MSG Varsity: The Magazine 2011 Fall Edition

FALL 2011

FOOTBALL, SOCCER, FIELD HOCKEY AND MORE!

Dakota EdwardsSayville

Debi-Michelle JantzenShoreham-WR

Stacey BedellWilliam Floyd

Cari RoccaroEast Islip

Isaiah BarnesFreeport

FALL 2011


Devin FullerOld Tappan

Emily WoldFreehold Boro

Amanda BerntsenChatham

Luke St. JohnFair Lawn

FALL 2011


Zach ZuritaBunnell

Samantha MacchioJoel Barlow

Karolyn CollinsNorwalk

Shane NastahowskiGreenwich

FALL 2011


Laray SmithXaverian

Emma BozekLakeland

Phoebe DawkinsBronx Science

Mike WagnerMonroe-Woodbury

Jared Greenberg Steve Gelbs

SPORTS. SCORES. EXPERTS.

iO TV CHANNELS 14 & 614MSGVARSITY.COM

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Editor-in-ChiefBrett Topel

Art DirectorJohn Tomaselli

Senior WritersKevin Devaney Jr. (@MSGVarsityHVC)

Brian Fitzsimmons (@FitzWriter) Gregg Sarra (@MSGV_Sarra)

Contributing WritersLauren Brill, Lou Brogno, Dylan Butler,

Isaac Cass, Stephen Haynes, Bob Herzog, Mike Gavin, Jared Greenberg, Evan Korn, Pat O’Keefe, Mike Quick, Jesse Quinlan,

Adam Ronis, Shawna Ryan

PhotographersMike Stobe, Frank LoCascio, Dave Hahn

Copy EditorIan Bross

ContributorsLarry Goldman, Adam Lebowitz, Bill McGlone,

Brad Serton, Jefferson Wilson

Ad DesignJames Grasso, Gregory Heim

PrinterPrinting Spectrum

Cover Photo by Mike Stobe

General Manager Theresa Chillianis

Senior Vice President & Executive Producer Michael Lardner

Vice President-High School PartnershipsJennifer Ostrager

Vice President-Digital PlatformsJonathan McCarthy

Vice President-MarketingPhilip Summers

Vice President-Public RelationsJennifer McIntosh

Vice President-FinanceDara Romano

Vice President-Programming OperationsSean Kennedy

To contact MSG Varsity, email us at:[email protected]

Follow MSG Varsity on Twitter@MSG_Varsity

The beginning of the school year offers everyone a fresh start. Students, parents, teachers and the entire community are able to rekindle friendships, establish new relationships and focus on high school life. To that end, I am proud to welcome you to the fall edition of MSG Varsity The Magazine.

Now that another summer is behind us, the pages of this magazine have everything you will need to follow the red-hot action on the field this fall. Throughout the issue you’ll find previews and rankings for fall sports, including football, boys and girls soccer, field hockey and girls volleyball.

You can also read about MSG Varsity’s new regional broadcasts of High School SportsDesk, which will allow you to enjoy more coverage of YOUR school! Also, be sure to check out the “Your School, Your Stories” section, which includes an up-close look at high schools throughout the tri-state.

So please enjoy this edition of MSG Varsity The Magazine, and let us know what you think! You can always email us any comments you have at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Theresa ChillianisGeneral Manager, MSG Varsity

Photo: Brian Stanton

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7 MSG Varsity Raises Its GameMSG Varsity has launched regional editions of High School SportsDesk, as well as an exciting new app.

8 Are You Ready For Some FootballCheck out our 26-page section including everything you need to know about tri-state high school football.

30 The Tri-State Makes its MarkJared Greenberg breaks down the tri-state football scene, which has become a must-stop for college coaches.

32 Empire Challenge RecapA photo retrospective of the 2011 Empire Challenge football game between Long Island and NYC all-stars.

34 Boys SoccerWe break down the top boys soccer players to watch and rank the top 10 teams in every region.

36 Girls SoccerWe break down the top girls soccer players to watch and rank the top 10 teams in every region.

38 Field HockeyWe break down the top field hockey players to watch and rank the top 10 teams in every region.

40 Girls VolleyballWe break down the top girls volleyball players to watch and rank the top five teams in every region.

44 High School SpotlightsRead about four standout schools in the tri-state.

46 Fan FavoritesWhat’s your favorite on-the-go snack? You gave us your picks!

54 A Look BackCheck out spring photos from events across the tri-state.

66 A Quick ColumnMike Quick rates his top 10 tri-state football players.

Photos from MSG Varsity The Magazine’s regional cover shoots:(Clockwise from top) Mike Wagner, Monroe-Woodbury, HV; Emily Wold, Freehold Boro, NJ; Karolyn Collins, Norwalk, CT; Cari Roccaro, East Islip, LI. Photos by Mike Stobe.

Contents

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Fridays at 7pm

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For the past two years, MSG Varsity’s High School SportsDesk has been deliver-ing the latest sports highlights and sto-ries from throughout the tri-state like no

other network. This year, it’s raising the bar, and giving fans more of what they want—exclusive re-gional coverage of their schools.

High School SportsDesk now has region-specific shows for Long Island, New Jersey, New York City and Westchester/Hudson Valley/Connecticut.

“Regional SportsDesks are another step in being the dominant high school sports source,” said Michael Lardner, the senior vice president and exec-utive producer of MSG Varsity. “We’ll be able to go deeper, and put some real perspective on regional coverage.”

The Long Island and New Jersey shows will be anchored by Jared Greenberg and Steve Gelbs, while the New York City and Westchester/Hudson Valley/Connecticut editions will be anchored by Shawna Ryan and Keith Irizarry.

By going completely hyper-local, MSG Varsity will be giving viewers more of the highlights that they want to see on a daily basis.

“High School sports is a backyard interest,” Lardner said. “By having separate editions of High School SportsDesk, it really enables us to cover all of the great stories going on throughout the spe-cific regions.”

HS SportsDesk goes regional; Mobile app is launchedBy Brett Topel

MSG Varsity Raises Its Game

MSG VARSITY ON-THE-GO

Beginning this fall, the exciting new MSG Varsity mobile applica-tion for iPad and iPhone will allow users to create a custom digital ex-perience for all high school sports and activities. Users will be able to create an interactive experience based on region, school, sport or activity, and view all of the latest scores, photos and videos. Best of all, programming on MSG Varsity can be viewed live—anywhere, at anytime—through the app. Download the MSG Varsity app this fall for free on iTunes.

MSGVARSITY.COM

MSG Varsity has always been on the cutting edge when it comes to covering high school sports and activities. Now, MSGVarsity.com is equal to the task! The newly designed website gives readers a front-row seat for everything that’s going on at their school. In addition to com-prehensive regional and sport-specific pages, MSGVarsity.com’s school pages will represent each individual school’s students and all of the great work that they do, both on and off the field.

High School SportsDesk anchors, from left, Steve Gelbs (@MSGV_Gelbs), Jared Greenberg (@MSGV_Jared), Shawna Ryan (@MSGV_Shawna) and Keith Irizarry (@MSGV_Keith). Tune into ‘The Desk’ every weeknight at 7 p.m.Photo by by Brian Stanton

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2011 Tri-State Football Preview

Freeport’s Isaiah BarnesPhoto by Mike Stobe

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Can Fr�port Do

It Again?By Bob Herzog

During the post-game handshake of last season’s Class I Long Island Championship at Hofstra, Freeport quarterback Isaiah Barnes told

William Floyd running back Stacey Bedell: “See you next year. We’ll put on another show.”

During the photo shoot for this magazine, Barnes put his arm around Bedell and gave him an up-close look at the ring.

An encore performance is possible. Freeport, which beat Floyd, 62-35, in the highest scoring game in LIC history, returns Barnes, who ran for six touchdowns that day and threw for another. Floyd returns its blazer, Bedell, who scored four TDs, including a 91-yard return on the opening kickoff.

The Red Devils and Colonials both were voted No. 1 seeds by the coaches. They, along with veteran-laden CHSFL champ St. Anthony’s, again should be the top teams on Long Island for 2011.

Nassau County

Conference I: Freeport, which has won two straight L.I. championships, is once again dan-gerous. Barnes is an unstoppable runner out of the spread offense. … East Meadow will chal-lenge, led by WR/S Rob Healy and two-way lineman Dom Morales. … Oceanside graduated the record-setting quarterback-receiver tan-dem of Tyler Heuer and Gene Garay, but Hec-tor Quintin should be a force on both lines. … Farmingdale lost a number of key players, but is always a contender. … Linebacker Evan Kap-patos leads Syosset.

Conference II: Carey has never made it to the LIC, primarily because Garden City always seems to be in the way. That should be the case this season as well. Carey returns leading rush-er and tackler Rob Zorn. Garden City will be led by elusive running back and receiver Patric Berkery and kicker Ryan Norton. … Fleet wide receiver Kyle Johnson, also a fine linebacker, puts Elmont in the title picture.

Conference III: The return of 1,000-yard rusher Ryan Fredericks is a primary reason Lawrence is the favorite, ahead of defending LI champion Lynbrook. Another reason is well-named defensive anchor, middle linebacker Chris Hercules. Second-seeded defending LI champion Lynbrook must replace its Big Three of Mike Kozlakowski, Paul Magliore and Travis Lock. Hewlett returns running backs Sam Mar-torella and Gabe Rodriguez, the latter also a hard-hitting linebacker.

Conference IV: Seaford sails into 2011 with-out many of the stars that helped it win 23 con-secutive games before losing to Glenn in the 2010 LIC. But the Vikings’ tradition and ability to reload makes them the favorite once again. Seaford seeks its fifth-straight county champi-onship and looks to extend its 41-game Confer-ence IV winning streak. … Once again, Roos-evelt is the closest contender. The Rough Riders return a pair of big-play backs in Emmanuel Jones and Erin Parker. The annual showdown is Oct. 22 at Seaford.

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William Floyd’s Stacey Bedell Photo by Mike Stobe

Suffolk County

Division I: For the past two seasons, Sachem Northhas defeated Floyd in the regular season, only to lose the rematch in the county championship game. Can the Flaming Arrows finally reach the LIC in 2011? The top-seeded Colonials are led by Villanova-bound run-ning back Stacey Bedell, one of the fastest players on Long Island. Lineman Brandon Winters will open holes for Bedell and close them on defense. … Longwood is a legitimate title contender, led by 300-pound Omari Palmer and 270-pound Darius Greene. Both are bruis-ing, two-way interior linemen.

Division II: In a balanced league, East Islip features two-way tackle Todd Collins and RB/LB Tyler Rigo. … Newfield returns FB/LB Ron Denig and QB/DB Mike Silva. … West Babylon, meanwhile, is dangerous with talented WR/DB Michael Richardson and RB/LB Reg-gie Robinson. … Smithtown West features returning all-Long Island defensive end Zack Naja, while Half Hollow Hills West is led by Syracuse-bound RB/DB Devante McFarlane.

Division III: Defending Class II Long Island champ Bellport moves down one class. The Clippers’ new coach is Joe Cipp III, son of legendary Joe Cipp Jr., who retired with a Suffolk-record 211 victories. Quarterback Justin Honce returns. … Defending county champion Sayville is loaded on offense with quarterback Steven Ferreira, running back John Haggart, and wide receiv-ers James Rupp and Tom Hannan. … Huntington fea-tures RB/LB Trayvon Toney.

Division IV: Amityville, with its explosive spread offense, moves down from Division III and is the pre-season favorite. The Warriors feature versatile two-way back Willie White and RB/LB Da’Rell Hatcher. … Defending Class IV Long Island champion Glenngraduates quarterback Ryan Rielly and several other key starters, but returns all-county wide receiver Nick Wagner. … Perennial power Babylon is a highly re-garded squad.

CHSFL

It’s always about encore performances for St. Antho-ny’s. The Friars return several key starters from last year’s team that won the Catholic league title for the ninth time in 10 years with an 11-0 record. Foremost among them are blue-chip defensive linemen Bryan Rhodes, J.D. Hurt and Pat McHugh. The offensive line is anchored by 285-pound center Matt Biscardi, who will open holes for emerging tailback star Dariyan Riley. The tradition of fine kickers continues with James Doktor.

For complete Long Island football coverage, including updated team and player rankings, log on to MSGVarsity.com!

Syosset’s Evan Kappatos Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Newsday

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Isaiah Barnes (QB) Freeport Senior, 6-foot-3, 180 pounds

Barnes led Freeport to the LI Class I title when he totaled seven touchdowns (six rushing, one passing) in a win over Floyd.

Stacey Bedell (RB/S) William Floyd Senior, 5-foot-11, 180 pounds

Bedell scored four times in the LIC, including a 95-yard return on the opening kickoff. He rushed for a total of 1,658 yards and 18 touchdowns. Bedell also made 105 tackles, including 49 solos, with two interceptions and two scores.

Matt Biscardi (OL) St. Anthony’s Senior, 6-foot-2, 285 pounds

The two-year starter was voted CHSFL all-league and was a key cog in the O-line as the Friars finished an 11-0 run and won the CHSFL title for the ninth time in 10 seasons.

