Week #5 (October 6th-8th, 2023)
Kenneth Antoine (Sr.); RB – Cardinal Hayes Cardinals
ONE SNAP!!!!
That is exactly how long it took the 6’0, 190-pound senior from Harlem to set the tone for the kind of afternoon it was going to be both individually and collectively for the Cardinal flock in their 34-0 dub against Holy Trinity on October 7th!
Taking the hand-off on the opening play of the game on Saturday afternoon, Antoine struck for 80 his 151 total yards rushing (12 carries), going all the way to the promised land to give Hayes the immediate 6-0 edge!!!
Later in the day, with the cushion having expanded to 22-0, the explosive #22 shirt would not be the one to punch it in, but he handled the banner part of the workload, as two long runs early in the third quarter advanced the pigskin inside the opposing red zone (HT 16), thus laying the tracks for junior QB, Rich Belin (4 total TDs; 3 passing to three different targets; 1 on the ground), to take it the rest of the way to add additional insurance (28-0)!
Surpassing the century mark now in three of his six appearances in his swan song thus far, per MaxPreps, Antoine has now logged EIGHT career 100+-yard displays!!!
The aforementioned 151yrds of damage being a season-high for the three-year varsity standout, he will head into marquee week #6 showdown with Iona Prep having accumulated 608 yards and 8 touchdowns to rank 2nd among all triple-A ball-carriers in both categories this fall!
Antoine is now a two-time Player of the Week selection, having previously been named as the Most Outstanding Player of the 2022 Turkey Bowl!
Jake Brodick (Sr.); WR – Fordham Prep Rams
Some of the automatics we take for granted at various levels of football…The Dallas Cowboys are always going to have a formidable Offensive Line; Lincoln Riley will always have a 5-star QB following him wherever he elects to coach….And the Rams of Fordham Prep are NEVER EVER going to be short on capable Wide Receivers!!!
A program that over the years have have showcased a consistent knack for being able to reload at WR, the names and faces change with each passing season, but the story stays the same!!
And on October 7th, our newest protagonist was a 5’5, 140-pounder calling Yonkers home [Brodick]!!
In some senses, transforming from anonymous to “infamous” (wickedly good) in terms of his profile on the NYCHSFL map, we absolutely going to be keeping an eye on the #10 jersey during the rest of 2023 after an ascension marked by an 8-reception, 126-yard, two touchdown haul afternoon that launched the visiting Rams to a 38-8 victory in Queens over Holy Cross!
The focal point of the aerial attack during the opening 24 minutes of action, Brodick was the offense prior to the halftime break, as he found himself on the back end of TD exchanges from distances of 16 and 34 yards respectively to send the Rams into the locker room enjoying a 17-8 edge!!
Picking up where he left off, Brodick remained uncoverable, pulling in several more grabs to cement his record-setting display!
Payton Buchanan (Sr.); RB – St. Francis Terriers
A 3-in-1 weapon with the ball in his possession, after making his name predominantly as a kick/punter returner (named as the recipient of the program’s Special Teamer of the Year award) during his junior campaign of 2022, the 5’10, 134-pound Rosedale resident [Buchanan] has been asserted himself in a variety of ways this season for the Terrier offense!!!!
In his school’s 34-8 week #5 dub over Cardinal Spellman, the multi-sport student-athlete (sprinter/hurdler for the Track & Field squad) was not passive in demonstrating the immense versatility of his skill set, as he single-handedly out-scored the Pilots, 14-8, on visiting soil by registering a pair of touchdowns, as well as 2pt conversion!
Rushing for only 90 yards during the entirety of the 2022 season, Buchanan came quite close to matching that output in one afternoon, as he’d close out Saturday afternoon with a 7-carry, 81-yard exhibition, highlighted by a 36-yard dash to paydirt to double Terrier Nation’s lead to 14-0 in the 1st quarter!!
