Category: News

Richie Aiken (Sr.); RB – Xaverian Clippers Consistent with the sentiments expressed in week #1 when he previously was honored this fall (now a four-time recipient); there is no “good/decent” version of the Rockaway Beach resident! The “Aiken phenomenon” only comes in two modes—Regular season (great) and Postseason (Unstoppable)! And this past weekend, we got to witness the fullest extent of that higher gear as the 5’9, 175-pound senior tailback was his quintessential playoff self in presiding over a 26-21 triumph in a clash of 2025 champions against Xavier! Rushing for a season-best 179 yards (just three short of his career-high) and finding the end zone on two separate occasions; the #7 jersey raised his seasonal stat line to 850 yards and 12 touchdowns; thus matching his output (853 and 12) from a year ago with at least one more (and potentially two) appearance(s) still awaiting him! The first of

Sean Carnevale (Sr.); QB – Chaminade Flyers Demonstrating the leadership qualities and skillset that has made him a rare three-year varsity team member in Mineola; the 6’0, 195-pound field general that calls Bayville home [Carnevale] shined in the final regular season game of his scholastic career in propelling the Flyers to a 28-21 victory on the road over Fordham Prep that snapped a six-game losing streak and created momentum heading into the triple-A playoffs!! Spreading the pigskin out to SIX unique targets under the Friday Night lights on October 30th; Carnevale registered his second multiple-touchdown tossing performance of the season (both in the past three weeks) to the tune of a 21-for-29 performance for 225 yards and a pair of scores! His first act of heroism coming in direct response to a Ram touchdown on their opening possession in an initial 7-0 hole; Carnevale answered back on Chaminade’s first drive

Christopher Biondi (Sr.); OL/DL – Kellenberg Memorial Firebirds Playing like he has a NIL deal with Dyno Nobel; the 295-pound Lynbrook resident repeatedly “blew up” anyone in his path on both sides of the ball to help the host Firebirds improve to 6-2 this fall behind a 14-6 toppling of defending AA-1 champs, Xavier! His menacing blocks on offense paving the way for Kellenberg Memorial to rack up a season-best average of 8.3 yards per carry (225 on 27 attempts)… Four different Blue & Gold clad individuals rushed for 40 or more yards (Quinn Saccheri: 86, Brendan Barkley: 56, Brayden Farrelly: 42, and Douglas Cristales: 41)! KMHS enjoying a narrow 7-6 advantage with just over 4:00 remaining in regulation; Big #75 delivered what was perhaps his most essential pancake when in “Michael Oher-esque” fashion from the “Blindside”, he bulldozed a would-be tackler to create a schism in the opposing DL

Xavier Bala (Sr.); RB – St. Anthony’s Friars Demonstrating why he is regarded as the #3 overall 2027 prospect in the entire Empire State (per 247 Sports); the Boston College bound, 230-pound, “Baldwin Beast” was truly at his best this past Friday night in propelling the Friars to the 49-48 comeback victory over their archnemesis Flyers of Chaminade!! Officially credited with four touchdowns (3 rushing, 1 receiving), but having a say in several of the other St. Anthony’s scores; the returning All-Catholic and/or 2nd-Team All-State selection from a season ago was pretty much a “runaway train” for the full 48 minutes of play, as he amassed a mind-blowing sum of 282 yards of total offense! Surpassing the 200-yard mark for the second time in his swan song campaign; Bala would carry the pigskin on 17 occasions for a cumulative gain of 212 yards (just weeks removed from racking up a

Milan Bennett (Sr.); PK – Mount St. Michael Academy Mountaineers Borrowing and adapting the cliche, “It takes a village to raise a child”… In the Bronx, it takes a “specialist” in order to pitch repeated shutouts! The Mountaineers now unscored upon in their last three trips to the gridiron; a lot of the great deservedly ought to be extended to the formal members of the D-Unit! However, what should not be getting cast aside or undervalued is the unheralded mastery being showcased by MSMA’s senior placekicker [Bennett]!! His booming leg acting as a “12th man”; the 5’9, 160-pound hometown kid has become the consummate dictator of opposing starting field position! A soccer/futbol star by trade who is on loan to the football team; Bennett has taken on wizard like powers in his ability to bury opposing teams by spotting the pigskin inside their own 10-yard line on almost every kickoff

Ryan Kuntz (Sr.); WR/DB – Kellenberg Memorial Firebirds Per cliches, “The Lord both giveth and taketh away”!!! These same sentiments could be applied to the comprehensive/Ironman efforts delivered by the Firebirds’ Senior WR/DB [Kuntz] in propelling the Blue & Gold to a hard fought 28-20 road victory under the Friday night lights over Fordham Prep!  The gentleman in the #28 jersey being a gift that gave, gave, and then gave some more throughout the 48-minute showdown on October 2nd; there was no shortage of game-changing plays that revolved around the 6’2, 195-pound resident of Floral Park! Entering week #5 already atop the KMHS totem pole in both total receptions and receiving yards; Kuntz succeeded in further separating himself from his peers when he recorded his second straight century mark outcome (109; seven yards shy of his personal best set in week #4) while posting the first-ever multiple-touchdown (2) performance of