Players of the Week – Page 9

Players of the Week Announced for Thanksgiving Day Games

November 30, 2016

By Matt Diano: Justin Felder (Jr.); RB – Holy Cross Knights When the 2016 season started, the junior from Jamaica was not even slotted to be Coach Tim Smith’s #1 option out of the backfield….However, when injuries demanded that the 5’8, 180-pounder assume a larger role, Felder was ready for the promotion, gaining 600 of his season total 905 yards in the weeks since taking over as the Knights’ primary ball carrier. Entering the final contest of his 11th grade season riding a streak of four consecutive games with a rushing touchdown and 100+ yard performances in two of his last three outings, the recently named All-Catholic honoree truly did have a heck of a finale, accumulating 208 yards on only 13 carries (an average of 13.0/carry), including a 49-yard “burst” (to quote Coach Smith) up the gut that put the “w’ on ice for Holy Cross in their 54-16

CHSFL Semifinal Player’s of the Week Announced

November 16, 2016

By Matt Diano: Gene Brown (Sr.); DL – Archbishop Stepinac Crusaders In the lead-up to last weekend’s semifinal game, we said that “if there was one outstanding unit to keep an eye on”, that it would be the Monsignor Farrell defense….Now, while we do not know if this comment was responsible for lighting a fire in the belly of the Crusader’s senior defensive lineman [Brown]; what we can attest to with complete certainty though is that he played like man with a statement to make a point to prove, as it was the “D” from the two-time defending AAA champions that won the day, as they avenged an earlier 23-20 regular season loss by doubling up the host Lions, 20-10, in a CHSFL semifinal contest. A team captain who Coach Mike O’Donnell described as “playing the game with high energy and never stopping until the sound of the whistle,” the

Quarterfinal Player of the Week Awards

November 9, 2016

By Matt Diano: Christian Legagneur (Sr.); RB/CB – St. John the Baptist Cougars In the CHSFL Double-A Quarterfinal preview, we said that when they get on a roll, the Cougar running attack was very capable of taking a game over….That is precisely what the story was last Sunday, as their trio of tailbacks combined to run for an astounding 604 yards and six touchdowns in a 45-31 road victory over St. Joe’s by the Sea in the classic #4 vs. #5 seeded match-up….The two score margin of win over the weekend represents a four TD turnaround as it was the Ralph Carusillo coached Baptist squad that dropped a 36-20 game early in the 2016 regular season. While it was junior, Daniel Parker, who led all Cougars in total yards accumulated on the ground, rushing for 257 yards on 19 carries, the most important production of the game was complements of

Week 8 CHSFL Player’s of the Week

November 2, 2016

By Matt Diano: DeVonte Myles (Sr.); CB/OLB – Archbishop Stepinac Crusaders In a preview of an upcoming AAA quarterfinal match-up, the 6’0, 185-pound senior from Yonkers was, as his coach phrased it, “all over the field” last Saturday, recording a team-leading total of nine tackles in ensuring that the two-time defending League Champion Crusaders earned a top-3 seed behind a 41-17 victory on the road over Chaminade. One of the centerpieces on a defensive unit that held the host Flyers to their lowest point total since week #3 and their second lowest production of the 2016 season, Myles not only did a banner job in controlling the opposing offense, he also provided a few points of his own when he picked up a fumble and raced 25-yards untouched for the second defensive touchdown of the season for the Crusaders (Trill Williams had a pick-6 against Iona Prep during week #2).

Week 7 Player’s of the Week Announced

October 27, 2016

By Matt Diano: If you ever find yourself doubting the old saying that “it’s not over till it’s over,” consider the 7th week of the Catholic Football season where overcoming multiple touchdown deficits were the norm. All five of our selected student-athletes this week found their respective teams trailing at one point, two of whom were really walking a fine line as they trailed in the final 2:00 of regulation. Another of our POTW picks was the man responsible for helping his team post the biggest upset of 2016 as the CHSFL’s last unbeaten program fell. Bryson Welch (Sr.); RB – Mount St. Michael Academy Mountaineers The second member of the MSMA backfield honored in the past three weeks, Welch joins fellow senior, Justin Montoyo (week #5 selection) among the many student-athletes recognized this season for going above and beyond in leading their respective school’s to triumph…The “Thunder” to Montoyo’s

