Article by Matt Diano
Week #5 (October 8th-9th, 2022)
Ajani Sheppard (Sr.); QB – Iona Prep Gaels
Legendary academician/foremost expert on management/leadership, Peter Drucker, defined the term as ” lifting of a man’s vision to higher sights, the raising of a man’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a man’s personality beyond its normal limitations.”
For the 6’3, 230-pound, reigning Metro Catholic and New York State Offensive Player of the Year [Sheppard], no one can or ever will argue that during the past year-and-a-half as the ringer leader of a vaunted Gael offense, he has been the vision of consistency and spectacularism….
However, never was the breadth of his abilities as a comprehensive leader/role model more on display than this past Saturday afternoon as part of IP’s 42-35 triumph on the road over their previously unbeaten rivals, Archbishop Stepinac, in a clash of what could potentially have served as a preview of the eventual NYCHSFL Triple-A title contest next month!!
An individual who has put up video game type numbers several times in the past (after all, he generated 3,400 yard of total offense and had a hand in 38 touchdowns as a junior), the stat line, while undeniably incredible, took a backseat to the fact that the gentleman in the #3 jersey did something that he had never been forced to do in the past…He picked up the pieces following his first career loss versus a fellow NY Catholic school [dropped a 48-42 game to St. Anthony’s the previous week] and emphatically proclaimed that neither he, not the Gaels had any intention of staying down on the proverbial mat for a 10-count!!!
Responding to the adversity and heartbreak of the week #4 blemish (let it be known he racked for 6 TDs in the loss—5 passing; 1 rushing), the future Old Dominion University Monarch showed that he is still a “KING”, as he connected on 12-of-25 throw attempts for 231 yards (3 touchdowns), while also running for an additional 174 yards on 16 carries to amass 405 yards of cumulative production (the second highest of his scholastic tenure; 435 one week earlier)…
Spreading/Distributing the pigskin to FIVE different targets throughout the afternoon, Sheppard surpassed 200+ yards in the air for the second consecutive outing (329 vs. STA) and for the ninth time overall in his three-year varsity stay!!!….Fellow seniors—Colin O’Garro (also rushed for 139 yards and a pair of TDs), Michael Senatore, Ethan Acevedo, and Isaiah Bennett, all hauled in three grabs apiece for receiving yardages of 108, 53, 47, and 36 respectively…Acevedo (2) and Senatore (1) were on the back-end of the TD tosses!!
Accounting for all three of his scoring passes during the opening half, Sheppard and Acevedo hooked up on the first of their double-dose of TD-yielding pitch-and-catch efforts when the former hit the latter with a quick shovel and then allowed his receiver do the rest, as #1 turned the corner and sprinted to the house for finish off the 24-yard TD that gave the visitors from New Rochelle a 7-0 lead with 2:46 to go in the stanza…Just prior to the TD pass, Sheppard extended the drive when he used his legs to convert a 4th & 3!
The game now tied at 7 all at the onset of the 2nd quarter (less than 2:00 in), Sheppard again displayed his creativity and athleticism, as he turned a 3rd & goal scenario into a highlight reel when he scrambled in one direction, turned and fired to the opposite side of the field and lofted a perfect throw into the waiting arms of Senatore to put IP back on top, 14-7 (10:12 remaining in 2Q)…Previously they teamed up on a 40-yard bomb that moved the ball from their own 20 to the opposing 40 when Senatore made a diving catch on 3rd & 9…
A little more than 2:00 later (after Iona Prep induced a punt), Sheppard continued to inflict damage, as he followed up a 65-yard completion to O’Garro (own 15 to Stepinac 20) by finding Acevedo over the middle in the end zone from 20 yards out to increase the advantage to 21-7 (8:15 before the break)….
Registering the seventh century-mark showing of his career on the land (3rd time this season), Sheppard may not have been credited with a touchdown with his legs, but as cited above, his dual-threat arsenal was essential to preserving drives and keeping the opposing “D” on their toes!!!