Dalton Crossan (RB) Sachem North Senior, 5-foot-10, 175 pounds

Crossan was a game breaker with great lateral moves, vision and strength, who had 14 touchdowns and 1,065 yards rushing as a junior.

Steven Ferreira (QB) Sayville Senior, 6-foot-1, 190 pounds

On the verge of becoming the all-time career passing leader for TD’s and passing yardage in Long Island history, Ferreira is the front runner for the prestigious Boomer Esiason Award.

Evan Kappatos (LB) Syosset Senior, 6-foot-3, 255 pounds

The Braves' big backer earned the Piner Award given to Nassau's best linebacker, for two straight years. The only other two-time winner was Freeport's Clifton Smith in 1997-98.

Steven Marino (WR) Carey Senior, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds

Marino had a school-record eight receiving touchdowns and on the season averaged 29.2 yards per catch.

Devante McFarlane (QB/DB) Half Hollow Hills West Senior, 6-foot-2, 190 pounds

McFarlane earned the MVP at the Penn State football combine. He chose to accept a scholarship to Syracuse. He’s a lock-down cover guy who will move to quarterback.

Zack Naja (DL) Smithtown West Senior, 6-foot-2, 200 pounds

The all-Long Island selection is considered the best edge rusher on Long Island. He totaled 10 sacks and 76 tackles, including 18 of them for losses, as a junior. He also had three defensive touchdowns.

Ryan Norton (K) Garden City Senior, 5-foot-10, 165 pounds

The all-Long Island selection drilled 45 of 48 extra point attempts. He set a school record with 38-straight extra points and hit seven of eight field goal attempts.

For the remaining 90 players in the Long Island Top 100, log on to MSGVarsity.com

Sayville's Steven FerreiraPhoto by Alan J. Schaefer/Newsday

(Alphabetical)

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Old Tappan’s Devin FullerPhoto by Mike Stobe

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Layers of

Greatne� in the

Garden State By Brian Fitzsimmons@FitzWriter

North

Bergen Catholic, in year two of the Nunzio Campanile era, is set to play a tough sched-ule that consists of several out-of-state con-tests. Without question, the Crusaders are slowly succeeding at closing the wide gap be-tween them and their arch rival. … Don't forget about St. Peter's Prep, which always seems to be in the Non-Public Group 4 mix. The Ma-rauders are a near lock for 10 wins, thanks to West Virginia-bound quarterback Brandon Napoleon. … Group 3 should offer great theater once again, as Wayne Hills and junior quar-terback Kevin Olsen look to clinch a second straight sectional championship and seventh in eight years. … However, the state’s most elec-tric playmaker stands in their way. Devin Full-er, a senior signal-caller who racked up 1,844 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air and amassed a whopping 2,306 rushing yards and 32

scores on the ground, automatically makes Old Tappan one of the most fascinating programs in the region. … Look out for East Orange, Mont-clair, Lakeland, Randolph, Morristown and Madison to make some noise, too. … When it comes to picking out a sleeper team, why not DePaul Catholic? Any squad which trots out a running back as fierce as Davon Jacobs should be viewed as a threat week in and week out.

Central

While the pecking order in the North always begins with Don Bosco Prep, bragging rights in the Greater Middlesex Conference in the Cen-tral part of the state are always up for grabs. The talent-heavy conference is comprised of the best teams in the area, meaning Piscataway and Sayreville will be two of the top five jug-gernauts in the state once again. The Chiefs of Piscataway are propelled by junior quarterback

The goal for every football team in the Garden State revolves around one picturesque moment: hoisting a sectional championship trophy at midfield on a chilly December evening. For the best team in the area though, the upcoming campaign is about so much more.

Don Bosco Prep, which won the mythical national championship in 2009 and executed a magnificent encore by capturing a fifth-straight Non-Public Group 4 state title the following year, opens this season as the best team in the country.

Armed with multiple Division I recruits—including defensive end Darius Hamilton, running back/safety Elijah Shumate, wide receiver Leonte Carroo and defensive back Yuri Wright—head coach Greg Toal and his boys are poised to continue their winning ways in pursuit of another shot at the highest level of glory.

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and star defensive back Nadir Barnwell and should walk away with a second con-secutive North 2 Group 4 title. Powerful running back Delon Stephenson, mean-while, anchors a strong offensive unit for the Bombers of Sayreville, which is the defending Central Group 4 champion. … Even though the two powerhouses are stationed in different Groups, their rival-ry in their conference is not unlike that of Bosco and Bergen. New Providence, Im-maculata, Hunterdon Central and Lin-den are teams to watch in this area, as they are all capable of earning rings.

South

In the Shore Conference, Matawan will have to make up for the loss of fleet-footed quarterback Jared Allison, but the Hus-kies possess arguably the section’s top player in running back Cassius Williams. Manalapan hopes the absence of cur-rent Rutgers signal-caller Mike Bimonte and current Wagner running back Josh

Firkser—the state’s leading rusher last year—won’t send the program into re-building mode. … In other parts of the area, look for Freehold Boro, Rumson and Shore Regional to make some noise by defending their state crowns. … Nep-tune, coming off a tough season, always seems to be in the mix and could develop into a serious championship contender. In addition, plenty of squads who didn’t open many eyes last year could turn some heads this time around. One sleeper to keep an eye on is Howell, which boasts touchdown-slinging quarterback Ryan Davies. The senior flirted with the state’s passing touchdown record and the na-tional completion-percentage mark before cooling off in the second half, so it’d be foolish to count out the Rebels and their superstar leader. … The greatest sleeper of all could very well be Colts Neck. A season ago, the Cougars suffered eight losses, but six of those setbacks were by eight or less points and three of them were by three or fewer.

For complete New Jersey football coverage, including updated team and player rankings, log on to MSGVarsity.com!

DePaul Catholic’s Davon Jacobs Photo by Larry Berger

St. Peter’s Brandon NapoleonPhoto by John Quirk

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Vin Ascolese (LB/FB) North Bergen Senior, 6-foot-2, 215 pounds

One of the most ferocious linebackers in the country, Ascolese is drawing interest from a plethora of Division I programs. He will help North Bergen establish itself as a true sleeper this season.

Nadir Barnwell (QB/DB) Piscataway Junior, 6-foot-1, 175 pounds

Barnwell isn’t just a fantastic quarterback, he is one of the top defensive backs in the country. Named to the All-American Sophomore Team as a secondary superstar, Barnwell is a threat in the air and on the ground as a signal-caller, and will likely lead the Chiefs to a second-straight North 2 Group 4 crown.

Leonte Carroo (WR) Don Bosco Prep Senior, 6-foot-2, 200 pounds

Carroo will serve as the offensive mainstay on an Ironmen team ranked No. 1 in many national preseason polls. The Rutgers-bound star recorded 1,100 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns last year, establishing himself as the most potent deep threat in New Jersey.

Ryan Davies (QB) Howell Senior, 6-foot-3, 205 pounds

As a junior, Davies made quite a statement in the Shore Conference and in the state. Midway through the year, he was even flirting with breaking the state’s all-time passing touchdown record as well as the national mark for completion percentage (75.1 percent, held by former No. 1 overall NFL draft-pick Tim Couch).

Devin Fuller (QB) Old Tappan Senior, 6-foot-2, 185 pounds

The state’s most electric playmaker recorded 1,844 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air, and also amassed a whop-ping 2,306 rushing yards and 32 scores on the ground in 2010.

Darius Hamilton (DE) Don Bosco Prep Senior, 6-foot-4, 245 pounds

The son of former New York Giant Keith Hamilton, Darius is one of the top recruits in the nation. The Bosco defensive anchor will make his college decision in October.

Brandon Napoleon (QB/CB) St. Peter’s Prep Senior, 6-foot, 180 pounds

Napoleon, who gave a verbal commitment to West Virginia, passed for 955 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first year as a starter. He’s a fantastic athlete who doubles as a shutdown cornerback.

Kevin Olsen (QB) Wayne Hills Junior, 6-foot-3, 200 pounds

Olsen became an unsung hero in 2010 for the Patriots, who are poised to capture a seventh sectional championship in eight years. The junior has already received multiple Division I scholarship offers, and his stock will only improve this year.

Delon Stephenson (RB) Sayreville Senior, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds

The powerful runner hopes to prove himself as the state's best running back en route to enjoying another Central Group 4 crown.

Yuri Wright (DE) Don Bosco Prep Senior, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds

Wright made 45 tackles, and returned two of his six interceptions for touchdowns. The explosive, rising senior has a plethora of Division I offers.

To see the latest team and player rankings, log on to MSGVarsity.com

North Bergen’s Vin AscolesePhoto by by John Quirk

(Alphabetical)

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Bronxville’s Christian ConwayPhoto by Isaac Cass

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Powerhouses

L�k To Repeat By Kevin Devaney Jr@MSGVarsityHVC

Section 1

Class AA: New Rochelle has won the last five Section 1 titles and is a favor-ite again. Khalil Edney, a highly-tout-ed junior, takes over at quarterback, and Durrell Rice, Justin Douglas and Anthony Caldararo make up the region’s best defensive front. … White Plains has a talented backfield trio in QB Jeff Avery and running backs Paul Scottman and Odaine Franklin. … John Jay-East Fishkill with fullback/linebacker Bobby Henderson, and Yorktown with lineman Eric Cooley will contend. … Arlington and Mahopac also pose challenges, and Scars-dale could be a surprise team with speed-ster Anthony Cugini.

Class A: State finalist Harrison faces a slew of contenders this season. Horace

Greeley, and quarterback Justin Ciero, is the slight preseason favorite. Harrison re-turns two three-year starters in junior quar-terback Vinnie Nicita and two-way lineman Charlie Credendino. … Rye has a strong de-fense, led by linebacker Joe Simolacaj and safety Jake Meyerson. … Poughkeepsie, John Jay-CR and Somers are all serious threats, and Eastchester, Pelham and Os-sining are sleepers. Winning a title in this conference will be rigorous.

Class B: Croton-Harmon is a heavy fa-vorite to repeat with a senior class that includes QB Jesse Mainiero and linemen John Brennan, Dennis O’Connell and Kyle Ricciardi. Westlake, with two-way lineman Tommy Hopkins and QB John D’Onofrio, are much improved.

Two Hudson Valley football programs that made history in 2010—Stepinac in the CHSFL and Bronxville in Section 1—will be out to build on their success this fall.

Stepinac has a wealth of talent back from the most decorated season in school history. The Crusaders were undefeated for the first time ever, claiming the CHSFL AA Division title and defeating inter-city rival White Plains on Thanksgiving Day.

With three potential Division I players in Austin Taps, Caleb Gilligan-Evans and Garfield Heslop, Stepinac moves up to the mighty AAA Division.

“We’re not going to have any easy games,” said Gilligan-Evans, a fourth-year starter. “You have to work harder each week. We have to keep getting better and better because there are no easy games.”

Bronxville graduated its entire offensive and defensive lines, which were the cornerstone of the last two Section 1 championship seasons. Last year’s line was billed the biggest in the region and it paved the way to the school’s first ever state championship. Four of the linemen are now at Division I and I-AA schools.

The Broncos return a dynamic duo in twins Christian and Jackson Conway, who will start again in the backfield and at linebacker.

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Class C/D: Bronxville and Dobbs Ferry, with fullback Tim Soave, will likely square off again in the Class C title game. … Defending Class D state champion Tuckahoe is in rebuilding mode but is favored to claim its fourth Section title in a row.

Section 9

Class AA: Monroe-Woodbury, which has won the last seven Section 9 championships, has a gifted athlete in Ryan Spelman, and Justin Kaffenberger could be a breakout star. … Warwick had a strong offseason and, as always, will put points up on the scoreboard. … Newburgh will be strong up front with Mikal Myers, who is one of the state’s top linemen.

Class A: Wallkill unseated five-time champ Cornwall last sea-son and a title will likely come down to these two powers again. Eric Wellmon is back at quarterback, and all-state senior Jah-

seim Davis anchors the defense. … Watch out for Monticello, which has been one of the section’s fastest growing programs.

Class B/C/D: Reigning champs New Paltz (B) and Millbrook (C) each suffered losses in graduation, leaving the door wide open. … Marlboro will look to build on last year’s success after reaching the Class B title game. … Chester, led by senior quar-terback Anthony Ognibene, is aiming for its sixth Class D title in nine years.

Private/Catholic: Iona Prep has holes to fill from a team that made it to the CHSFL AAA Division championship last season. But they have proven veterans in defensive back Justin Combs and linebacker Matt Berni, and a strong foundation of young talent. … Rye Country Day, led by star back Sam Stern, is the top private school. … Sacred Heart, an independent school, will look to build off last year’s 8-2 mark.

For complete Westchester/Hudson Valley football coverage, including updated team and player rankings, log on to MSGVarsity.com!

Harrison’s Vinnie Nicita Photo by Isaac Cass Rye Country Day’s Sam Stern Photo by Isaac Cass

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Justin Ciero (QB) Horace Greeley Senior, 5-foot-10, 180 pounds

The standout signal-caller is a third-year starter who guided the Quakers to the Section 1 Class A final last season. He ran for 1,258 yards and 13 touch-downs, and threw for 792 yards to earn MSG Varsity Section 1 Player of the Year honors.

