prowess (brothers—Henry & Rich were the 2021 and 2023 NYS Offensive Players of the Year, as well as the NYCHSFL OPOYs); the 6’3, 295-pound took it upon himself in week #8 to personally redefine what Harlem family’s legacy…
Regarded by 247Sports as a 3-Star prospect and holding scholarship offers form power-5 colleges/universities such as Duke, Syracuse (where Rich is committed), Virginia, Wake Forest, Geogia Tech, Boston College, Maryland, Minnesota, West Virginia, etc, the largest of the decorated sibling trio left no stone unturned and no [Archbishop Stepinac] unscathed in propelling Cardinal Hayes to a 24-3 triumph on the afternoon of October 26th!
Owning/taking up such an abundance of real estate in the opposing backfield that he might as well have Douglas Elliman on speed dial, the returning 4th-Team All-State selection is seemingly coming on strong as he approaches the twilight of his scholastic career donning Maroon & Gold!!
Unofficially having never registered more than 2-sacks or 2-TFLs in a single outing (Per MaxPreps) during his 3.5-year varsity stay, the #96 jersey exploded last weekend to the tune of personal-bests of 4 sacks and 3 tackles for negative yardage!!!
The first of his four sacks coming on the host Crusader’s first offensive series of the day; Belin would chase down and drag the opposing QB for a 15yrd loss on 4th down to create a turnover on downs just outside of the Hayes’ red zone!!!
He’d continue to disrupt and derail Stepinac drives at every remaining juncture of the afternoon!
As an added bonus, Belin would step into an iron man role, lining up at Offensive Guard where his ability to manhandle the opposition made him a natural fit as a pulling/leader blocker…
All three of the Hayes’ TDs came on runs, with John Weaver drawing 1st blood early in the 2nd quarter and Belin’s brother [Rich] calling his own number on a pair of QB keepers in the 2nd and 4th stanzas!!!
This being Blake Belin’s second POTW selection; he was previously venerated for the effort he delivered in being named as the Defensive MVP of the 2023 Catholic State Championship win over St. Francis (Monsignor Martin/Buffalo)!!
Josiah Patrick (Sr.); QB – Holy Trinity Titans
While the box score may read as a 44-41 Titan loss to St. Peter’s on the day of October 26th; there most certainly was not anything second-class about the mind-blowing performance delivered by the Green & White’s 6’3, 185-pound senior field general [Patrick]!!
Just the second student-athletes this season to be acknowledged following a game in which his school was not victorious, the Freeport resident could not have done more to try to bank that dub for the Hicksville based squad!
Connecting on 16 of his 28 passes for 387 yards and FIVE TD hurls, it is believed his line in the air was the most prolific by a HT signal caller on a given day in at least the past decade (and likely longer; MaxPreps stats were incomplete)…
Willing Holy Trinity out of a 24-0 hole late in the 2nd quarter to briefly enjoying 26-24 lead in the initial stages of the 4Q, Patrick commenced his huge aerial showcase in the last 20 seconds of the opening half, as he’d hit Jayden Simpson on a 40-yard completion to get HT on the board (24-7) with just :06 on the clock before the break…
Staying hot at the beginning of the 3rd quarter, Patrick would take advantage of a blown coverage on the first possession of the 2nd half, finding a wide-open Chase Cruz on a 59-yard pitch-and-catch over the middle to make the score 24-14 with 9:14 to go in the stanza…
The hole now trimmed to a modest 24-20 after a 55-yard fumble recovery + return by Enoch Thomas in the 3rd, Patrick vaulted HT in front when on the first snap of the fourth quarter, he’d go over the top and connect with Simpson on a 31-yard bomb to close out the streak of 26 unanswered points referenced above!!
Consecutive TDs by the host Eagles restoring their double-digit cushion (37-26), there was no quit in the gentleman wearing the #13 jersey, as he’d again rally the troops in the form of an 8-yard jackpot on a crossing route to Cruz (after a 60-yarder to Simpson on the prior play) to bring the visitors from Long Island to within 37-34 with 7:03 still to be contested…
Both teams taking turns marching up and down the gridiron and exchanging scores; Patrick saved his best throw for last, as he’d polish off the “five-spot/glut” when he put the ball perfectly over the shoulder of Cruz for an 82-yard masterpiece in the last 3:30!!
Having also received POTW acclaim in week #0 of his junior year; Patrick is now a multiple-time selection for this honor!