Already named as Iona Prep’s Athlete of the Week recipient, Sheppard garners his second official POTW selection (first achieved in week #6 of the 2021 season)…He was also included among the informal “Diano’s Best of the Rest” in the semifinal round of the ‘21 playoffs, and was singled out for recognition as the Offensive MVP of the AAA title contest last November!
Well on his way to yet another remarkable 2,000/1,000 compilation between air/ground, he is not going to surrender that “POY” distinction without a fight…Thru six appearances, MaxPreps credits him with the following: 1,118 yards (13 touchdowns) via the sky on 66-for-119 (55.5%), complemented by additional 673 & 3 on the ground by way of 69 carries (9.8/per)!
Chad Case (Sr.); LB/Safety – Holy Trinity Titans
“If God Is for Me; Who Can be Against Me?”….The personal motto of the 5’8, 180-pound LB/Safety for the Titans, he has referred to himself as the “Chosen One” and he certainly proved to be prophetic in HT’s HUGE 28-19 victory this past Sunday over AAA contender, Kellenberg Memorial!
A collision of two immaculate squads that entered with a combined record of 10-0, to say that the pundits were likely predicting a Firebird victory would not be an out of bounds claim….Those members of the peanut gallery are now eating crow as the Hicksville based Titans rose to the occasion on both sides of the ball en route to upending their highly-touted hosts from Uniondale….
The All-LI showdown broadcast live on Varsity Media, Case and the #10 jersey he donned was praised repeatedly throughout the day by the play-by-play announcers as he would collect a career-best 15 total tops (11 solo), 2 TFLs, and forced a fumble as part of an ensemble that played at a lights-out level from start to finish…
Quieting doubters/critics who said that the challenge of being a starting-11 comprised of mostly ironmen would cause them to fade in the 2nd half against better rested foes, there was not a single moment on the Sabbeth where the Trinity intensity level dipped below 150%!!!
Disruptive in every sense of the word, with Case as the catalyst, the vaunted Green & White “curtain” held KMHS to 12 points less than their 31.2/game average, forced All-Catholic senior field general, Devin Page, to 19-for-38 (50%) passing for just 168 yards, and stuffed a Marianist ground attack averaging 200+ yards to the tune of a modest 121…
Weeks 2 and 4 POTWs—Jameer Reader & Rocco Rainone—each contributed a pair of touchdowns in the win, as the junior RB [Reeder] went for 136 yards on 18 carries, while his fellow 2024 class member/QB [Rainone] was recognized by Newsday a having hit on 10-of-19 passes for 180 yards and two TD dimes (45-yarder to Andre Kirton; 59-yard connection to Josiah Brown)!
Case is now a two-time Player of the Week honoree, having previously been nominated for the accolade during the opening week of his junior campaign!
The win streak now sitting at 18, there will be no freedom to rest on laurels and cruise into the postseason for Coach [Kahmal] Roy’s battalion as they wrap up the regular season by squaring off with returning AA-1 runners-up, Moore Catholic, in what is shaping up to be an early glimpse into the eventual title-weekend match-up, on October 16th, before engaging 2021 AA-1 titlist, Chaminade (promoted to AAA), in the finale on the 22nd!
Jonathan Otoo (Jr.); DB/RB – Mt. St. Michael Acad. Mountaineers
If the recent performance of the Mountaineer defense becomes rules as opposed to exception, then perhaps the 5’11, 170-pouder out of the Bronx [Otoo] is going to have to change the legal spelling of his name to J0nathan 0t00, because the Mount has pitched zeros in two of their past three outings to raise their record this fall to a strong 4-2!!!
After earning a mention/foot note in the week #3 POTW article featuring Tyler Cadienhead, the prime spot/headline belongs to him today as he contributed in all facets of MSMA’s 47-0 conquering at home over St. Dominics!!!
Tying for the team-lead on October 8th with 4 total stops (2 solo, 2 assists), including logging his Mountaineer-best 4th TFL of the year, the specimen wearing the #20 jersey did not merely prevent the opponent from getting on the board; he went that proverbial extra mile and turned “D” into “O” on two separate occasions to have an indelible influence over the collective dub!
