Ryan Kuntz (Sr.); WR/DB – Kellenberg Memorial Firebirds
Per cliches, “The Lord both giveth and taketh away”!!!
These same sentiments could be applied to the comprehensive/Ironman efforts delivered by the Firebirds’ Senior WR/DB [Kuntz] in propelling the Blue & Gold to a hard fought 28-20 road victory under the Friday night lights over Fordham Prep!
The gentleman in the #28 jersey being a gift that gave, gave, and then gave some more throughout the 48-minute showdown on October 2nd; there was no shortage of game-changing plays that revolved around the 6’2, 195-pound resident of Floral Park!
Entering week #5 already atop the KMHS totem pole in both total receptions and receiving yards; Kuntz succeeded in further separating himself from his peers when he recorded his second straight century mark outcome (109; seven yards shy of his personal best set in week #4) while posting the first-ever multiple-touchdown (2) performance of his two-year varsity career to spark the Kellenberg Memorial offense!
All three of his snatches versus the host Ram secondary coming at essential moments and producing significant gains…
The ‘birds trailing 7-0 and having had their previous two drives stall deep in FP territory; it was Kuntz striking for the first of his aforementioned two TD hauls when on the last offensive snap of the 1st half, he toe-tapped on 4th down for a 10-yard scoring reception to square the contest at 7-7!
The momentum established by his equalizer before the break carrying over into the start of 3Q; it took the two-sport (also plays lacrosse in the spring) just three snaps into the 2nd half to vault KMHS to a 14-7 lead as he beat the opposing DB clean on a rub route for a 64-yard catch + march down the home sideline to account for his second TD exchange from Junior field general, Brayden Farrelly (12-for-16, 223 yards, 2 TD tosses)!
The margin cut to 14-13; Kuntz rose to the occasion again late in the third stanza, as his final snag turned a “2nd & a Mile (25)” predicament into one of the defining sequences of the evening as his 32-yard gainer preserved the possession and advanced the ball to the FP 12 as a catalyst to Brendan Barkley’s (57 yards, 2 TDs runs on 11 handoffs) 2-yard rugby scrum at the onset of the 4th quarter to make it a 21-13 affair!!!
Defensively, the pinnacle moment in a 6-stop (tied career-best), 2-pass break-up display transpired on the Rams ensuing drive after the above KMHS TD; as he transformed what could have been a game-squaring saga into a turnover on downs by charging over the middle and preventing a 4th down conversion that would have moved the ball inside the Firebird red zone (12-yard line)!!!
Today signifying his Player of the Week debut; Kuntz has been the author thus far of a 20-reception, 312-yard, 3 TD body of work on “O”; while simultaneously being one of the most menacing defenders (his 19 tackles ranks 4th on the roster; his four PDs deadlocks him for top team honors)!!
The donning of the #28 (in honor of Christopher Battaglia) is regarded as the highest sign of respect bestowed upon a Kellenberg football player; Kuntz very much embodied the spirit, commitment, and selflessness of his predecessor!…C.B. is smiling with pride from the heavens!
Nicholas Laona (Sr.); WR/DB – St. Joseph’s By the Sea Vikings
Proclaimed as “The Prince of the Secondary” after garnering Player of the Week honors during the 2025 AA-1 semifinals…
Now we might just label the 5’10, 150-pounder out of SI as the proverbial “Ace of all Trades”!
The well-roundedness of his skill set making it permissible for him to be a “plug and play” weapon; after an injury forced the Viking brain trust to move some pieces around; Laona found himself shifting to the safety position; and like “duck to water”; he has taken to the new vocation seamlessly!
Thriving “in the box” during the entirety of Joe’s by the Sea’s 28-7 triumph against St. Francis Prep; Laona almost singlehandedly made it impossible for the visiting Terriers to ever establish much of a groove/rhythm, as he lit up the stat sheet to career-highs in total tackles (8; tied single-game best) and sacks (3) as the core member of an ensemble that limited SFP to just 167 yards of total offensive production!
