Article by Matt Diano
Week #2 (September 14th-16th, 2023)
D’Angelo Cabrera (Sr.); FS – Mount St. Michael Academy Mountaineers
Proof that the football gods do indeed have a sense of humor; after naming 30 combined student-athletes as focal points in our Double-A game of the week preview, naturally if was an individual overlooked by us that ceremoniously stepped up and emerged as the utmost standout in Mount St. Michael Academy’s 27-13 vengeance victory last Saturday against Xavier in a rematch of the 2022 NYCHSFL AA-2 title contest!!
Donning the #2 jersey on September 16th, but leaving no doubt that he was “numero uno” in terms of essential personnel, the 5’8, 150-pound senior from the Bronx [Cabrera] was invaluable in a universal/aggregate exercise courtesy of the entire Mountaineer “D” that held the rival Knights to their lowest scoring output this far in 2023!!!
Embracing the adjustment in assignment/responsibility from ball-hawking centerfielder in the secondary to hard-nosed, run-stuffing box safety in week #2, Cabrera was credited with a team-best 8 total stops (including 5 solo) as the main component in the ensemble that surrendered a touchdown on the initial drive of the afternoon (8:22 remaining in the 1st quarter), but refused to neither bend nor break again for a span of over 30 minutes…During this lockdown period, their offensive brethren would go on a 27pt unanswered streak to carry a 27-7 advantage into the 4th quarter!
Cabrera’s signature contribution came in the final 1:00 of regulation, as he’d personally cease any hope that Xavier might have of a comeback win when on 4th down inside his own 5-yard line, he flew to the ball and dragged down a Knight ball-carrier short of the sticks to create a turnover on downs to preserve the triumph!
Will Currid (Sr.); QB – Archbishop Stepinac Crusaders
Maki
ng his third career appearance on the POTW list (1st since week #0 of the 2022 campaign), the four-year varsity team member/three-year starter for the Red, White, and Blue machine had relished in more than his fair share of superb days since his making his debut in 2020….However, you can probably count on one hand the number of those elite outings that demanded/attracted the level of attention/respect that he is receiving following the epic gunslinging showcase he put forth last Saturday afternoon in steering the Crusaders to the 34-21 victory over defending NJSIAA Non-Public State Champs/Current #3 in NJ, DePaul Catholic!!!
Tying his career-best of 33 completions on a single day, the 6’2, 188-pounder hailing from Cross River may not have established new records for yardage or touchdown hurls, but in total sincerity from watching his unfold at every turn, we were hard-pressed to find a more comprehensive/fully locked-in effort where he toyed with the opposition!!
Squaring off with a defense that featured at least two players with NCAA power-5 scholarship offers (DeShawn Stewart & Nolan James), Currid was the definition of patience and intelligence, as he “took what was easy” (quote given to Lohud) to the tune of connecting on 85% of his attempts (33-of-39) for 404 yards, and four touchdown in the sky!
But alas, what separates “good” from “greatness” at the QB position is the wisdom to know that there are times to be “safe”, but also occasions that call for boldness…And Currid found that mixture of each category!!
Smacking the visiting Spartans right back in the face after they took a 7-0 lead, the first of Currid’s four TD darts came in the last 2:00 of the 1st quarter, as he lofted the ball over the outstretched and leaping arms of a DePaul defender into the waiting hands of junior WR, Zaire Spellman (5 receptions for 59 yards, 1 TD), for the 38-yard hook-up to square the bout at 7-7!
On Stepinac’s next possession following a forced punt, the superman in the #8 shirt carved up the nemesis again, as a 20-yarder to Jahi Gary (5 grabs for 98 yards) advanced the ball inside the red zone, and then two snaps later, Currid rolled out and found a totally wide-open Max Oliveri over the middle for the 10-yard drive culmination propel AS to a 14-7 lead less than 60 seconds into the 2nd quarter!!!
The vaunted Crusader defense holding yet again late in the 1st half, some of Currid’s best work on September 16th came while serving as the conductor of the two-minute drill, as he went an immaculate 5-for-5 with his arm to direct the White Plains based program to a 70-yard drive that reached its crescendo when he put the ball right on the money to fellow senior, Darison Hooper (13 grabs for 203 yards, 2 touchdown snatches) on a 15-yard missile with just :11 to go in the half to send the happy hosts into the break with a 21-7 cushion!
In direct response to a DePaul TD that cut the edge in half (21-14), Currid and his favorite weapon of the afternoon [Hooper] teamed up again on the ensuing possession, as the former unleashed a 48-yard grenade down the AS sideline to the latter to restore the 14pt margin (28-14) with 8:32 remaining in 3Q!!!
Having now chucked for 921 yards and 8 touchdowns on 71-of-104 (68.3%) in the first three games of his swan song year, Currid raised his career resume to a mind-blowing 5,516 yards/48 TD passes…His next successful pass completion will be the 400th of his tenure (399-of-608)!