Sparking the “Murdock Avenue Machine” on the first snap from scrimmage, Otoo charged into the backfield, jumped in front of an attempted double-reverse, and raced 15 yards to the promised land for the fumble recovery TD that gave the Mount an immediate 6-0 advantage just :08 into the 1st quarter!
On the Bayhawks’ next possession, Otoo again was front and center on the signature play of the defensive stand, as he rushed off of the left edge and swatted the Dom’s punt attempt backwards before pouncing on the loose ball to set up MSMA on their own 15-yard line….Three straight hand-offs later (all to sophomore, Franklin Dominguez (6 carries, 41 yards, 1 TD), Mount St. Michael crossed the plain for the second time in less than 3:00 (9:18 remaining in 1Q) to double their cushion to 12-0!
Factoring in Otoo’s two carries for 15 yards (just for good measure), the Mount concluded the afternoon having compiled 299 yards and four scores on 29 ground attempts (10.3/per)….In addition to the aforementioned Dominguez, Eleazer Valera (6 carries for 72 yards), Tyler Bobe (4 hands-offs for 26 yards), and Marquis Dixon (5 rushes for 84 yards) all ran to paydirt once each!!
Putting forth quite the case to be named to the All-Catholic squad in November, after six appearances, Otoo ranks in the top-3 on the team in total tackles (3rd with 26), TFLs (1st with 4), and interceptions (co-1st with 2)…While it was not needed last weekend, let it be acknowledged that he is also 3rd on the team in rushing yards (181), and is tied for runner-up honors with two ground TDs to round out his two-way resume!
Michael Zeh (Sr.); WR/S – Moore Catholic Mavericks
Holy Trinity were not the only ones defying odds and muting naysayers this past weekend…
In what was just the second meeting all-time between the two Staten Island based programs (initial match-up occurring in 2005 and ending 69-0 in favor of Monsignor Farrell), it was the Mavericks of Moore Catholic prevailing, 30-27, in overtime on home turf in a clash of respective 2021 NYCHSFL runners-up on October 9th!
Earning his first POTW distinction following a dynamic and clutch play-making performance on both sides of the ball last Sunday was the three-year starting honor student, Zeh!!!
The often referenced and finally (long overdue) celebrated 6’2, 185-pounder out of S.I. had never been a stranger when it comes to finding his way into the end zone…After all, in his junior campaign, he finished tied for 2nd on the Mavs with 4 TD receptions!
However, his stellar performance in week #5 of his swan song just felt different!!! It was almost as if he was willing his team to victory and was not about to accept any other outcome!!
Tying his career-highs of 5 grabs (108 yards) and 2 TD hauls (both previously established last season in an early-season defeat at the hands of Archbishop Stepinac), the National Honor Society inducted member and/or 4.0 cerebral stud represented a good portion of the MC offense during the opening 24 minutes of action…
The recipient of both of All-State QB, John Michalski’s (12-for-17, 208 yards, 2 TDs) pair of touchdown hurls during the 1st half, Zeh drew first blood on his school’s second possession of the game when he snatched a 33-yarder to advance the ball into enemy territory and then cemented the successful drive moments later when he was found on a 28-yarder in the corner to put the Mavericks up 6-0!
With their team now trailing 21-14 in the 2nd, the Michalski to Zeh connection struck again, as the former chucked a 27-yard dart that dissected two opposing defensive backs into the hands of his teammate in the #5 shirt to cut the deficit to 21-20 at the break!
His impact thoroughly felt on offense already, the second half afforded Zeh an opportunity to exhibit the full range of his value, which he did by turning his focus to his duties as the leader of the “No Fly Zone”!!!