Christian Conway (RB) Bronxville Senior, 5-foot-10, 210 pounds

A workhorse back, Conway is the key returning player for the defending Class C state champions. Conway rushed for 1,720 yards and 26 touchdowns, averaging 11.5 yards per carry, and earned first-team all-state honors.

Eric Cooley (T/DT) Yorktown Senior, 6-foot-3, 250 pounds

Cooley is potentially Section 1’s most underrated player. He is a force at tackle and defensive tackle. Last season he averaged 5.6 tackles per game and three sacks, and paved the way for a rushing attack that averaged 355 yards rushing per game.

Justin Douglas (T/DT) New Rochelle Junior, 6-foot-4, 240 pounds

The five-time defending Section 1 Class AA champs got a major boost when Douglas transferred this summer from Ketcham. The younger brother of CFL lineman Andre Douglas, Justin was an all-section player last year.

Odaine Franklin (RB/LB) White Plains Senior, 6-foot-2, 220 pounds

One of the most highly-touted and heavily-recruited players in Westchester, Franklin is poised for a tremendous season in White Plains’ new spread offense.

Caleb Gilligan-Evans (FB) Stepinac Senior, 6-foot, 240 pounds

A starter since he was a freshman, the bruising senior rushed for 1,113 yards and 16 touchdowns as the Crusaders went 12-0 and captured the CHSFL AA Division championship.

Ryan Spelman (QB) Monroe-Woodbury Senior, 6-foot-3, 210 pounds

The strong-armed quarterback led the Crusaders to a Section 9 Class AA title in his first season as starter. Spelman threw for 1,402 yards and 12 touchdowns, and ran for 892 yards and 20 scores.

Austin Taps (TE/DE) Stepinac Senior, 6-foot-4, 230 pounds

Taps was the anchor of one of the CHSFL’s best defenses last season. The relentless two-way standout had 65 tackles and 9.5 sacks for a first-team defense that allowed just 37 points in 12 games.

Eric Wellmon (QB) Wallkill Senior, 5-foot-9, 160 pounds

The gritty senior burst onto the scene last season, leading Wallkill to a Section 9 Class A title. Wellmon threw for 1,436 yards and 15 touchdowns and ran for 559 yards and seven scores.

A.J. Wolf (T/DE) Hackley Senior, 6-foot-4, 250 pounds

The explosive lineman is committed to play at Duke University next fall. He had a breakout junior season, recording 102 tackles in just eight games with two blocked punts.


Horace Greeley’s Justin CieroPhoto by by Isaac Cass

(Alphabetical)

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Masuk QB Casey CochranPhoto by Dave Choate

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Masuk,

New Can�n

Lead the Pack By Jesse Quinlan

When the long-awaited and much-anticipated 2011 high school football season kicks off in Connecticut, there will be plenty of eyes on Masuk and its prolific quarterback, Casey Cochran.

Of course, Cochran and his teammates are no strangers to the spotlight, having capped off a perfect season last December with an impressive 50-20 victory over New Canaan in the CIAC Class L championship game.

Cochran threw for more than 3,345 yards and 40 touchdowns, and will attempt to lead the Panthers back to Rentschler Field.

Also hoping for a return ticket to the state finals is New Canaan, a perennial powerhouse under legendary coach Lou Marinelli, who has guided the Rams to five straight CIAC title game appearances.

“That’s the goal, to be back at Rentschler Field on the last day of the season,” said Marinelli, whose squad must replace the likes of Conor Hanratty (Notre Dame) and Kevin Macari (Georgetown). “This is my 31st year at New Canaan and I still can’t wait to get going. Every team is a little bit different, and this is another great group of kids. Like everyone else, I’m excited to get the season underway.”

In addition to Masuk, the state’s other reigning champions are Xavier (Class LL), Hillhouse (Class M) and St. Joseph (Class S), will try for a three-peat despite the loss of 21 starters, notably the all-state duo of Joe Della Vecchia and Tyler Matakevich.

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Breaking It Down:

FCIAC: Darien is coming off its first league title since 1998, but must replace seven first-team all-FCIAC se-lections, including six from its vaunted defense that carried the Blue Wave to a 17-7 victory over Trumbull in the league finals. The Golden Eagles went on to reach the Class LL championship game before falling to Xavier, 24-13. … Staples, which turns the reigns over to Jack Massie—the first sophomore quarterback to start under Marce Petroccio—will try to advance to the state tournament for the eighth time in nine seasons. … Oth-er teams coming off winning seasons are Bridgeport Central, Brien McMahon and Stamford, which held six opponents to seven points or less behind first-year coach Bryan Hochter. Led by rookie coach A.J. Alba-no, McMahon enjoyed a three-win improvement and is poised for more success with first-team all-FCIAC quarterback Damien Vega back in the fold. … Green-wich, which has captured five league and three state titles since 1999, but stumbled to a 5-5 mark for its worst finish under coach Rich Albonizio, is determined to end a three-year absence from the postseason.

SWC: Defending champ Masuk, which scored a state-best 638 points and allowed a state-low 106 last sea-son, is the prohibitive favorite as it returns three all-state players, including Cochran, the premier recruit in all of Connecticut. … Pomperaug, Newtown and Brookfield all won at least eight games in 2010. Then there’s fellow Colonial Division foe Bunnell, which averaged 33 points a year ago en route to a 7-3 mark and has a talented roster highlighted by junior quar-terback Brian Castelot and Division I prospects Jawad Chisholm and 300-pounder Nick Salza. … In the Patriot Division, Weston is coming off a 6-4 season but moves forward without the graduated Eddie Hutchins and his 1,137 yards and 17 touchdowns.

NVL: Coach Dan Dunaj is excited about the potential of his Torrington squad, and it’s easy to see why, with a big offensive line opening holes for record-setting running back Brenden Lytton. The Red Raiders, 7-3 last season, kick off the season against Ansonia in what could be the game of the year in the NVL. … Wa-tertown won six games in 2010, and will look for an-other winning season despite losing the likes of Matt Quatrano (20 touchdowns, seven interceptions).

REST OF THE REGION: St. Luke’s is fresh off a share of the FAA title for the first time in 12 years. … The Forman School is aiming for a return to the HVAL championship after advancing there for the first time in school history. … In the SCC, Foran finished up 5-5 in 2010 and coach Jeff Bevino would love for this sea-son to end the way his softball campaign did in the spring when he guided the Lions to their second state title in school history.

For complete Connecticut football coverage, including updated team and player rankings, log on to MSGVarsity.com!

McMahon QB Damien Vega

Stamford’s Carlos MartinezPhoto by Isaac Cass

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Casey Cochran (QB) Masuk Senior, 6-foot-1, 200 pounds

Cochran threw for a state-best 3,345 yards and 40 touchdowns in leading the undefeated Panthers to the CIAC Class L title. He is verbally committed to UConn.

Austin Calitro (RB/LB) Danbury Senior, 6-foot-2, 235 pounds

Calitro is one of the top recruits in the state. A tackling machine for the Hatters, he is verbally committed to Villanova.

Jawad Chisholm (WR/DB) Bunnell Senior, 6-foot-1, 175 pounds

Chisholm totaled 35 catches for 884 yards, 12 touchdowns and 52 tackles in 2010. Penn State has shown interest in him.

Derick Edwards (WR/DB) Norwalk Senior, 5-foot-9, 160 pounds

One of the most explosive players in the region, the speedy Edwards caught 30-plus passes for over 300 yards and rushed for over 200 last season. Edwards was chosen second-team all-FCIAC.

Brenden Lytton (RB) Torrington Senior, 5-foot-10, 175 pounds

A dynamic game-breaking threat, Lytton is one of the state’s top returning rushers after piling up nearly 2,400 yards and 29 touchdowns as a junior. He scored a state-record nine TDs in a 61-28 win over Wilby last October.

Colin Markus (RB) Masuk Senior, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds

The all-state back ran for 1,535 yards and 25 touchdowns, while averaging 8.6 yards per carry. Markus fueled the ground game for the state’s highest-scoring offense.

Matt Milano (QB) New Canaan Senior, 6-foot-2, 190 pounds

A pinpoint passer, Milano helped lead the Rams to their fifth straight state title game in his first year under center. He set school records for passing yards (3,128) and touchdowns (42).

Mike Money (OL) Fairfield-Warde Senior, 6-foot-4, 280 pounds

The 6-foot-4, 280-pounder was named first-team all-FCIAC last season. Money is also a powerful run blocker.

Shane Nastahowski (RB/LB) Greenwich Senior, 6-foot-1, 220 pounds

A blue collar, two-way standout with superior strength, Nastahowski has already received offers from Temple and Akron.

Brandon Williams (DT) Bassick Senior, 6-foot-3, 232 pounds

The agile defensive lineman was named all-state last season. Williams was invited to Atlanta for a U-19 national team tryout.


Greenwich’s Shane NastahowskiPhoto by by Mike Stobe

(Alphabetical)

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Xaverian’s Laray SmithPhoto by Mike Stobe

27


NYC Making Its

Mark By Pat O’Keefe

Long known for producing blue-chip basketball talent, New York City continued to show the rest of the country that there is some pretty

good football being played within the five bor-oughs.

Notre Dame, Stanford, UConn, Syracuse and Rutgers, to name a few, each plucked talent from out of the City to strengthen their pro-grams. Look for that trend to continue in 2011.

PSAL:

Wayne Morgan carries that torch for New York City this year. Erasmus Hall’s starting quar-terback since the end of his freshman season, Morgan had already received offers from Bos-ton College, Rutgers and UConn before step-ping onto the field as a senior. Morgan and fellow prospect Shaquell Jackson form NYC’s top backfield and already have four years of starting experience between them. Looking to lead Erasmus to its first football title since 1987, they’ll try to follow the advice of E-Hall alum Al Davis and “Just win, baby.” … Before they can think championship, the Dutchmen first have to become the best team in Brooklyn. That title is currently held by Fort Hamilton, which ended

the 2010 season in grand fashion, becoming the latest team to be crowned a champion under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium. The Tigers outlasted Lincoln, 8-6, in a defensive slugfest. Fort Hamilton looks to go back-to-back, as it did in 2005-06. The Tigers carry a 32-game regular season winning streak into 2011.

When sizing up the PSAL in 2011, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more formidable team than Tottenville. Last year, the Pirates had their own undefeated season going until they ran into Fort Hamilton in the City semifinals. They have the most dynamic QB-WR combination in the City with junior Brandon Barnes throwing to Syracuse-bound Alvin Cornelius III. In his 20th season at the Staten Island school, Jimmy Munson has a good shot to win his first title since 2003.

Other contenders include Lincoln, which will look for a return to the City championship behind one of the best runners in the City in Kareem Folkes, and Thomas Jefferson, one of the big surprises of 2010, which has a ton of offensive firepower led by Al Stewart and Xave-rian transfer Kendall “Speedy” Thomas.

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CHSFL:

Even with Thomas’ transfer, Xaverianstill has perhaps the most athletic roster in New York City. Juniors Zach Kearney and Laray Smith, and senior TuShaun Plummer, lead an offensive attack that will resemble a track meet. As Xaveri-an chases its first CHSFL title, it is also looking to become the first team from the five boroughs to win the Catholic League championship since Monsignor Farrell in 2000.

Fordham Prep came close last year. The Rams went 10-1, reached the ‘AAA’ semifinals for the first time and had, by all accounts, the best season in program history. But Fordham’s season was end-ed, like the seasons of many other teams before, by eventual champion St. An-thony’s. Hoping to duplicate last year’s success, head coach Pete Gorynski looks to Logan Williamson, who took over as the primary ball carrier in the middle of last year. … Mount St. Michael hopes to bounce back from a 5-5 finish. They took some momentum into the offseason by beating Cardinal Hayes, 37-30, in last year’s Turkey Bowl. Kenny Acquah’s 56-yard touchdown was the decisive score in that one, and he’s back to anchor the Mountaineers’ backfield. … Holy Cross should be in the ‘AAA’ playoff hunt as well, with Yianni Gavalas taking over as the full-time QB and the speed of Shy-heim Wingate.

Other: Year in and year out, Poly Prep puts one of New York City’s best teams on the field. This year shouldn’t be any different. Kevin Gabon is now the full-time quarterback and leads the Blue Devils’ offensive attack, hoping to fill the void left by the transfer of Faton Bauta. … Poly Prep was the last team to beat Fieldston, but that was back in Septem-ber, 2009. Since then, Gus Ornstein’s team has run off 16 consecutive wins. They are also on a run of four straight Hudson Valley league titles.

For complete New York City football coverage, including updated team and player rankings, log on to MSGVarsity.com!

Erasmus Hall’s Wayne MorganPhoto by Mike Stobe

Lincoln’s Kareem FolkesPhoto by Angel Chevrestt

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Brandon Barnes (QB) Tottenville Junior, 6-foot, 185 pounds

Barnes led the PSAL with 22 TDs and was third in the league with 1,110 passing yards.