The 81-yard outing on the ground, which was both a team-high on the day and a career-best for #5 individually, was the tip of the proverbial iceberg for the senior classman, as he allowed his hands to do some talking too, as he partnered up with junior QB, Thomas Zullo (5-of-6 for 78 yards, 2 touchdown throws), on two official occasions, finishing October 7th with 2 grabs for 25 yards (1 TD), while also making an unofficial snatch on a 2pt exchange to account for all of his scoring!!
Compiling a stat line that reads as follows: 170 yards/1TD on 25 attempts; 7 receptions for 129 yards and 3 touchdowns (tied for tops on the roster), Buchanan has without question been the breakdown star of the SFP offense, as he still has a large chunk of his senior year ahead of him and already he has re-written his record book!
Jonathan Otoo (Sr.); RB/DB – Mt. St. Michael Academy Mountaineer
There is just something about week #5 of the Metro Catholic season that seems to bring out the best in the 6’0, 180-pounder two-way skill position performer for the Mountaineers [Otoo]…
Receiving POTW distinction during this same point of the 2022 season after directly affecting/influencing two different touchdown-yielding plays in a win 47-0 over St. Dominics, there was a sense of déjà vu in the air on the afternoon of October 7th, as again, it was the diamond donning the #4 jersey that stood just a little taller than the rest of MSMA peers on both sides of the ball to deliver a key 14-13 victory in a battle of the #1 and #2 programs in the AA-2 standings over a very determined contingent from Xaverian!!
Identical to his heroics on special teams a year ago in the triumph over the Bayhawks, it would a blocked punt where Otoo truly made his biggest single contribution, as in a then still scoreless showdown, he’d charge in and knock down the kick as a precursor to an eventual 15-yard TD run by Carl Shaw (48 yards on 16 carries, 1 TD) that gave Mt. St. Michael Academy a 7-0 lead….
Never one to shun any of his defensive responsibilities, in addition to the essential special team’s sequence recognized above, Otoo further complemented his strong effort on “D” by racking up 4 tackles (3 solo, 1 assist), including a pair of run blitzes where he halted Clipper ball-carriers dead in their tracks for negative yardage!!
There would be another invaluable hit made in pass coverage as Otoo potentially spoiled a touchdown when in open space, he blew up a Xaverian wide-receiver screen just shy of the 50-yard line with a bone-chilling pop!
The cherry on top of sundae came on offense, as Otoo established new PBs in carries (9) and rushing yardage (69), including repeat episodes that witnessed him fight for extra inches to move the chain and make it possible for the Mount to exhaust/bleed the clock in the final 2:00 of regulation to hang on for the hard fought “w”!!
Otoo is now a 3x Player of the Week Selection, as he did the unthinkable last season, following up his week #5 nomination by become one of, if not the lone individual to ever garner the honor in back-to-back regular season appearances!!!
Eddie Palumbo (Sr.); LB – Archbishop Stepinac Crusaders
75% of Eddie Palumbo is still an upgrade over 100 percent of the average high school player…And if you need proof of this thesis statement, consider the fact that the 6’4, 205-pound senior linebacker out of Yorktown Heights played week #5 with dislocated finger that required him to wear a special glove/rubber hand….And he still managed to be the catalyst on defense for a Crusader squad that contained their hosts from New Rochelle, Iona Prep, to the tune just 12 points (entered averaging 28.7 against NYCHSFL competition this season) in a nail-biting 13-12 victory last Saturday afternoon to remain in the hunt for the top overall seed in the AAA playoffs!!
Establishing a new personal-best of 12 solo stops while tying his career-high of 15 total tackles (set two previous times in a 2022 win over Chaminade; and then again during a 2023 week #1 conquest of Monsignor Farrell), the future Yale Bulldog (chose the New Haven based institution over offers of acceptance from Harvard, Cornell, Columbia, and UPenn) seemed as if he had been cloned, as his #6 jersey seemed to flash on camera during every iota of game tape watched!!