The QB bag trifecta representing the first three sacks of Laona’s two-year varsity tenure; the constant heat he was applying was a big reason why the opposing signal caller is still hearing footsteps in his nightmares, as the pressure handcuffed him to the tune of a 9-for-17, 63 yards performance!
As Viking nation readies themselves for a war of attrition against undefeated Xaverian (5-0) this coming weekend; it need not be said that if SJS wants to tack that “L” onto the 2x reigning AA-2 King Clippers; it will be imperative that the #1 continues to dominate in his fresh endeavor!!!
A true candidate to repeat as an All-NYCHSFL selection; Laona has been so valuable in an array of undertakings that an argument could be made that he is equally as dangerous on offense as he has been on defense!
His two grabs for 30 yards in the victory over the “Dogs” upping his swan song numbers to 22 receptions for 377 yards; he ranks 2nd and 3rd respectively on the roster in those categories as a first-year starter on that side of the pigskin!
As a renowned defender (34 stops, 2 INTs, 5 PDs as a junior in ‘25); the standard is always high; and thus far he has met expectations week-in and week-out, as he already has amassed 32 tackles and 8 pass break-ups to go along his new discovered propensity for raiding rival backfields!
Braxton Moye (Sr.); WR/Edge – Monsignor Farrell Lions
Well on his way to becoming a 4x All-Catholic Selection, as well as a 4x State recognized (HM in ‘24, 5th Team in ‘25) performer; the “catch” end of the Staten Island twin tandem simply does not take weekends off!
No matter the outcome of the game; for the past 2.5 seasons; Death, taxes, and Braxton Moye having a “big day” have been the certainties of life!!
And last Friday night’s demonstration in the Lions’ 21-13 triumph over Stepinac was true to the norm as the 6’2, 220-pound coveted two-way player (holds offers from the likes of Boston College, Buffalo, Temple, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, etc.) accounted for 2/3s of Monsigor Farrell’s three touchdowns by hauling in both of his brother, Bryce’s (11-for-17, 207 yards) TD darts to be the invigorating force for the offense!
An excellent punt return by Mason Morales to the Crusader 25 putting the 2025 NYCHSFL AAA runners-up in business on their initial possession of the evening; it was the Moye-to-Moye magic on MF’s first snap that resulted in a 25-yard connection in the back of the end zone to give the Lions the immediate 7-0 lead just 1:48 into the clash of SI and White Plains!
The board now reading 14-13 in favor of the host “Cats” with just under 3:00 to go in the 3Q; it was Moye recording the signature moment of the night when his immense concentration enabled him to make a 54-yard touchdown snag on a ball that was tipped by the Stepinac DB to provide some insurance (21-13)!!!
Primarily an offensive weapon during his previous two years on varsity; one of the most impactful wrinkles introduced on “D” this fall has been the implementation of the incendiary #11 at DE/OLB…
His prowess for firing into the opposing backfield being a natural/God-Given gift; Moye showcased his disruptive he could be in the last half-minute before the intermission when he blindsided the opposing quarterback for a fumble-inducing sack!
Midway through the 3rd quarter with the visiting Crusaders mounting a potential lead-changing march; it was Moye’s invasion on a run stuff that slowed down momentum and forced Stepinac to settle for a field goal instead (to create the 14-13 scenario above)!
All in all, the referenced examples were reminiscent of the authoritative manner in which he attached on “D” as he amassed a career-high of seven total stops (two TFLs)!
Bar none a revolutionary spark on both sides of the line of scrimmage; you’d be hard pressed to find an individual in the triple-A division thus far this fall that has made more of a universal impact!
On pace to shatter his stat line from a season ago (43 receptions for 669 yards and 8 TD snatches); Moye’s three-catch, 98-yard, 2-TD vitae in week #5 upped his 2026 sums to 27 catches for 501 yards and four scores!….These numbers presently rank him 1st (tie), 2nd, 1st (TD) in receiving categories across the entire Metro Catholic league (regardless of classification)!!