Alvin Cornelius (WR/CB) Tottenville Senior, 6-foot-2, 190 pounds

The Syracuse-bound standout had 11 touchdowns and six interceptions for scores, both best in the PSAL a year ago.

Prince Dukes (QB) Curtis Sophomore, 6-foot-2, 160 pounds

He doesn’t just have the coolest name in the city, Dukes also threw for 707 yards and six scores as a freshman.

Kareem Folkes (RB/DB) Lincoln Senior, 5-foot-10, 175 pounds

Folkes was third in the PSAL in rushing yards (944) and had seven touchdowns for the PSAL finalists.

Kevin Gabon (QB) Poly Prep Senior, 5-foot-10, 190 pounds

The dual-threat quarterback will handle all the snaps after Faton Bauta transferred to Dwyer (Fla.).

Wayne Morgan (DB) Erasmus Hall Senior, 5-foot-11, 188 pounds

The standout defensive back counts Alabama, Miami, Notre Dame and Michigan as suitors.

Travon Segure (DB/WR) Fort Hamilton Junior, 5-foot-11, 170 pounds

As a sophomore, Segure ran, caught and passed offensively and had five interceptions for the city champions.

Donchervel Smith (LB) Canarsie Junior, 6-foot-2, 275 pounds

Smith led the PSAL with 94 tackles, and had six sacks as a sophomore.

Laray Smith (RB/DB) Xaverian Junior, 6-foot-2, 170 pounds

The speedster was third in the CHSFL ‘AAA’ in rushing with 828 yards and 11 TDs.

Kareem Turnage (LB) Campus Magnet Senior, 5-foot-10, 220 pounds

Turnage was second in the PSAL with 85 tackles and had four sacks.


Fort Hamilton’s Travon SegurePhoto by by Damion Reid

(Alphabetical)

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Beyond the Boxscore

The 2010 football sea-son provided us with countless memories, and

listing them all would turn this column into a novel. With your best interest in mind—and a very strict editor—I’ve nar-rowed it down to the biggest story line from last season: the quarterbacks.

Regardless of where you live in the tri-state, quarterbacks stole the headlines, from Gary Nova (Don Bosco, NJ) to Tyler Heuer (Oceanside, LI), Tyrell Good-man (Stepinac, WC) to Joe Della Vecchia (St. Joseph-Trumbull, CT). Those signal-callers, and many more, posted mindbog-gling statistics.

As we turn the page to 2011, what will the theme be this fall?

While there will be some elite quarterbacks, other positions to keep an eye on this season will be the running backs, receivers and defensive backs. Players at these positions will not only win games on the field, but will also be the dominant group from this year’s senior class to receive college scholarships.

Some of the top “skill” posi-tion prospects from around the tri-state include: Wayne Morgan (RB, Erasmus Hall, NYC), Devante McFarlane (RB, Half Hollow Hills West, LI), Delon Stephen-son (RB/DB, Sayreville, NJ) and Jawad Chisholm (WR/DB, Bun-nell, CT).

These guys—and others—are so good, that college coaches from around the country have made the tri-state area a “must visit” during the fall. Local football fields have become a destination

for college coaches looking for the next superstar and/or diamond in the rough.

* * * The most intriguing aspect of the 2011 tri-state football sea-son will be the growth of this year’s junior class. This group of highly regarded student-ath-letes has already distinguished itself, and colleges from all over the country have taken notice. Everyone will be paying particu-larly close attention this fall to see if they can take the next step.

It’s exciting for fans to know that some of the best football players in the nation still have two years remaining in high school.

Here’s a look at my Top 10 football prospects from the Class of 2013:

By Jared Greenberg@MSGV_Jared

Tri-State FootballShows Off Skills—and Youth

Kevin Olsen QB (Wayne Hills HS, NJ)

Nadir Barnwell QB/DB (Piscataway HS, NJ)

Tashawn Bower TE/DL (Immaculata HS, NJ)

Chris Laviano QB (Holy Trinity HS, LI)

Justin Douglas OL/DL (New Rochelle HS, WC)

Robert Mahon OL/DL (Randolph HS, NJ)

Laray Smith RB/DB (Xaverian HS, NYC)

Al’Quadin Muhammad DL (Don Bosco Prep, NJ)

Ricky Jeune WR (St. Joseph Reg, Mont, NJ)

Charlie Callinan WR (St. Peter’s Prep, NJ)

Tri-state Football Match-ups That Should Not Be Missed:

September 16: Sayville vs. Islip

September 17: Longwood vs. William Floyd

September 30: Bergen Catholic vs. Don Bosco

October 2: Tottenville vs. Erasmus Hall

November 4: Piscataway vs. Sayreville

November 24: Greenwich vs. Staples

Erasmus Hall’s Wayne MorganPhoto by Mike Stobe

NOW GET MSG VARSITY WHEREVER YOU ARE.NOW GET MSG VARSITY WHEREVER YOU ARE.

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The 16th annual Empire Challenge was played on June 21, 2011 at Hofstra University. In a hard-fought game benefitting the Boomer Esiason Foundation and its effort to fight to cure Cystic Fibrosis,

the Long Island All-Stars defeated the New York City All-Stars, 17-14. For the first time ever, the contest was televised live on MSG Varsity.

In addition to the game’s great success on the field, students from three Long Island high schools had the opportunity to cover the action from the sidelines. Deer Park’s Steven Lynchard, Oceanside’s Evan Pivnick and Tom Maher and Holy Trinity’s Patrick McCormack covered the game, spoke with players, coaches, MSG Varsity broadcasters, and had the opportunity to interview former star NFL quarterback, Boomer Esiason. ALL PHOTOS BY FRANK LoCASCIO

Looking Back at the Empire Challenge

The game was as close it could be, with New York City and Long Island battling the entire night.

Holy Trinity’s Patrick McCormack interviews MSG Varsity’s Mike Quick.

Deer Park’s Steven Lynchardprepares for an interview.

MSG Varsity’s Jared Greenbergaddresses the students.

The Long Island team celebrates its hard-fought win.

Oceanside’s Evan Pivnickinterviews NFL-greatBoomer Esiason.

MSG NETWORKS. HOME OF: SLAPSHOTS, HARD CHECKS ALONG THE BOARDS, GRITTY 4TH-LINE CENTERS, GOAL SONGS, HENRIK LUNDQVIST, SCREAMING FANS, SMART ANALYSIS, “ONE MINUTE LEFT IN THE PERIOD,” ZACH PARISE, SHOOTOUTS, CHIPPED TEETH, 5-MINUTE FIGHTING MAJORS, AL TRAUTWIG, CRAZY RICOCHETS, LET’S GO RANGERS, BLUE LINE TO BLUE LINE, JOHN TAVARES, DROPPING THE GLOVES, POWER PLAYS, HAT TRICKS, SHORTHANDED GOALS…

THE PUCK DROPS OCTOBER 7TH.

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BOYS SOCCER

Tri-State’s

Talent Runs D�pBoys soccer players to watch

LONG ISLAND

Myles Bent of St. Anthony’s is one of the most complete players you will find. Bent was a defender last season, but will move to the midfield. … Uniondale’s Nyder Chardonnette is an exceptional athlete with lots of speed and skill. … Sayville senior Dakota Edwards had seven goals and nine assists to help his school win its first state Class A championship last season. … Donovan Fraser of Half Hollow Hills West was an All-Ameri-can last season and leads an explosive offense. … West Islip senior Sean Sepe is a three-year starter at forward. He scored 17 goals last season.

NEW JERSEY

St. Joseph’s (Metuchen) Brandon Allen is arguably the top player in the state. He recorded 30 goals and four assists for the Falcons last season. … Tom Bull of St. Benedict’s Prep has lifted his school to being the biggest force in the Garden State, simply because he his is the best goalie in the area. … Ramapo rising junior Sean Ethridge was named the Bergen County Sophomore of the Year. … Chris Hernandez of St. Benedict’s Prep is an all-around player who does a little bit of everything. … Mike Taranto, a ris-ing junior at Ramapo, scored 18 goals last season for the Green Raiders.

WESTCHESTER/ HUDSON VALLEY

Senior goaltender Alex Kapp of Iona Prep is the premier keeper in the CHSAA and, arguably, the tri-state. … Scarsdale’s Tomas Penfold will look to prove he’s the same player after suffering an ACL injury last March. … Mike Wagner of Monroe-

Woodbury is a stalwart sweeper who commanded a defense that gave up just five goals in 2010. … Ivan Marti-nez of Rye Neck is an all-state scoring sensation. … Iona Prep’s Cesar Ceja is an all-CHSAA striker who has an innate ability to finish. He buried a team-high 18 goals to go along with seven assists last season.

CONNECTICUT

In the Nutmeg State, keep an eye on Bunnell senior Zach Zurita, who finished the 2010 season with 33 goals and assisted on 16 others. … His teammate, meanwhile, Sebastian Tamayo posted 12 shutouts and made 138 saves en route to a spot on the all-SWC squad. … New Canaan goalie Scott Levene made the all-state team a year ago as a sophomore. … High-scoring senior midfielder Djordje Pantelic of Platt Tech is another returning all-state player in Class L. … King junior forward Nicholas Hall-Risko is coming off a 35-goal season.

NYC

As a junior, Mark Kramarchuk anchored a Fordham Prep defense that conceded just seven goals all season, helping lead the Rams to the Archdiocesan title and the CHSAA Class A intersectional final. … Mor-iken Sangary led the PSAL with 33 goals and had 16 assists and, along with the return of Tarek Beckles, is a big reason why the Knights are favor-ites to win it all this year. … Francis Lewis’ Danny Bedoya had nine goals and seven assists last year, driving the Patriots to the PSAL ‘A’ final. … St. Francis Prep’s Chris Joseph combines speed, creativity and a deft touch.

Players to Watch and Top 10 Teams compiled by Lou Brogno (NJ), Dylan Butler (NYC), Isaac Cass (NY), Brian Fitzsimmons (NJ), Jesse Quinlan (CT) and Adam Ronis (LI).

Sayville’s Dakota EdwardsPhoto by by Mike Stobe

Bunnell’s Zach ZuritaPhoto by by Mike Stobe

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Long Island

1. St. Anthony’s: The Friars possess lots of talent, including senior goalkeeper Anthony Lopatowski and senior midfielder Myles Bent.

2. Brentwood: The defending state Class AA champions will attempt to win their fourth consecu-tive Suffolk county championship with a team heavily comprised of juniors.

3. Commack: With just four starters gone from a year ago, this team will be tough to beat.

4. Chaminade: The defending CHSAA state cham-pions always find a way to be in contention for the title.

5. Ward Melville: A very physical team with expe-rience, led by senior defenders Shane Dineen and Alex Wolfe.

6. Half Hollow Hills West: The offense will be potent again with senior forward Donovan Fraser, ju-nior midfielder Brett Nason, and sophomore forward Dylan Greenberg.

7. Massapequa: The defending Nassau Class AA champions graduated eight starters, but will be in the mix again behind senior Dakota Barnathan and Com-mack senior transfer Max Aronica.

8. St. John the Baptist: The team will contend for the CHSAA title behind Junior Rosero, a junior.

9. West Islip: On a very experienced team that lost just two starters, senior forward Sean Sepe and se-nior midfielder Phil Denara are the linchpins.

10. Uniondale: The team is on the rise with senior forward Nyder Chardonnette and senior midfielder Frankie Villegas.

New Jersey

1. St. Benedict’s Prep: Armed with several of the best players in the state, the Gray Bees are primed to add to their illustrious history in 2011.

2. Pingry: The Big Blue entered the sectional title-game as the top seed, but was upset by St. Augus-tine. This year is all about unfinished business for Pingry.

3. Christian Brothers Academy: It’s hard to argue against the Colts, when talking about pro-grams in the running, being labeled the best team in South Jersey.

4. Seton Hall Prep: The nationally known program lost only two seniors, but one of them was all-state goaltender Brandon Adler. If the Pirates can make up for talent lost on defense, another stellar season is on the way.

5. Chatham: The Cougars return enough talent to make a legitimate run at their first state crown since they won the Group 2 title in 1999.

6. Delbarton: The Green Wave, who finished 18-2-4 after falling to Pingry in the North Non-Public A tournament, have graduated 13 seniors. Who’s going to step up?

7. West Orange: The Mountaineers need to re-place graduated goaltender Thomas Attamante if they plan on constructing another run at a champion-ship.

8. Holmdel: Enjoying a storybook run in the state playoffs en route to a Group 3 crown did wonders for the reputation of the Hornets’ program.

9. Don Bosco Prep: There’s plenty of hope for this year.

10. Clifton: The Mustangs look to reclaim their North 2 Group 4 crown after their run of three straight crowns was derailed last campaign.

Westchester/HV

1. Scarsdale: The Raiders return a pair of danger-ous offensive players in central midfielder Tomas Penfold and winger David Alemany.