Finishing 2nd on Stepinac as a junior with 93 total tackles, the captain extraordinaire is well on his way to shattering that quantity from a season ago, as he has tallied no fewer than 7 stops in any single outing this fall, adding up to a sum of a team-high 68 thru six games…
As adept at flowing North/South as he is East/West, after banking 8 TFLs during all of 2022, Palumbo has already equaled the mark, as his recorded 2 hits for negative yardage as the key component in an ensemble that limited the usually potent Gaels’ running attack (fresh off of a 222-yard game in week #4; averaging 158.4/per prior) to just 115 yards and 0 touchdowns (first team to achieve this feat)!
Just as comfortable dropping into pass coverage as he is stuffing the run, Palumbo’s most significant contribution on October 7th came in this capacity as he’d make what may have been the defining play of the game when trailing 6-3 in the 3rd quarter, he jumped in front of a pass attempt on the Crusader 10-yard line and returned it 28 yards to prevent Iona Prep from possibly expanding their advantage…The offense capitalized off the excellent starting field position, marching down field and kicking a field goal to complete a possible 10pt swing and even the contest at 6 apiece!
Tp put into perspective how huge a win this was for the school, Stepinac is likely the last remaining school that could spoil St. Anthony’s bid for the top-spot in the AAA postseason, as they improved to 4-2 overall in the standings (3-1 in triple-A match-ups) and are regarded as favorites on paper in both weeks 6 (Kellenberg) and 7 (Chaminade). Thus, they could be on a regular season finale (Oct. 27th) collision course with the Friars with the #1 spot up for grabs!
Brady Quinn (Sr.); OG – Monsignor Farrell Lions
Well aware of the fact that they were playing against a well-oiled, quick-strike, highly-prolific opponent in the persons of the St. John the Baptist Cougars (had previously scored over 30+ twice this season), the brain trust on the Monsignor Farrell sideline hatched a very simple, but effective plan….RUN, RUN, and RUN some more as a means of dominating both the clock and possession!!!
But, true to that old school, Big-10 mentality of power-football, in order to incorporate such a strategy, it is imperative that the team be equipped with a punishing offensive line that is built to endure the brunt/wear & tear labor necessary to blow open holes snap and snap without fail for a full 48 minutes!!!
And thankfully for the visiting Lions, God did not make them much tougher than the 5’11, 260-pound, three-year varsity member, Quinn!!!
Reclaiming/reacquainting himself with the starting OL spot he occupied as a sophomore but had to relinquish in 2022 when an ACL injury forced him onto the shelf, the Farrell team captain’s return to the line-up has been noticeable as the Maroon & Gold are averaging approximately five yards more per game (164.2 in 2023 vs. 159.6 in 2022) and have already scored 12 touchdowns on the ground this fall after tallying 18 a season ago!!!
Putting their trust in their senior anchor, Head Coach, Rocco Del Priore, and his staff were rewarded threefold, as nine pancake blocks enabled three different MF ball-carriers to combine for 156 yards and three touchdowns (1 apiece) as the crux of a 24-0 shutout victory over SJB squad that many feel will challenge the AA-1 crown next month!!!
Grinding out 16 1st downs on the ground and enjoying 34 of the 48 minutes of TOP, the objective was executed perfectly as the Cougars have a few promising series, but never were afforded the opportunity get into a groove!
Owing some gratitude to the beast in the #77 jersey would be Nafis Muhammad (104 yards on 17 carries), Cristian Pinto (51 yards on 12 keepers), and Seth Clarke (punched it in from 1-yard out on his lone hand-off) who all got to relish in the joy of touchdowns on Sunday afternoon!
As the Lions prepare themselves to face an even stiffer and/or more dynamic nemesis (Defending AAA League and NY Catholic State champs, St. Anthony’s) during week #6, it would reason that a proven formula (run-heavy, clock management) could/should be utilized again for a second straight weekend!!