Week 6 CHSFL Player’s of the Week

October 19, 2016

By Matt Diano: Christian Anderson (Sr.); QB – Cardinal Hayes Cardinals It took four weeks to occur, but the sleeping giants that is CJ O’Neil’s Cardinals are wide awake and starting to look to clearly resemble the AAA title contenders we pegged them as at the start of the 2016 season….Losing their first three games of the year, the Bronx based program has been in the midst of a complete 180 since week #4, knocking off Xavier, St. Peter’s, and now Chaminade in back-to-back-to-back outings…..Through all of the ups and downs, one student-athlete who has consistency made his presence known on a weekly basis has been the 6’0, 155-pounder senior under center, Anderson. Playing three of his best statistical games (in regards to quarterback rating) during the current winning streak, the always dynamic signal caller has thrown for an average of 230.6 yards, totally eight aerial TDs….The “do-it-all” overseer of

Week #5 Player’s of the Week Announced

October 12, 2016

By Matt Diano: David Keogh (Sr.); QB – Kennedy Catholic Gaels In 2015, the Gaels only won two games….Due in large part to the off the charts play of their 12th grade quarterback [Keogh], the Somers, NY based program needed only five weeks to match that total as their 41-14 victory over St. Dominic’s on Friday the 7th has them firmly in position to claim a top-3 seed in the Single-A playoffs. The heart, soul, and backbone of the KC offense for much of his three-year scholastic career, the Mahopac resident has been known to put on a show or two….But alas, the demonstration of dominance he put forth in week #5 might have surpassed all the rest as he utilized every limb in his body to account for a 2016 Catholic Football high (thus far) of six total touchdowns (including five straight on the ground) to pad what were

Week #4 Player’s of the Week Announced

October 5, 2016

By Matt Diano: Easily the most balanced of our POTW lists this season, week #4 is like your granny’s pocketbook; it has a little something to appease everyone. Offensively, the two running backs and one quarterback combined for 555 yards of total offense (373 rushing) and nine touchdowns (seven on the ground). Defensively, the three-headed linebacker corps racked up 33 tackles, four sacks, and notched an interception. We even found room this week for a kicker/punter who showed the Catholic faithful that special teamers are instrumental to the success of any and every winning program. Four of our six selections were involved in games featuring undefeated teams, as two were key components in knocking off previously perfect opponents, while the other pair did everything within their power to ensure that their school remained on pace to run the board. Charles Barsella (Sr.); LB – St. Anthony’s Friars During the

CHSFL Player’s of the Week Announced for Week 3

September 27, 2016

By Matt Diano: The quarterback position darn near had a monopoly on the NYCHSFL during week #3 as four or our six selections take the snaps for their respective schools… All four members of the honored QB fraternity threw for 250+ for a combined total of approximately 1,100 yards…In addition, the foursome averaged 3.75 TDs scored with a collective tally of 15 (13 throwing, 2 rushing)…There was an even split among the group, as two were returning POTWs from 2015, while the other half is making their debut on the list today. The third week of the season was also chalk full of barn-burners as three of the six recipients were either the main components or significant assets in fourth quarter comeback victories. For the first time this season, we have an underclassman among the chosen few, as a sophomore tailback from Brooklyn is new to our scrolls, but is certain

CHSFL Player’s of the Week Announced for Week 2

September 21, 2016

By Matt Diano: The name of the game in week #2 was versatility….Three of the four players honored were two-way performers that made their respective presences known as much on the defensive side of the ball as they did on offense. In addition, all three of our divisions were represented, giving us the balance that we always seek in preparing this weekly column. Combining to score 15 touchdowns and create four turnovers , this foursome more than demonstrated that there is much validity in the old saying that there is more than one way to skin cat (or an opponent). Stephen Lebitsch (Sr.); LB – Kennedy Catholic Gaels One of the senior leaders on a much improved Gael squad, Lebitsch was a one-man turnover creating machine this past weekend in helping the Somers based school to a 38-14 win over Nazareth Regional….Totaling four solo tackles and one assisted stop, the

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