2. John Jay-East Fishkill: Dangerous striker Ryan Young is back after burying a team-high 10 goals in 2010.

3. Monroe-Woodbury: With talented seniors Dylan Williams, Mike Wagner and Ryan Roethel re-turning, Monroe-Woodbury has more than enough firepower.

4. White Plains: The southern Westchester power will reload with a youthful and athletic roster, high-lighted by mastermind junior midfielder Cristofer Saldivar.

5. Iona Prep: With a pair of the CHSAA’s most talented players returning in keeper Alex Kapp and scoring sensation Cesar Ceja, 2011 has all the mak-ings of another historic year.

6. Byram Hills: Burgeoning stars like Jordan Bank will make sure the Bobcats’ winning tradition doesn’t go by the wayside.

7. New Rochelle: Talent is never an issue for New Rochelle, which boasts a never-ending stream of highly-skilled players. Of course, the Huguenots’ success in 2011 depends on how well all that talent meshes together.

8. Arlington: Second-year coach Craig Sanborn has the talent and stability to get the program back on track.

9. Mahopac: With sophomore phenom Arun Ba-suljevic holding down the midfield and junior striker Joseph Iraola up top, Mahopac isn’t about to go away.

10. Port Chester: The Rams return a slew of players, headlined by all-section midfielder Kevin Riveros.

Connecticut

1. Bunnell: Every player returns for the Bulldogs, who finished last season 18-2-3 and advanced to the state finals for the first time in school history.

2. New Canaan: Not only are the Rams coming off a magical 2010 postseason run, but they lost only two starters to graduation.

3. Staples: The FCIAC’s most storied soccer pro-gram has won three straight league championships and 27 overall, but must replace seven senior stars.

4. Watertown: Arian Hoxha (38 points as a junior), Dave Hughes and the rest of the Indians have plenty of motivation after falling in an epic state semifinal match last season.

5. Greenwich: Perennial FCIAC contenders, the Cardinals have reached three league title games over the last six years.

6. Norwalk: Seniors Nic Zuniga and Chris Puente are among the returning standouts from last year’s team that went 14-2 in the regular season.

7. Bridgeport Central: The Hilltoppers opened plenty of eyes as a No. 26 seed in last year’s Class LL tournament.

8. Led by Davie Bruton, an all-SCC selection as a sophomore, the Jesuits are aiming for their first league crown since 2005.

9. Wilton: All-FCIAC senior sweeper Graham Par-sons is among the returning players for the Warriors.

10. It was a breakthrough year for the Mustangs, who advanced to the FCIAC finals and state quarterfinals for the first time.

New York City

1. Martin Luther King: The perennial power-house is stacked once again, bringing back some of the City’s elite talent.

2. Beacon: The Blue Devils enjoyed a magical post-season culminated by their second City title. Star goalkeeper Max Brown and Ryan Cupolo will try to make it back-to-back titles.

3. Francis Lewis: After an agonizing loss on pen-alty kicks in the City final, midfield maestro Danny Bedoya is back to try and push the Patriots over the top.

4. St. Francis Prep: Chris Joseph and Christian Molano return for a St. Francis Prep team that lost to Chaminade in the CHSAA state final.

5. Fordham Prep: Mark Kramarchuk and Dylan Cope are back for the CHSAA contenders, which lost to rival Iona Prep in the final.

6. Bayside: Beware of the Commodores, especially with Santiago Moore, Danny Babar and Constantine Pougiouklidis back from a team that went 10-4-1.

7. Tottenville: Carlo Coladonato returns for a Tot-tenville squad that reached the city semis.

8. Archbishop Molloy: Michael Rodriguez and Gabrielle Maurello return for mighty Molloy.

9. Bronx Science: Keep an eye on the Wolverines, especially with forward Julian Gilbey back.

10. Christ the King: Virtually everyone is back from a team that suffered an overtime loss in the CHSAA ‘A’ intersectional quarterfinals.

BOYS SOCCER

36

GIRLS SOCCER

A Tour Around the Tri-StateGirls soccer players to watch this seasonLONG ISLAND

East Islip’s Cari Roccaro had seven goals and five assists last season en route to being named Suffolk Class AA Player of the Year, first team all-state and All-Amer-ican. … Emily Ude of North Babylon was a first-team all-state selection who can fin-ish and also distribute. … St. Anthony’s Margo McGinty is a defender known for her versatility, field vision, and going on the attack when needed. But she primarily serves as the anchor of the Friars’ defense. … Jill Mulholland of MacArthur is a pure goal-scorer who earned second-team all-state honors. … Massapequa’s Rosie DiMartino—the youngest of four sisters in the first family of Massapequa girls soc-cer—has great foot skills and led the Class AA state champions with 17 goals.

NEW JERSEY

Chatham’s Amanda Berntsen is one of the best all-around soccer players in the Garden State. … Nicolette Driesse of Wayne Hills has been considered one of the most talented scorers in North Jersey since her sophomore year. … Watchung Hills’ Monique Goncalves is the team’s

best defender. … Jennie Hornstra of Clif-ton could be in line for more hardware. … Katelyn Kraft of St. Rose scored 26 goals as a junior, and is the Purple Roses’ reli-able superstar.


Samantha McGuire of John Jay-East Fishkill is indisputably the best player in Section 1. A four-year starter, McGuire had 28 goals and six assists last season. … Arlington’s Miranda Tarpey was a second-team all-state pick last fall, and has the ability to control the tempo and distribute the ball. … Jenn Peters of Minisink Valley is a goal-scoring machine. The junior forward had 36 goals and six assists last season. Yorktown’s Toriana Patterson enters her fourth season as a starter. … Bronxville’s Grace Devlin was selected first-team all-state, posting 18 shutouts, including all four state tourna-ment games.

CONNECTICUT

Greenwich’s Shannon Colligan is a star striker who set a school record with 20

goals as a sophomore. … St. Joseph star Alyssa Christo is coming off an 18-goal, 15-assist season in which she was named to the all-New England first-team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. … Another standout from the FCIAC is Norwalk’s sweeper and four-year starter Karolyn Collins. … Barlow’s Lily Creighton helped lead the Indians to a 13-0-1 regular season in 2010. … One of the top defenders in the region figures to be Amity’s Tabitha Brown, an all-state pick last year.

NYC

Phoebe Dawkins of Bronx Science spent two weeks this summer studying Oceanography; the senior will spend the fall as the anchor of the Wolverines defense, trying to win a second PSAL title. … Beacon’s Jennifer Angione was the Blue Devils’ most consistent and dangerous player with 19 goals and 15 assists last year. … Leon Goldstein’s Pamela Wishart was the PSAL’s leading scorer with 32 goals as a sophomore. … Summer Sofer had 29 goals as a fresh-man, tops in Bronx-A and third in the city, as Riverdale/Kingsbridge went 12-3.

Compiled by Lou Brogno (NJ), Dylan Butler (NYC), Kevin Devaney Jr. (NY), Brian Fitzsimmons (NJ), Mike Gavin (LI), Jesse Quinlan (CT).

Bronx Science’s Phoebe Dawkins Photo by by Mike Stobe

37

Long Island

1. St. Anthony’s: Margo McGinty and Reanna Marino lead a balanced team laden with talent. Its only loss last season came in the state title game.

2. Massapequa: The defending Class AA cham-pions have a revamped defense, but return leading goal-scorer Rosie DiMartino, midfielder Tori Maley and goalkeeper EmmaLee Meyer.

3. West Islip: Seeking a fourth-straight trip to the county championship game, the Lions return their top three goal scorers in Amanda Martinez, Chelsea Weir and Kelsey Raschke.

4. East Islip: East Islip is an experienced, veteran team fueled by All-American Cari Roccaro, who is joined by Brianne LaFemina and Rebecca Carucci.

5. South Side: A perennial power led by Sam Ford, Caitlin Wallace, Julie Beyar and Christina Klaum look to avenge their upset loss in the county finals last season.

6. Northport: A strong attacking team with Kristi Abbate facilitating through the middle and Rosy Hayes and Cortney Fortunato finishing.

7. Garden City: Keeper Christina Mangels and the defending Class A state champs will look to be more defensive minded. The offense will flow through mid-fielder Jessica Stein and striker Taylor Hennig.

8. MacArthur: A strong team on both sides of the field returns entirely intact, led by offensive center-mid Jill Mulholland and defensive center-mid Kelly Kempf.

9. Kellenberg: It will be hard to keep up with the speed of the CHSAA runners up, who are led of-fensively by Amanda Barroca and Kirstin Wosleger and defensively by Erica Berry and Taylor Falmon.

10 Smithtown East: The defending Class AA county champs graduated 14 players but return a core of Dominique Albano, Lyndsay Hartman, Taylor Messina and Kelly Stumper.

New Jersey

1. Lenape Valley: With nine starters and super-scorer Nicole Rigby all returning, the sky’s the limit for the defending Group 4 champions.

2. Pingry: At 15-2-2 last year, the Big Blue hopes to build off past success and make it past the North Non-Public A final.

3. Paul VI: The Eagles posted a 15-3-2 record en route to an appearance in the South Jersey Non-Public A championship game last season. Was it just a stepping-stone?

4. Red Bank Catholic: After earning a tie of the sectional title, the Caseys proved last campaign just how talented they are.

5. Immaculate Heart Academy: With plenty of returning contributors and a tie of the Non-Public A last season, the Blue Eagles are primed to make some noise this fall.

6. Ramapo: The Green Raiders suffered their lone regulation loss when they fell in the overall Group 3 semifinals. This season, Ramapo looks poised to continue its success as a premier program in North 1 Group 3.

7. Morris Knolls: The Golden Eagles, who finished 17-2-3 last season after falling in the North 1 Group 4 final to Livingston, graduated several players.

8. Livingston: After leading the team to a North 1 Group 4 title and its first Essex County champion-ship since 1993, Kate Schwindel—19th on all-time state scoring list—moved on to West Virginia. So, who steps up for the Lancers?

9. Northern Highlands: Even in rebuilding mode, the Highlanders will be a true force in Group 3 this season.

10. Mahwah: The defending Group 3 champions have their work cut out for them. However, don’t ever count out the Thunderbirds on the soccer field.

Westchester/HV

1. John Jay-East Fishkill: The Patriots are the region’s top program despite their two-year reign as Class AA state champs ending last season in the Section 1 final.

2. Somers: After going 17-1-1 last fall, the Tuskers are front-runners in a competitive Section 1 Class A field.

3. Bronxville: With goalie Grace Devlin and all-state defender Shannon Crawford returning, the Broncos are eyeing another deep playoff run.

4. Minisink Valley: The Warriors are Section 9 favorites with junior Jenn Peters, who guided the program to a string of playoff upset wins to claim last year’s Class AA championship.

5. Eastchester: Senior Marcelle Schepesi looks to guide Eastchester to its second Section 1 Class A title in three seasons.

6. Scarsdale: The Red Raiders will vie for a Class AA championship behind senior midfielder Charlotte Miller, an all-state selection last season.

7. Monroe-Woodbury: The Crusaders return a talented duo in Andrea Pereira and Nicole Gerber.

8. North Rockland: The defending Section 1 Class AA champions reload after stunning John Jay-East Fishkill in the title game.

9. Byram Hills: The Bobcats return a strong core from a 10-6 squad, including Lauren Riggs, Claudia Hammerschmidt, and Emma Benzie.

10. Briarcliff: Sophomore Lauren Miller, who had 12 goals and 10 assists last year, and senior Sarah Elkes take over the team.

Connecticut

1. Greenwich: Among the returning players for the defending FCIAC champion Cardinals are star striker Shannon Colligan and junior Taylor Bucklin, one of the premier goalies in the Northeast.

2. Joel Barlow: The perennial power Falcons al-lowed just six goals all of last season in capturing the SWC crown while also reaching the CIAC Class M semifinals.

3. Westhill: Few teams have risen to the occasion recently as well as the Vikings, who won the Class LL title in 2009 and reached both the FCIAC and state finals a year ago.

4. New Canaan: Senior keeper Holly Burwick is back in net for the Rams, who won the Class L title two years ago before falling in the state semifinals last season.

5. Bunnell: The Bulldogs are coming off their best season in school history at 16-5-2.

6. Darien: Twenty-two different players scored last season for the Blue Wave, who upset Watertown in the second round of the L tournament. Marike Bravo was all-state as a junior in 2010.

7. Watertown: After moving up to Class L last sea-son, the reigning NVL champion Indians earned the top seed in the state tournament.

8. The Falcons have won 25 games over the last two seasons, and will try to pick up where they left off last year when they won the Class LL semifinals.

9. St. Joseph: Returning for the Cadets are senior Alyssa Christo and sophomore Samantha Grasso, two all-state performers who led the team to 13 wins and a trip to Class M quarterfinals.

10. Wilton: The Warriors have reached the state quarterfinals in eight of the last nine years, and have a strong nucleus returning.

New York City

1. Beacon: The Blue Devils are the defending PSAL Class A champions and the favorites to repeat.

2. Tottenville: The Pirates reached the PSAL ‘A’ final for the first time since 2006 and very well could be back at Belson in November.