Aiden Ledlum (Sr.); LB – St. Peter’s Eagles
Goods hands must be a trait that runs in the blood lines because for the second time in a handful of years, the Eagles have a stud named Ledlum that has shown himself quite adept at snatching anything/everything that flies in his direction!!
Th
e younger brother of Chris [Ledlum], who was one of the most prolific wide receivers for the Eagles during the 2016 and 2017 seasons before ultimately electing to choose the allure of the hardwood (1st Team All-Ivy League at Harvard; now playing at St. John’s), it turns out that the 6’0, 185-pound 12th-grader [Aiden] has a knack for taking over games with his hands too…Only he inflicts his damage on the defensive side of the ball, serving as one of the senior leaders on a very rich corps of linebackers!!!
Posting a team-leading 12 stops and adding a sack as the headliner for an STP “D” that pitched their first shutout since the 2018 season, 42-0, versus Moore Catholic (NJ), it was the double interceptions he banked on September 16th that put his POTW candidacy over the top!!
The Eagles boasting a 28-0 advantage at the time but the visiting Crusaders trying to get on the board before the end of the 1st half, it was the #4 golden jersey reading the eyes of the opposing quarterback (who was under duress) and diving in front of a pass attempt to secure the interception on his own 41 with 2:21 to go be the intermission!!
Ledlum would then prematurely halt his second Morris Catholic drive in a row when on the opening possession of the second half (pigskin on the Peter’s 29), he displayed amazing concentration, as he went from tackle mode into the pick gear, catching a deflection off the hands of the MC running back to create the turnover 3:17 into the 3rd quarter!!…Had he not come away with the INT, it is a sure bet that he would have made the stop for an 8-yard, march-derailing loss to set up a 3rd & 26!
By virtue of their dominating collective exhibition on home soil, Coach DeCristoforo has the Eagles sitting at 3-0 in the standings for the first time since the fall of 2016!!
Kenny Noe (Sr.); QB – Kellenberg Memorial Firebirds
There is just something magical about that Firebird #10 jersey; it inspires ordinary men to do extraordinary things on behalf of the Blue & Gold!!
A tradition of excellence that in my experience has dated back to 2016 with Joe Grimm and passed through a trifecta of Sluka brothers (including 2x NYCHSFL Offensive Player of the Year, Matt, in 2017 & 2018), whomever dons that number just seems to have the innate ability to make things happen in Uniondale!!!
And in 2023, the honors are being done by a 5’11, 175-pound senior field general [Noe]!
In his first season varsity season on the gridiron after making a name for himself on the baseball diamond (C/SS who is committed to Monmouth), the Oceanside resident endured some lumps in a week #0 loss to Section I powerhouse, Arlington, but has gotten just a little bit more comfortable and proficient with each subsequent start since!!
Fresh off of a 201-yard throwing (3 TD)/58-yard rushing effort during week #1 (loss to Rhode Island dynasty, Bishop Hendricken), the learning curve was all but erased this past weekend, as Noe was the orchestrator of an utter offensive 
masterpiece, having a hand in four of the ‘Berg’s six total touchdowns to lead them to their first victory of the fall, 38-18, over St. Francis Prep!
His stat line “balanced” as opposed to “gaudy” (to paraphrase the sentiments of the Kellenberg coaching staff), anytime you are responsible for generating 217 yards of territory and four scores, in our opinion, the word that comes to mind is “lethal”!!!
Connecting on 8-of-14 pass attempts for 107 yards (1 TD), while using his legs to chew up an additional 110 yards (3 touchdowns) on 12 carries, the completion percentage (57.1%), as well as the rushing yards/touchdowns all represented new personal-bests for the 12th grader!!
Propelling the Marianist faith-based school/program to a 14-0 advantage in the 1st quarter, Noe took full advantage of excellent starting field position, as he drew first blood via a 6-yard QB draw (after having an bigger gainer earlier in the series) with 5:33 remaining in the opening stanza; and then hit junior WR, Jack Geoghan, over the shoulder for a “40-yard bomb” (to quote Coach Meisse) to move the ball inside the red zone and set up his 9-yard keeper on the next snap in the final 13 ticks of 1Q!
The scoreboard now reading 20-6 in favor of the Long Islanders, Noe notched his third TD of the 1st half when after his defense forced a fumble just short of midfield, he’d march the ‘Birds 47 yards in 1:16, culminated by a 4-yard bullet into the leaping arms of Georghan on the last snap prior to the break to send his school into the locker room with the comfortable 26-6 edge!
The outcome no longer in question (32-6), Noe delivered one bonus nail to the coffin when he sped 23 years to the house with 1:55 remaining in the 3rd quarter to close out his quartet of point-yielding maneuvers!
Thru three appearances, Noe has accumulated 587 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2023, hitting on 27-of-60 aerially for 393 yards (5 TDs) and trekking 193 yards (3 scores) on 33 carries!!