To boot, his five TFLs, three QB bags, and eight hurries as part of a 20-stop seasonal output on defense lands him in 2nd, 2nd, and 1st among all Lion personnel!
Today marking his second POTW distinction (previously in week #3 of 2025); between him and Bryce (5x, including week #1 of ‘26), the Moye family is already one of the most heralded clans in NYCHSFL history; and they still have an entire 1.5 season in front of them!
Dominick Tassone (So.); QB – Kennedy Catholic Gaels
The namesake to Gaels’ Athletic Director and Varsity head coach; the Tassone bloodline has multi-generational greatness as displayed by the super sophomore’s heroics in guiding Kennedy Catholic to their first win of the year by way of a 36-6 triumph over the Royals of Christ the King!
Slinging the rock like Steve Young or Ken Stabler; the lefty field general was a sharp-shooting assassin last Friday evening as he connected on 5-of-9 pass attempts for 155 yards and a career-best of four touchdown hurls to have a say in every single one of the KC offensive scores!!
Breaking the ice in the 2nd quarter; it was Tassone teaming up with Junior WR, Austin Lanera, for the first of their two TD hook-ups when he lofted the pigskin into the back of the end zone for a 15-yard completion!
Later in the 2Q, it would be an All-sophomore exchange between Tassone and Ja’Sean Grafton on a 27-yart strike that increased the lead to 15-0!
The deficit having grown to 23-0 at halftime courtesy of a 39-yard punt return to the house by the aforementioned Grafton…
it was Tassone staying fully locked in during the final 24 minutes of action, as he went back to Lanera on a 41-yard bomb midway through the 3Q to make it a 30-6 affair!
His fourth and final missile took the form of a 46-yard linkage to Sal Alabanese in the 4th quarter to round out his splendid/breakout performance in the air!
Now a first-time Player of the Week honoree; the emerging stud in the #7 jersey might just well be on his way towards becoming the best Gael to ever take the snaps!….There is little doubt that we will continue to hear from him during the next 2.5 seasons!
Sal Vitale (Sr.); RB/H-Back – Xavier Knights
His reputation as a fierce hitter solidified last season when he was credited with 30 stops and 4.5 sacks; week #5 witnessed the 190-pound Staten Islander do a different kind of hitting…
HE HIT THE HOLE HARD in a rare appearance as a ball-carrier (often used as a lead blocker on offense) in propelling the defending Metro Catholic AA-1 titlists to a 28-20 victory over St. John the Baptist in a contest that we are sure is going to have postseason seeding ramifications!!
Embracing this new role to the fullest after an injury to his younger brother, Marcello (48 yards on six carries); the 6’1, 190-pound honor roll student-athlete (3.5 GPA) made the most of the opportunity; as he racked up an average of 13ypc and found paydirt on two separate occasions en route to finishing second on the squad (behind only Anthony Pierro’s 133 yards on 35 attempts) with 91 yards of ground production!!
His pair of touchdowns (both in the 4th quarter) last Saturday afternoon believed to be the firsts of his scholastic career; clutch #9 turned a 14-6 advantage into a 20-6 cushion at the onset of the final stanza when he bulldozed his way up the middle from a distance of 4-yards out!..Senior DL, Lucas Niccolai’s INT on the SJB 32 set up the score!
A Cougar rallying resulting in the game being tied at 20-20 with a little over 5:00 to go in regulation; it was the Vitale detonating for the game-winner when he sprinted up the gut and then outraced several Baptist defenders all the way to the promised land for a 62-yard house call in the last 3:30 of the 4Q!
The Vitale name held in the highest regard within the hallways of Xavier; his father (also named Sal; class of 1996) is the Junior Varsity Head Coach; his older brother, Theo, was a specialist (Punter/PK) on last season’s title-winning cohort; and now both he and the already mentioned Marcello (Week #2) each have a POTW accolade this fall!
The Knights’ only blemish thus far in 2026 coming one week prior to Triple-A program, St. Anthony’s; the win on October 3rd raised to the resume to 4-1!