3. St. Joseph Hill: The Hilltoppers return all but two players from last year’s CHSAA Archdiocesan finalist that had non-league wins against Beacon and St. Francis Prep.

4. St. Francis Prep: Wendy Avendano is the lead-er of a Terriers squad that was young a year ago.

5. Fontbonne Hall: There is plenty of young tal-ent back from a Bonnies team that suffered its lone loss of the season to nationally-ranked St. Anthony’s (LI) in the postseason.

6. McKee/Staten Island Tech: Jackie Bruno and Breanna Brukalo pace a Seagulls team that could battle for the City title.

7. Archbishop Molloy: Victoria Antonino and Casey Collins will be charged with trying to bring the Stanners back to the CHSAA Class A title game.

8. Petrides: Katrina Wiesner—the PSAL’s leader in assists—and Victoria Roda, one of the top sweepers in the City, both return.

9. Bronx Science: Sweeper Phoebe Dawkins won a City title as a sophomore and is hungry to end her stellar career at Bronx Science with a second crown.

10. Cardozo: With Katlyn Merino and Giuliana Roselli back, Cardozo could win the division title.

GIRLS SOCCER

Compiled by Lou Brogno (NJ), Dylan Butler (NYC), Isaac Cass (NY), Brian Fitzsimmons (NJ), Mike Gavin (LI), Jesse Quinlan (CT).

38

Field Hockey

Plenty of Talent to Go AroundField hockey players to watch in the tri-state

LONG ISLAND

Shoreham-Wading River’s Debi-Michelle Jantzen, who has been on varsity since seventh grade, has improved each year. Last season she exploded offensively, leading Long Island with 42 points, and leading her team to a fourth-straight Suf-folk Class B title. … Alexandra Bruno of Garden City led the Trojans to the Class B state final, scoring 34 goals along the way. … Goalkeeper Catherine Musnicki of Pierson/Bridgehampton had a .890 save- percentage and was lights-out in the post-season. … Massapequa’s Kelsey O’Brien is a constant threat to score, notching 17 goals last season. … Katie Trombetta of Sachem East—as a freshman—scored 23 points and led the Flaming Arrows to the Suffolk Class A final.

NEW JERSEY

Oak Knoll’s Teresa Benvenuti anchored an offense that netted 132 goals in 28 wins last season, during which the Royals

captured the Tournament of Champions title. … Natalie Cafone of West Essex fin-ished 2010 with 46 goals and 30 assists. … Oak Knoll’s Elizabeth Jacobsen recorded 10 goals and 13 assists for the best team in the Garden State. This year, she’s poised to become one of the most feared players in the region. … Alexis Miller of West Essex provides plenty of offensive punch for a team which always seems to be in the mix at the conclusion of autumn. ... Freehold Boro’s Emily Wold is one of the most potent skills players around.


Emma Bozek was a first-team All-American, with 31 goals and 22 assists, to help Lakeland win its second-straight NYS Class B title in 2010. … Bozek’s teammate, Shannon Scavelli, possesses one of the most dangerous shots in Sec-tion 1. She led the Hornets in scoring with 38 goals and 16 assists. … Rye’s Emma Brinkman is an all-state star who

buried a team-high 25 goals last season. … Brinkman’s teammate, Annie Van Wagenen, is a two-time all-state player who totaled 14 goals and 16 assists in 2010. … Mamaroneck’s Jessica Gardiner led the Tigers to the NYS Class A finals in 2010, racking up 12 goals and 20 assists.

CONNECTICUT

Keep an eye on Greenwich senior Claire Feeney, who was named first-team all-state and all-FCIAC last year after a 15-goal, 10-assist season. … Leading the way for Greenwich Academy will be senior Liv Tapsall, who piled up 24 goals in 2010. … Barlow’s Samantha Macchio, a four-year starter, had seven goals and seven assists last year and was selected all-SWC and second-team all-state. … Norwalk’s Christina Mace returns after being chosen to the first-team all-FCIAC and all-state squads. … Staples’ Callie Hiner is another player who is back after an all-FCIAC season in 2010.

Compiled by Lou Brogno (NJ), Isaac Cass (NY), Brian Fitzsimmons (NJ), Stephen Haynes (LI), Jesse Quinlan (CT).

Shoreham-Wading River’s Debi-Michelle JantzenPhoto by by Mike Stobe Barlow’s Samantha Macchio Photo by by Mike Stobe

39

Long Island

1. Garden City: The Trojans outscored opponents 88-7 and won a sixth straight Long Island champi-onship, en route to the state Class B final. GC is led by stars Alexandra Bruno and Catherine McTiernan.

2. Ward Melville: In 2010, the Patriots won a fourth consecutive Class A Long Island title. De-spite losing 11 seniors, they’re seeded first in the Suffolk pre-season coaches’ poll and return stand-outs Vanessa Pryor and Kim Geiger.

3. Sachem East: The Flaming Arrows, who took Ward Melville to overtime in the Suffolk final, have a talented young team, led by Katie Trombetta.

4. Shoreham-Wading River: The Wildcats won a fourth straight Suffolk Class B champion-ship and return several key players, including Debi-Michelle Jantzen and Kaitlyn Taddeo.

5. Smithtown East: The Bulls, who reached the Suffolk Class A semifinals, are always a power-house. They’re led by forward Meg Rooney.

6. Sayville: The Golden Flashes stormed through the regular season before stumbling in the Suffolk Class B final. Still, Sayville is a young team on the rise led by Olivia Cabral.

7. Northport: The Tigers have earned their stripes, emerging as a force in Suffolk’s toughest confer-ence (Division I). They’re led by goalie Gabby Gallo.

8. Massapequa: The Chiefs won a second straight Nassau Class A championship with a relatively young team in 2010. They should only improve with experience.

9. Miller Place: The Panthers, a perennial con-tender, won a very competitive Division III and reached the Suffolk Class B semifinals.

10. North Shore: The Vikings return several key play-ers, including Isabella Ahrens and Lauren Gerard.

New Jersey

1. Bridgewater-Raritan: Everybody wants to talk about the Panthers’ TOC-winning boys lacrosse team at the school. This fall, Bridgewater-Raritan’s stacked field hockey squad will grab its share of the buzz.

2. Freehold Boro: After constructing a 23-3 re-cord last year, Emily Wold and the Colonials are hoping to be queens of Group 3 once again.

3. Oak Knoll: The Royals punctuated an unblem-ished 28-0 season with a 5-2 victory over Eastern in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions state final.

4. Wall Township: The Crimson Knights will need a hot start to fend off the potent competitors in Group 3.

5. West Essex: Armed with several returning play-ers and one of the most dangerous scorers in the state, is it a stretch to label the Knights as the team to beat in Group 2? Absolutely not.

6. Shore Regional: A Monmouth County pow-erhouse, this club possesses enough talent to improve on its 17-2 mark from 2010.

7. Pompton Lakes: Passaic County’s best team can make noise in the state playoffs.

8. Central Regional: The biggest sleeper team of the group, the Golden Eagles will build off their 13-3-1 campaign and become a true power in the rough waters of Group 3.

9. Arthur L. Johnson: After finishing 19-6 a year ago, the Crusaders are poised to establish themselves as Union County’s best.

10. Chatham: Reaching 20 wins once again is a fea-sible goal for the Cougars.

Westchester/HV

1. Lakeland: Going for their third consecutive NYS Class B title, the Hornets are one of the preeminent Section 1 dynasties in any sport. With All-Ameri-cans Shannon Scavelli and Emma Bozek returning in 2011, don’t look for Lakeland to skip a beat.

2. Rye: Coach Emily Fitzgerald’s squad returns sev-en key players, headlined by all-state players Emma Brinkman and Annie Van Wagenen.

3. Mamaroneck: Mamaroneck will lean on its vet-eran core of Jessica Gardiner, Alicia Meglio, Molly Cohen and Jessica Corbin.

4. Putnam Valley: A pair of all-section midfield-ers—Erin McCrudden and Dana Tatnell—return to anchor a Put Valley squad that will be guided by former Rye JV coach Leslie King, who stepped in to re-place Toniann Cortina.

5. Scarsdale: Scarsdale will look to follow up last year’s stellar sea-son. Look for sophomore Caroline Knapp to step into a bigger role.

6. Carmel: The Rams have the po-tential be a surprise team in Section 1 Class A this season, as they re-turn a ton of talent from last year, including all-section forward Sara Rattigan.

7. Suffern: Despite losing the bulk of its offense to graduation, the Mounties should still be in the mix in Section 1 Class A.

8. Briarcliff: The Bears graduated nine seniors, so they will lean on returning veterans Rebecca Bianco and Kristiana Roth.

9. John Jay-East Fishkill:Despite the loss of all-state star Jade Dennett, the Patriots are still among the best teams.

10. Bronxville: All-league goalie Katie Knox returns, as the Broncos look to get back on top of Section 1 Class C.

Connecticut

1. Darien: The Blue Wave own the nation’s longest unbeaten streak at 76 games and have won four straight FCIAC and state titles. Darien outscored its opponents by a resounding 140-9 margin last season.

2. Greenwich Academy: The Gators have won all 27 FAA titles since the tournament’s inception in 1984, and are poised for more gold with eight returning players.

3. Wilton: Returning from last year’s impressive 12-win regular season are nine seniors, five juniors and five sophomores.

4. The Mustangs are coming off their first trip to the FCIAC finals in 30 years.

5. New Canaan: After a strong finish to the regu-lar season, the Rams are aiming to at least reach the quarterfinals of the Class M tournament for the third-straight season.

6. The Falcons are looking to build off last year’s breakthrough season.

7. Greenwich: Ally Orrico, who has won state titles as both a player and coach at Greenwich, has a record of 39-18-3 since taking over the program in 2008.

8. Stamford: The Black Knights returned to promi-nence last season after capturing back-to-back state championships in 2007-08.

9. Lauralton Hall: The Crusaders’ only regular season loss last season came at the hands of SWC rival Pomperaug, the Class L co-champion.

10. Staples: Callie Hiner and the rest of the return-ing Wreckers are aiming to improve upon last year’s nine-win campaign.

FieldHockey

Compiled by Lou Brogno (NJ), Isaac Cass (NY), Brian Fitzsimmons (NJ), Stephen Haynes (LI), Jesse Quinlan (CT).

Lakeland’s Emma BozekPhoto by by Mike Stobe

40

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Net Wi�ersGirls volleyball players to watch

LONG ISLAND

Smithtown East’s Delia Phillips is one of the most dominant players on Long Island, and is the reigning League III Player of the Year. Once again, she will remain the focal point of the Bulls’ offense. … Melissa Rigo of John Glenn made the all-Long Island team while garnering all-state honors for the second-straight season. She is a game-changing presence on both sides of the ball. … Wantagh’s Jenny Ilibassi returns to a Warriors team vying for a third-straight Nassau Class A title. … Emily Clemens of Lindenhurst, as a sophomore, garnered all-Long Island and all-state honors while being named her team’s MVP. … Emily Astarita is now in her second season with Ward Melville and her level of play will only improve.

NEW JERSEY

Randolph’s Cora Bidlack recorded 275 kills, 38 aces, 72 digs and 32 blocks last season. With a slight spike in produc-tion, this club could become a serious championship contender. … Immaculate Heart Academy’s Michelle Cruz has been a strong contributor for the Blue Eagles since her freshman year. IHA’s Raquel

Scott is poised to help the Blue Eagles return to glory on the volleyball court before she suits up for basketball sea-son.… Hunterdon Central’s Emily Drew already owns school records for total assists in one season, assists in one game, and average assists per match. ... Joellen Kentner of Madison registered 181 kills, 70 blocks, 104 digs. What can she do for an encore?


Walter Panas’ Vivian Burcescu is Sec-tion 1’s premier player. She totaled 226 kills, 57 aces and 130 digs in 2010. … Lauren Etta of Haldane is an all-state first-team standout who led the Blue Devils to a second-place finish in the 2010 NYS Class D tournament. She racked up 263 kills and 177 assists. … Pelham’s Lauren Keller is an all-sec-tion talent who had 448 assists and 62 serving aces last year. … Jessica Segal carried Harrison and led Section 1 with 587 assists and adding 67 aces, 340 digs and 115 kills. … Ossining’s Saniya Chong racked up a Section 1-best 327 kills in 2010.

CONNECTICUT

Ridgefield’s Meghan Kirchoff was a first-team all-FCIAC selection, leading the team to a 15-6 record while recording 188 kills, 192 digs. … Nancy Stablein of St. Joseph was a second-team all-FCIAC selection, and the centerpiece of a squad that went 16-6 and reached the second round of the Class M state tournament. … Bunnell’s Jana Kmec is coming off a remarkable season where she tallied 147 service points, 107 kills and 359 assists. She was named all-state for the SWC champions. … Mariel Schlaefer of Lau-ralton Hall recorded 128 kills and 106 digs for the 11-6 Crusaders. … Darien’s Char-lotte Stevenson takes over as the leader of the state’s most storied program. As a junior, she had 162 kills and was named third-team all-FCIAC.