Needing just 15 yards October 13th to reach the 1,000 milestone as a unit, with Quinn laying the tracks, the backfield is averaging 5.7/carry 173 attempts and have scored at least one touchdown rushing in five of six outings (2 of more TD in three of those contests)!
Evan Tarozzi (Jr.); Strong Safety/FB – Xavier Knights
Hailed by Knights’ Head Coach, Chris Stevens, as the “steadiest defender” from the start of the season to the current moment, the 6’2, 205-pound two-way impact performer that calls the Big Apple home took pleasure in laying out countless bodies on both sides of the ball as part of Xavier’s must-win 23-14 effort last Saturday over the Vikings of St. Joseph’s by the Sea!
The defense as a whole repeatedly bearing down at essential times of what was a very back-and-forth evening, the unit forced a safety (holding in the end zone) with 8:20 remaining in the 3rd quarter to seize a 16-7 lead!!
Then after their guests from Staten Island struck back to draw within 16-14 midway through the 4Q, the “Maroon Machine” dug even deeper, forcing a turnover on downs in the last 75 ticks of regulation to preserve the advantage and give the offense starting field position on the energy side of the field (eventually turned into a 45-yard TD by Sean Kull) on the first snap following the TOD to ice the dub!!
The program’s statistical leader in nearly every defensive category prior to the start of week #5, not only did the 11th grade honor student (95+ grade point average; attracting Ivy attention) further bolster his seasonal line by making 8 stops (1 TFL) and adding a pair of successful pass break-ups to raise his raise his totals to 46 (9 TFL) and 3, he also jumped into a tie for the top spot in one of the few areas he did not hold the pole position when he registered his first interception of the fall….
Not content to throw his weight around just on “D”, Tarozzi may not show in the box score as such but was among the most valuable assets to a Knight ground attack that amassed a season-best 319 yards and scored a trifecta of touchdowns, as he selflessly sacrificed himself by acting as a primary blocker!
Isaiah Vanterpool (Jr.); LB – Moore Catholic Mavericks
Billed by us as a potential preview of next month’s AA-1 title contest, the 6’2, 210-pounder Staten Islander [Vanterpool] picked a darn fine occasion to have his grandest effort in what has been a decorated three-year varsity tenure as a Maverick!!
No stranger when it comes to taking his game to the next level under the highest of stakes, as he proved when was made his debut on the POTW list in 2022 during the semifinal round of the Metro Catholic playoffs, as good as he was in that outing, the gentleman donning the #16 jersey on Saturday might have been just a tad bit better as his heroics enabled Moore Catholic to come away with a 32-22 win over previously unbeaten St. Peter’s to likely propel themselves into the driver’s seat to earn a postseason top-seed!!!
Limiting an Eagles’ offensive juggernaut that stepped onto the field averaging 37.6 points and 251.4 yards rushing per game to just 22 and 202 respectively (both their second lowest output of 2023), spearheaded by their junior linebacker, the MC defense broke a few times during the third quarter, but were their very best down the homestretch as they pitched a 4th shutout that enabled the offense to close out the contest on a 17-0 run en route to the comeback triumph!!
For his part, there was not much else that Vanterpool could have done better, as his 11 total stops (7 solo, 4 assisted) and four tackles for a loss both constituted new personal-highs as he vaulted himself into the program lead in both categories, as he now sits with 44 tackles, eight of which has resulted in minus yardage!!
To boot, by also tacking on one of the Mavs’ two sacks during the Sunday matinee, he seized the outright lead in that column as well, as the QB bag gives him 2.5 through week #5!!
There will be no option to rest on laurels or take an extended victory lap for either Vanterpool or Moore Catholic, as they put their two-game winning streak on the line when they travel to Long Island to square off with AAA league member, Chaminade, in a rematch of the 2021 AA-1 title game won the Flyers….Only a freshman when the loss occurred, it goes without saying that it still stung and will provide extra motivation for all parties in the 2024 Black & Red cohort to shine out!!