Category: Awards

By Matt Diano: Christian Alacqua (Sr.); RB – Chaminade Flyers To watch the 5’11, 185-pounder out of Manhasset compete the past three weeks is to ask yourself, is it impossible to have a “once-in-a-generation” caliber talent on campus TWICE in a matter of three seasons? Sidelined for much of his abridged junior campaign due to the injury bug last spring, the future Cornell University lacrosse midfielder is turning heads and making jaws drop with the way he has come out of the gate on fire in his swan song on behalf of the Kevin Dolan Crimson & Gold ground attack!! The successor to 2019 3rd Team All-State selection/2x Newsday All Long-Island 2nd-team honoree, Mario Fischetti Jr. (now playing in the backfield at Williams College), [Christian] Alacqua has been so remarkable at the onset of the fall that he has the Flyer faithful feeling overcome with a sense of déjà vu….

By Matt Diano: Aidan Hanley-Piri (Jr.); QB – Cardinal Spellman Pilots Someone please give Aidan Hanley-Piri a pair of aviator sunglasses and a Blue Angels jacket.  The past Sunday, people tuned in expecting to watch football; instead, the 6’2, 200-pound junior field general treated them to an air show en route to propelling the Pilots to their first victory of the spring, 40-28, over visiting Nazareth Regional…Working his way back into prime game condition after being hampered by an ankle injury suffered during week #1, the gentleman in the #2 jersey shattered not only established new personal bests, but also shattered quite a few school records with 48-minute display of aerial brilliance…Connecting on 23 of 31 throws, he hurled for a remarkable 315 yards, and SIX touchdowns to have a direct hand in all of Spellman’s scoring plays…And trust us when we say that pitted against a gritty Kingsmen foe

By Matt Diano: Jayden Jenkins (Sr.); RB – Archbishop Stepinac Crusaders As we rapidly approach the conclusion of our abbreviated spring season, it is to be expected that all of our student-athletes are undergoing the process of taking stock in what they have achieved during these six weeks of competition…For our seniors, this reflection often comes in a much deeper form as they ponder the thought that the “next time” is the “final time” they will ever put on that jersey and represent their high school…With these sentiments in mind, it Is natural to want to have that career-day down the stretch so as to leave a legacy that will echo in the hallways long after you have stopped walking them…For the 5’10, 175-pound Bronx resident [Jenkins], no matter what happens in this week, he can rest assured that his place in the proverbial circle is secure following a monster

By Matt Diano: Jaden Sinclair (Sr.); WR/DB/Specialist – Holy Trinity Titans This past Thursday, the 5’10, 165-pound senior triple-threat sure put the “special” in specialist in propelling the Titans into the win column behind a 40-14 road victory over defending NYCHSFL “A” champions, Kennedy Catholic…Accruing in excess of 200 yards of total output with the ball in the hands, Sinclair’s explosive track & field speed was indisputable, as evident by the countless kick and/or punt returns that he sprung for 20 or more yards…On two occasions, the 2019 All-Catholic honoree had his proverbial jets firing on so many cylinders that he successfully fielded the pigskin, cut wide, and then turned on the burners until he had reached the “land of milk, honey, and 6 points.”…The first of his pair of touchdown-yielding returns came in the 2nd quarter when he answered a Gael score (to tie the score at 7-7) by