NYC

Dominique Watt, who emerged as one of the City’s top clutch players as a sopho-more last year at Bronx Science, came up huge in wins against John F. Kennedy. … Cardozo’s Ashley Grubler has made an impact since stepping on the court as a sophomore. Last season, she had 19 kills in the title match as Cardozo won its first crown since 1981. … Talia Colasante helped guide St. Francis Prep to its fourth-straight undefeated CHSAA champion-ship. … Jenna Hoffman of Archbishop Molloy stands tall on the court at 4-foot-11 and is a brilliant passer for the Stanners. … Fontbonne Hall’s Lauren Ganun did a little bit of everything last year, combin-ing tremendous court vision, some finesse and a powerful serve.

Compiled by Lou Brogno (NJ), Dylan Butler (NYC), Isaac Cass (NY), Kevin Devaney Jr. (CT), Brian Fitzsimmons (NJ), Evan Korn (LI).

John Glenn’s Melissa RigoPhoto by by Joseph D. Sullivan/Newsday

Smithtown’s Delta PhillipsPhoto by by James Escher/Newsday

41

Long Island

1. Lindenhurst: The Bulldogs return the core of a team that won the 2010 Class AA Long Island championship, including junior setter Emily Clemens and senior outside hitter Alys-sa Marchino.

2. John Glenn: Ten straight Long Island titles at Class B and C have long established Glenn as the Island’s top small-school program. Me-lissa Rigo could lead the Spiders to a Class B state title.

3. Massapequa: The Chiefs aim for their 12th-straight Nassau Class AA title and have the talent to make it happen.

4. Ward Melville: A factory for quality volley-ball, the Patriots will look to bounce back from last year’s county final loss to Lindenhurst.

5. Smithtown East: Everything will run through senior outside hitter Delia Phillips, the reigning Suffolk Player of the Year who is ca-pable of taking over games single-handedly.

New Jersey

1. Hunterdon Central: Despite losing many contributors to graduation, the Red Devils are poised to repeat as South Jersey Group 4 champions.

2. Immaculate Heart Academy: The North Jersey powerhouse has a stranglehold on the Non-Public landscape, and this season should be no different.

3. Old Tappan: The graduation of Aiyana Whitney—now at Penn State—will certainly dent the Golden Knights’ confidence, but this crew will find a way to compete with the best.

4. Ramapo: Replacing Princeton prospect Nicole Kincade will be no easy task, but is one test head coach Dave Van Hook and his Green Raiders are ready to ace.

5. Bogota: Rising junior Carly O’Sullivan is back to guide the Bucs to a revenge run at the Group 1 title.

Westchester/HV

1. Hen Hud: Will the Sailors’ 172-game win-ning streak against Section 1 opponents final-ly come to an end? Well, it wouldn’t be wise to bet against coach Diane Swertfager.

2. Harrison: With everyone back from last year’s Section 1 Class A championship squad, the Huskies will be favorites to repeat in 2011.

3. Walter Panas: Blessed with Section 1’s best player in Virginia-bound Vivian Burces-cu, the Panthers have a good shot to avenge last year’s Class A sectional finals loss to Har-rison.

4. Arlington: The two-time defending Section 1 Class AA champs will look to cement their position as a dynasty.

5. Pelham: Returning all-section talents Lauren Keller and Loren Cecil will look to get over the hump against a Sailors team that’s in quasi-rebuilding mode.

Connecticut

1. Darien: The Blue Wave (24-1) had won nine straight state championships before losing in the final last season. The dynasty should con-tinue this fall.

2. Greenwich: The reigning LL state champs have plenty of talent to replace from a 22-2 squad, including five all-FCIAC players. Mirei Kato, who had 83 digs and 22 aces last sea-son, will carry the load.

3. Bunnell: Jana Kmec leads a Bulldogs squad that went 14-5 last season, captured the SWC championship and reached the Class L state quarterfinals.

4. Lauralton Hall: The Crusaders return four starters from an 11-6 squad that reached the Class M state tournament last season.

5. The Falcons have emerged as an elite program. They went 20-5 last season and lost to Greenwich in the LL state championship game.

New York City

1. St. Francis Prep: The Terriers have domi-nated the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens, going undefeated and winning four consecutive titles—and there’s no reason to believe they will slow down this year.

2. Cardozo: Led by standout senior outside hitter Ashley Grubler, Cardozo is anxious to prove last year’s success was no fluke.

3. Francis Lewis: The Patriots are highly motivated to put last year’s stunning defeat to Susan Wagner behind them and, led by 5-foot-10 sophomore outside hitter Ragina Anthony, have the talent to again make a run at the crown.

4. Susan Wagner: The Falcons surprised coach Marco Altieri by going undefeated in league play, shocking Francis Lewis in the semifinals and reaching the final for their first time.

5. Fontbonne Hall: The Bonnies return a strong core of last year’s squad that finished second during the regular season in Brook-lyn/Queens Division I with a 9-3 record.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Compiled by Lou Brogno (NJ), Dylan Butler (NYC), Isaac Cass (NY), Kevin Devaney Jr. (CT), Brian Fitzsimmons (NJ), Evan Korn (LI).

Pelham’s Lauren KellerPhoto by by Isaac Cass

42

Your School, Your Stories

A Look Behind the Desk

When it comes to high school foot-ball, every weekend in the tri-state is packed with hard-hitting action—and we bring you all of the highlights on High School SportsDesk.

For this column, I have decided to share three of my favorite football stories that originated last season, but still resonate loud and clear today. Be sure to log on to MSGVarsity.com for more on these, and other stories.

LI: STARS GO BACK TO THEIR ROOTS

Stacey Bedell and Nick Scheld have gotten used to showing off their skills on the football field. However, Bedell and Scheld, longtime friends, also use their football IQ in a different way, as volunteer coaches for the Patchogue-Medford Raiders of the Long Island Youth Indoor Football League (LIYIF).

“A lot of kids look up to me cause they know I play the game of football and that I have a lot of experience,” said Bedell, William Floyd High School’s star running back. “Last time I was here a kid asked me for my autograph and said he was my biggest fan.”

The LIYIF is the largest youth indoor football league in the country, and serves kids from age five to 13. Recently the kids of the Patchogue-Medford Raiders were without a coach and were in danger of not being able to play. That’s when another high school star stepped in.

Scheld, a linebacker at Chaminade, played in the LIYIF and says the ability to practice the sport he loves in the off-season made all the difference once reaching high school.

And he wasn’t about to let the Raiders miss out on the opportunity as well.

“I heard my dad on the phone trying to get coaches for a five-year-old team and I asked what would happen if they didn’t get a coach,” Scheld recalled, “and he said they wouldn’t be able to play this season. So I immediately of-fered to volunteer and when he said yes I called up my friend Stacey.”

NJ: NOTHING FOWL ABOUT THIS As we look ahead this football season, we start to think about all of the great Turkey

Bowl rivalry games throughout the tri-state. One that I really look to each year is the 53-year-old Turkey Bowl tradition in Mercer

County between Hamilton West and Hamilton East, also known as Steinert. Last season, Hamilton West defeated Steinert, 29-14, on Thanksgiving Day, but one

year earlier, it was Steinert that enjoyed the victory. So the 2011 game will break the two-season deadlock. Overall, Hamilton West currently leads the series 33-19-1, with the one tie in 1989.

“It’s nothing you can describe unless you’ve lived it and been here and felt the en-ergy in the stadium when these two teams come together,” said Tom Dolina, assistant coach at Hamilton. Dolina also played in the game while in high school.

Both teams say playoffs are great but the barometer for a successful season is this Thanksgiving Day rivalry!

NYC: FORT HAMILTON CAN STILL BRAGAs the 2011 season gets fully underway, NYC bragging rights still belong to Fort

Hamilton High School. Those rights were earned when the battle of two unbeaten PSAL schools, Fort Hamilton and Lincoln, took place at—of all places—Yankee Stadium.

Given everything that was riding on the game. it was not surprising that tickets were hard to come by at Fort Hamilton High School.

“We got 3,000 tickets from the PSAL and by sixth period, about 11 a.m., all the tickets were gone,” said Tigers head coach Daniel Perez.

That support paid off for Fort Hamilton, which defeated Lincoln, 8-6, to win the championship.

Prior to the game, Hamilton star Brandon Reddish seemed prophetic about the impact the game would have.

“It’s gonna be the biggest game for all of our lives. … I just want to leave with a ring,” the senior wide receiver said.

In the end, Reddish and his teammates did just that.

For more on these feature stories, log on to MSGVarsity.comShawna Ryan is co-anchor of MSG Varsity’s High School SportsDesk and writes her column, Behind the Desk, on MSGVarsity.com.

Some memorable storylines from the gridironBy Shawna Ryan @MSGV_Shawna

43

MSG Varsity’s Student Reporters of the Year

For the first time this past spring, MSG Varsity The Magazine included a selection of articles written by students from throughout the tri-state region. For two of those students—Patrick McCormack and

Kerry Hannan—it was the precursor for an even bigger honor.McCormack, who was a junior at Holy Trinity Diocesan

High School, was named the MSG Varsity Long Island Stu-dent Reporter of the Year. An accomplished sports writer, Mc-Cormack contributed more than a dozen articles on his school and school sports to MSGVarsity.com, displaying tremendous talent and a dedication to providing positive content about his school throughout the year.

McCormack capped off his successful year by covering the 16th Annual Empire Challenge, during which he interviewed players, MSG Varsity broadcasters, and former NFL star quar-terback and event organizer, Boomer Esiason.

Hannan, who was a senior at Immaculata High School, was named the New Jersey Student Reporter of the Year.

A talented writer who reported on a vast number of top-ics covering school activities including student and faculty features and school news, Hannan contributed more than 20 articles to MSGVarsity.com, displaying an uncanny ablilty to make everything going on at Immaculata a fun read.

“As MSG Varsity continues to expand its journalism pro-gram, it is inspiring to see such great work from students such as Patrick and Kerry,” said Brett Topel, MSG Varsity’s Director of Content Development and Editor of MSG Varsity The Maga-zine. “We congratulate the winners and media advisors for all of their hard work and know that this is just the start of a fine tradition at MSG Varsity.”

Holy Trinity and Immaculata were among the 30 partici-pating schools in “Project J,” MSG Varsity’s pilot journalism program that kicked off in December, 2010. The program has now been expanded to all schools and all aspiring high school journalists throughout the tri-state.

DO

YOUFor MSG Varsity The Magazine?

WANT TO WRITE

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Immaculata’s Kerry Hannan with MSG Varsity’s Andrew Robinson

Holy Trinity’s Patrick McCormack interviews Boomer Esiason (photo by Frank LoCascio)

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Your School, Your Stories

High School SpotlightsBy Lauren Brill

In each issue of MSG Varsity The Magazine this school year, we will profile high schools from throughout the tri-state region. In this edition, we take a look at four schools that are up to very exciting things on the athletic fields, in the classroom, and in the Arts.

Olympic coaches are usually reserved for Olympic athletes.

However, this summer the Paramus girls volleyball team received a special treat when Olympic coach Ron Larsen served as a guest instructor.

He helped the team, which finished with a 14-11 record last year, prepare for the season.

“It’s just really cool to have someone who has so much skill,” senior Lindsay Bukowski said. “We are learning from the best. It’s really cool.”

While the volleyball team anticipates future success, the baseball team celebrated an impressive season this

past spring. The squad matched a school record with 25 wins in a season, which was set in 1964. It also captured its ninth league title and third state sectional title, making the 2011 season a picture perfect ending to baseball legend and varsity head coach Joe Cervino’s 30-year career.

Off the field, Paramus’ music program is no stranger to success. On multiple occasions Paramus High School has been named by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation (NAMM) as one of the “Best Communities for Music Education.” The nationwide award recognizes communities and schools for their commitment to music education.

Paramus’ extensive music program includes band, wind ensemble, orchestra, string ensemble, concert choir, honors concert choir, jazz band, introduction to music theory, advanced placement music theory and music appreciation.

Another group of Paramus students taking the stage are the actors and ac-tresses. This year’s fall play is a murder mystery comedy called “A Family Re-union to Die For.” The theater program is led by producer Michele Sarnoski and director Joseph Ferriero.

In addition to the strong athletic, the-ater and music programs the school also offers a wide variety of clubs including a chess club, DECA club and Mock Trial.

PARAMUS HIGH SCHOOL (NEW JERSEY)

Fair Lawn High School has a lot to look forward to this year.

Senior Luke St. John, a two-sport star athlete, is one of only four athletes in New Jersey to the grace the cover of this magazine. St. John plays an integral role on the Cutters’ boys soccer team and serves as a defensive specialist for the powerhouse volleyball squad. Last year, St. John, along with Dan Nugent—now at Virginia Tech—propelled Fair Lawn’s boys volleyball team to a 38-2 record and the Tournament of Champions Title.

The girls basketball team, meanwhile, will be looking forward to a solid season this winter under second-year head coach Chris Lovermi. Through summer tourna-ments and camps, many members of the team spent the offseason building chem-istry. Expect returning senior guard Re-gina Tillare, who averaged seven points and 4.3 assists, to have an important role in the team’s success.