Joseph Solla (Sr.); LB – St. Joseph’s by the Sea Vikings
A senior impetus for a Viking defense that ranks 1st in the entire NYCHSFL (8.3 allowed per) and has pitched three shutouts this season (7 of less given up in 5 of 9 appearances), the 5’7, 200-pound Mike Linebacker out of Staten Island [Solla] is one of the primary factors behind SJS transforming from a team that went 4-7 in 2023 to a juggernaut (7-2) that is looking like a serious Double-A-1 title contender…
The ensemble/collection of talent complementing each other so well that it is often difficult to pinpoint and/or single-out a specific individual for praise, Solla made certain to capitalize on his opportunity to make a highlight play that stood out above the rest in Joe’s by the Sea’s 15-0 blanking of defending Metro Catholic champs, St. John the Baptist…
The clash of Islands (Staten vs. Long) manifesting as a 48-minute illustration of defensive excellence, the only offensive touchdown scored this past Saturday afternoon came courtesy of sophomore QB, Christian Carter’s QB sneak in the 3rd quarter to put SJS up 7-0…
Hence, with both programs stalled when they had possession, if additional points were to be accumulated; it became apparent that it would have to come in a non-traditional form!!!
CUE THE #41 IN WHITE!!
With the score still at 7-0 in the last 3:20 of the 3Q, rather than being content to induce a punt and let the offense take over with solid starting field position, Solla instead took matters into his own hands, as he charged up the gut like a man whose hair was on fire and batted the ball back into the end zone where teammate, pounced on it for the special team’s touchdown up the lead to 15-0 and essentially to ice the dub that kept the gents from Hylan Blvd. in the upper tier of the divisional standings!!!
The clutch and difference-making punt block being the signature moment of the affair; immense credit must also be given for the comprehensive blanketing that Joes’ by the Sea was able to achieve against a very capable Cougar attack, as the hosts from West Islip were issued their first goose-egg of the winter while being limited to just 135 yards of total production (93 in the air with 3 INTs; 42 on land)…
Ending the day with five total stops (ranked 2nd on the team), Solla raised his swan song tally to 54 (3rd most among Vikings in ‘24)!!!
Jeremiah Williams (Sr.); RB – St. Peter’s Eagles
A week ago, we compared the Eagles’ star-studded senior tailback to Kobe Bryant…Today, he’s giving us “Britney Spears vibes”, because that #6 shirt “DID IT AGAIN” in St. Peter’s aforementioned 44-41 victory at home over Triple-A opponent, Holy Trinity, last Saturday!!!
Garnering his fourth career POTW distinction and the second Player of the Week accolade in as many weeks, Williams made it impossible for us to deny him the rare back-to-back recognition as he took his already mighty impressive personal record book and rewrote it on the afternoon of October 26th!!!
Shattering his previous single-day high by nearly 100 yards (190 vs. St. John the Baptist during week #1), Williams either tied or established new milestones in every rushing category imaginable versus the visiting Titans, as he carried the pigskin on 39 separate occasions for 282 yards while tying his career-best of three touchdowns (4x, including as recently as week #7)!
Notching the 14th century mark-plus game of his two-year varsity tenure, the 5’6, 155-pounder finds himself riding a three-week momentum wave that has witnessed him amass 583 yards and score five touchdowns on 83 attempts (7.02/per)…
After posting runs of 33 and 28 yards during drives that later stalled, Williams finally broke the ice approximately 90 ticks into the 2nd quarter when he followed up a 33-yard hook-up on 4th & 12 between Ryan Vallely and Brandon Weinberg by punching the ball across from a single yard out to give STP the 7-0 lead…
The scoreboard now reading 30-26 in favor of the Eagles (an 83-yard KOR for a TD by Justin Ramos halted a streak of 26 unanswered points for HT)) at the onset of the 4Q, Williams did not need to be told; he just knew that it was his responsibility as a senior leader to step up and ensure that his school would succeed in hanging on for the dub!!
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!
Striking for the program’s final two TDs of the afternoon in the last 10:30 of duration, Williams took advantage of a shortened field created by a Vincent Damato (he had two picks on the day) INT when on the ensuing snap, he galloped 29 yards to the house to increase the cushion to 37-26…
Facing an opposition that simply would not go away (Holy Trinity responded with a TD of their own to cut the margin to 37-34), Williams emerged with the game-winner when he toggled “Ludicrous speed” mode in the last 5:10 of the 4th quarter, as he darted 14 yards to paydirt to complete the hat trick and restore the two-score lead, 44-34!!
The reigning NYCHSFL AA-1 Offensive POY recipient will head into the ultimate week of the regular season having already surpassed the 1,228 yards he gained in all of 2023….He presently sits at 1,286 and 12 touchdowns (16 last year); meaning that with an anticipated extended postseason trek, a 2,000-yard campaign actually seems feasible!!!
Not hurting for motivation regardless as they remain in the fight to earn the top-seed in the Double-A-1 playoffs; don’t be surprised if Williams and his STP teammates have a chip on their shoulders and are just a little more fired up in week #9 when they travel to Long Island to face-off with a St. John the Baptist squad that ended their 2023 season in the semifinals en route to eventually hoisting NYCHSFL hardware!!