Moore still trailing by a small margin (24-20) but in danger of letting the game creep away in the 4th, it was Zeh alertly picking off (tying him for the team-lead with 3) an overthrown pass attempt from Lions’ junior signal caller, Cristian Pinto, and returning it 22 yards across midfield (MF 48) that acted as the momentum swing that Coach Nick Giannatasio was seeking!….Minutes later, Michalski capitalized off of the turnover by plunging across the line from 6-yards out give MC a 27-24 lead…
Zeh, who added 5 stops and one pass break-up to complement the game-altering INT is going to need to be just as potent in all endeavors in his next appearance as awaiting the Mavs is the epic showdown with HT!…The Titans boasts both the #1 offense and the top-rated defense in AA-1; hence, a repeat of Zeh’s heroics might be the recipe to serve some more “upset” soup!
Mehdi Merah (Jr.); FB – Xavier Knights
In the esteemed words of Dan Patrick, when it comes to the level at which the 5’10, 215-pounder out of the Big Apple [Merah] has been performing the past two weeks, it truly is accurate to say that “you cannot stop him; you can only hope to contain him”….And to be quite honest, we’re not sure he can even be contended at the present time!!
Vaulting the Knights to the top of the 2022 AA-2 Metro Catholic standings (4-1) following back-to-back victories over the likes of Holy Cross (46-20 on Oct. 1st) and St. Joe’s by the Sea (35-27 this past Saturday), Mehdi has morphed into perhaps the most dominant backfield option in the division, as he has embraced the role of the proverbial workhorse to such a degree that has gone from a net of 138 yards and a pair of TDs (26 carries) in Xavier’s first three games to astounding/mind-blowing totals of 432 yards and 7(!!!) touchdowns in his past two outings…
One week removed from a 257 yards/3 score display (18 attempt) versus HC, the multi-sport fiend (he can terrorize you on the Rugby pitch as well) was just as good in week #5 against the host Vikings, as he anchored a three-headed galloping beast that chewed up 380 yards and scored all 5 of the school’s touchdowns to deliver the “w”….
Uniting with seniors—Shane Zaletofsky (113 yards on 21 carries) & Gavin Gallagher (92 yards/1TD on 8 hand-offs), the power of Merah yielded a second straight century mark-plus demonstration, as he racked up 175 yards and scored on four different occasions to be the star of stars among the committee…
The Knights already up 7-0 (10-yard TD run by Gallagher), Merah doubled the lead when he took the direct snap through the gut and cruised 21-yards untouched to the house to make the score 14-0 with 1:32 remaining in the 1st quarter…
A SJS rally (touchdowns during the opening 2:00 of both the 2nd and 3rd quarters) squared the contest at 14 apiece, but Merah was just warming up!
Answering the game-tying score on the Knights’ ensuing drive, Merah capped off a 76-yard, 6:38 sequence when he pounded his way across the plain from 1-yard away to restore the Xavier lead, 20-14, with 3:59 remaining in 3Q!
He completed the trifecta (the first of his two 4th quarter tallies) approximately 1:15 into the final stanza when on 2nd & 6, he handled the snap, faked a pitch, and then sprinted up the middle for the insurance TD (27-14)…
A quick retort (64-yard TD pass) by Joe’s by the Sea cut the deficit to 27-21 with 9:39 still to play, but Mehdi ensued that there would be no stealing of the dub when he capitalized off of a turnover on downs (on the SJS 21) by tacking on a deciding 3-yard TD run in the final 2:25 to register TD #4….As a bonus, he then converted the 2pt try to close out a 26-point individual showcase!!!
As if his legend was not sufficient enough, Merah’s legs did more than just run, as he enjoyed quite a fine afternoon to boot with his boot….Serving as the school’s punter, he averaged nearly 50 yards (48.2) and dictated field position on his five kicks!!
All three (Gallagher, Merah, and Zaletofsky) of their primary weapons averaging over 100 yards per game this season on the ground, it is safe to say that the tradition has returned in full force….Merah’s 9 rushing touchdowns tops the cohort, while his 570 yards ranks 3rd behind the 608 and 587 amassed by Gallagher and Zaletofsky!