In addition to Fair Lawn’s athletic ac-complishments, the school also boasts an award-winning musical theater pro-gram, led by director John Giresi. Past

performances include “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Dirty Rotten Scoun-drels” and “Thoroughly Mod-ern Millie.”

Members of the musical the-ater group aren’t the only stu-dents entertaining the town with their sweet sound. Fair Lawn’s marching band and col-or guard have a long-standing tradition of excellence. This past year the Cutters scored a 90.750 out of a possible 100, to place third at the New Jersey State Championships in Old, Bridge New Jersey. Their third-place finish marked the team’s best finish in the state competi-tion since 2007.

Other strong programs at Fair Lawn include its Math league, Chemistry league, aca-demic decathlon, Debate Team, Computer league, the Future Business Leaders of America chapter and their Model United Nations program.

FAIR LAWN HIGH SCHOOL (NEW JERSEY)

Cover Boy! Luke St. John is a two-sport star athlete at Fair Lawn High School. Photo by Mike Stobe

45

In the heat of this past summer, Yonkers High School earned a

big victory in an air-conditioned board-room—football was coming back!

Budget cuts had threatened the sea-sons of seven high schools in Yonkers including Yonkers High School. However despite the financial troubles, the seven Yonkers schools are back on the gridiron. And while it was not a total victory for ev-eryone, the board said they are working towards bringing back soccer, volleyball and the rest of the varsity fall sports.

“Although the district cannot guaran-tee a complete interscholastic athletics program, we will provide what we can,” said Paresh Patel, the president of the Yonkers Board of Education, in a district press release.

While football being back is the biggest news of this fall, Yonkers High School ended its spring season on a high note. The Bulldogs baseball team, led by coach Mike Amendola, won 16 regular season games and reached the Section 1 Class A quarterfinals.

In the classroom, Yonkers is well known for partnering with the Interna-tional Baccalaureate (IB) program. The IB program is a non-profit educational foundation that works with educators to implement programs that emphasize an international education, resulting in well-rounded students. The course work is meant to challenge students and includes an intercultural education, which aims to promote peace through-out the world.

Community service plays a pivotal role in the school’s IB program. In order to fulfill the students’ community service requirements, many students annually head north to Cape Cod.

In Cape Cod the students research Box Turtles to help the National Audubon So-ciety, an organization whose goal is to re-store and conserve natural ecosystems. Along with their community service, they also receive a science educational experi-ence.

With a strong IB program and many other unique educational offerings, through the years Yonkers High School has received recognition nationwide for their excellence in education.

YONKERS HIGH SCHOOL (WESTCHESTER)

The fact that East Rockaway High School is part of the smallest

school district in Nassau County has not had any effect on its school spirit. In fact, East Rockaway has walked away with top prizes in two of MSG Varsity’s most competitive contests.

East Rockaway has earned a custom-ized, inflatable blast tunnel for winning Home Field Advantage, as well as a scoring table from the Mascot Dash com-petition.

However, the school has not been short of wins elsewhere. Last season, the foot-ball team finished with a 7-3 record. The squad won the Big Four championships and played at Hofstra University in the Nassau County and Long Island cham-pionships. The football team expects to continue its success this season.

Many of those anticipated accomplish-ments will be printed in The Gull, East Rockaway’s student-run newspaper. The Gull addresses issues and news related to the school’s students and teachers.

Senior Josh Warner also provides the school with news and information as leader of The Rock’s TV news show. The show, filmed by students in the morning, is then streamed to all the classrooms during homeroom. East Rockaway of-fers students a newscasting class and, thanks to several volunteers, students work in a brand new studio.

In addition to honing their own crafts and developing their own interests, stu-dents at East Rockaway, along with fac-ulty and parents, recognize the impor-tance of charity.

The East Rockaway community puts on an annual show called “Broadway By The Bay,” a fundraiser held in the school’s auditorium. At the event students sing

Broadway favorites such as “Put on a Happy Face” and “On the Street Where You Live.”

East Rockaway also has a strong mu-sic program, technology program and mock trial team, proving that although the school is small, they still are reaching great heights.

EAST ROCKAWAY HIGH SCHOOL (LONG ISLAND)

Winners: East Rockaway High School students celebrate after being presented with a customized blast tunnel for winning MSG Varsity’s ‘Home Field Advantage’ contest. Photo by Ellen Schuerger

46

FAN FAVORITES

Snacking On-the-Go!What’s your pick for a quick pick-me-up?

Apps To Keep

You Busy!

Pandora If you like music, you probably already knew about Pandora, but in case you didn’t, be sure to pick up this free app!

MSG Varsity The wait is over! The MSG Varsity app is here and has every-thing you need to take the high school experience with you!Nora E. Leon M. Goldstein (NYC)

Natural Honey Oats Granola Bar, because it’s healthy, delicious and easy to throw in my bag and eat before or after my games.

Matt M. Smithtown East (LI)

Trail Mix Bar, because it tastes good and it has good nutritional value.

Megan M. Sleepy Hollow (Westchester)

Chocolate-covered granola bars, because they always give me energy until the next meal or practice. Also, they curb my chocolate cravings!

Jean J. Midwood (NYC)

An apple, because it fills you up with lots of energy!

Daphne A. Manchester Regional (NJ)

A PB&J sandwich, because it’s a great, easy snack to have. It’s healthy and it fills you up.

Michael A. Roosevelt (Westchester)

An apple, because it gives me energy and it tastes good.

Henry P. New Hyde Park (LI)

Pop Tarts, because they are so delicious and come two in a pack!

Words With Friends Friendships can actually be in jeopardy once you start playing this interactive Scrabble contest. Play multiple games at the same time!

Flipboard Named ‘App of the Year’, it’s a great way to share news, photos and videos with others.

Fruit Ninja If you are finally out of rehab for playing Angry Birds, this one will fill your time-wasting needs!

Matt P. Wall (NJ)

Chocolate-chip chewy granola bars, because they are portable and they taste great!

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48

The Tri-State’s Got Talent!MSG Varsity’s Talent Show a Big Success

From the moment The Talent Show premiered on MSG Varsity, it was apparent that high school students throughout the tri-state had something to prove—they had talent!

During an eight-week span, 32 acts gatherered to compete in four categories: Best Male Vocal-ist, Best Female Vocalist, Best Vocal Ensemble and Best Dance Ensemble. Each contestant sang and danced with incredible energy, representing themselves and their schools in the best possible light.

Visitors to MSGVarsity.com voted and selected, not only which acts would advance to the finals in each category, but also which acts would take home the grand prize.

First-place winners had the opportunity to work with award-winning producers as part of a two-day professional studio session and recorded a professionally produced demo CD (video for the dancers). The grand prize also included a professional photo shoot for each of the winners.

MALE VOCALIST

Elya Vasiliev of Colts Neck High School in New Jersey was crowned the winner in the Best Male Vocalist category.

Vasiliev, who sang Frank Sinatra’s “Someone to Watch Over Me” for his final round performance, beat out Peter Richardson of Oceanside High School on Long Island.

“I cannot believe what has happened to me,” said Vasiliev. “I’m a 17-year-old teenage boy who sang all his life at local clubs and parties and played guitar in his bedroom every day. And now, by winning ‘MSG Varsity’s Talent Show,’ I get to work with producers in a studio and make a record. My dreams are becoming a reality. Thank you!”

VOCAL ENSEMBLE

Kaleidoscope, a group of five students from New Jersey’s Cedar Grove High School—Alea Caporrino, Caitlin Flynn, Darrah Maffet-tone, Carly O’Hagan and Gabrielle San Roman—were crowned the winners of Best Vocal Ensemble.

Kaleidoscope sang The Supremes’ “Baby Love” for their final round performance and beat out Long Island’s Holy Trinity Select Choir.

“We are overjoyed, because all our hard work has paid off!” Ro-man said. “We are so excited to record our demo CD. Thank you so much to all of our supporters and fans who voted for us!”

DANCE ENSEMBLE

Clarkstown North High School of the Hudson Valley was crowned the winner as Best Dance Ensemble.

The team beat out New Jersey’s Piscataway High School in the final round.

The Clarkstown North troupe included: Jackie Andrasko, Jenna Balavram, Kim Ballard, Hannah Brinkman, Christina Connor, Alys-sa D’Aquino, Gabby Delucia, Brielle Lipstein, Molly Ludlow, Celine Nicolas, Kelly Park and Melissa Sumadchat.

“It’s impossible to put into words how the team feels,” said team coaches Peggy Finch and Stacie Bolin. “The emotion is indescrib-able, and we’re sure it will carry on for a lifetime. The Clarkstown community showed tremendous support and encouragement, and saying ‘thank you’ just doesn’t seem enough. But from the bottom of our hearts, thank you!”

FEMALE VOCALIST

Samm Sclafani of Long Island’s Commack High School was named Best Female Vocalist.

Sclafani, who sang “Come Sail Away” by Styx for her final round performance, beat out fellow Long Islander Trish Tor-rales of Kellenberg High School for the title.

“I am very thankful for the opportu-nity and experience of participating in ‘MSG Varsity’s Talent Show,’” said Scla-fani. “Words can’t describe how proud and accomplished I feel. I know this is a stepping-stone toward following my dreams of becoming a singer. I feel like the luckiest person in the world, and I have so many people to thank—especial-ly everyone who voted for me.”


IT’S YOUR TIME TO SHINE...Sign up to audition for the 2012 Season

at MSGVarsity.com

50

V Awards Honor Best of the Best

This past May, MSG Varsity and the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

announced the recipients of the 2011 MSG Varsity V Awards, which recognize excellence in student-produced content for television.

The winners were officially revealed as part of a primetime special on MSG Varsity, and were selected from more than 3,600 submissions from high school students across the tri-state area. Each V Award-winning high school received a $5,000 grant towards its multimedia program, while each winning student

took home a specially designed V Award trophy.

“The MSG Varsity V Awards allow us to celebrate the amazing work being created by an enormous group of talented and passionate high school students in our area,” said Theresa Chillianis, MSG Varsity General Manager. “We are thrilled to congratulate the winners, their media advisors and schools and all the participants. We look forward to continuing to partner with them in sharing their stories with their communities.”

In nine of the categories, entries were judged by a panel of television, production and broadcasting industry professionals

from MSG Varsity and NY NATAS. The 10th category, Best Original Production, was the viewer’s choice and the winner was selected by online voting at MSGVarsity.com.

“The V Awards program has once again shown us that the future of our industry is an incredibly bright one,” said Jacqueline Gonzalez, executive director of the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. “It is so encouraging to see such great work being produced at so many schools throughout our area, and makes us more optimistic than ever about our next generation of broadcast and production professionals.”

For information on how to get involved in this year’s V Awards, log on to www.msgvarsity.com/vawards.

One thing is clear, the next generation of broadcast professionals will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come

Best Editing

Wayne Hills High School (NJ) Matthew TrainorSnooze

Best Feature

Wayne Valley High School (NJ)Michael SheptockBhargav Maheta: A Running Miracle

Best Full Game Production

Wayne Hills High School (NJ)Nick Appaluccio, Mike Beltramba, Paul Gabbienelli, Jon Giardiello, Alex Green, Ryan Kattine, Josh Mordkoff, Joe Rapp, Anthony Scudillo, John Vittas

Wayne Hills vs. High Point Football

Best Full Game Coverage by a Single Camera

Preston High School (NYC)Ashley Persaud Preston vs. St. Catherine’s Girls Basketball

Best On-Air Talent

Sleepy Hollow High School (NY)Richie DoyleThe Best of Richie Doyle

Best Play-By-Play/ Color Commentator

Wayne Hills High School (NJ)John VittasJohn Vittas “Best of Play-By-Play”

Best PSA

East Side High School (Newark, NJ)Orlando Arana, Eduardo Navarrete, Humberto Santos, Jessica SilvaLabels

Best Story of My School

Mattituck High School (LI)Sharayah Carita, Andrew SendlewskiTractor Day

Best Videography

Ridge High School (NJ)Chris DeLorenzoAwake

Best Original Production (Viewer’s Choice Category)

Old Bridge High School (NJ)Roseanne Benzon, Brandon Hulasiya, Jon Marrero, Alex Nielsen, Steve VandervalkSolus

2011 School Spirit Mania Grand Prize Winner Roy C. Ketcham High School

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Beginning this September, students can submit photos to prove that their high school exhibits the best gameday

atmosphere. Show how your team, your cheerleaders and your band give your school the winning edge!

The submission period will be open until Sept. 28.

Three grand-prize winners will choose either a customized inflatable blast tun-nel, or a $5,000 gift certificate for sports uniforms and equipment. Schools that finish in second through 10th place will receive a Game Day Review System, which includes an HD television and Blu- Ray player.

Beginning in October, fans can log on to msgvarsityhfa.com to vote for their school! The voting period will take place over six weeks.

As an added twist, each week MSG Varsity will provide hidden codes to voters during telecasts of High School SportsDesk. Voters can then enter the hidden codes and one vote will count as 100 votes! The secret code can be used a maximum of 50 times per school, mean-ing that 5,000 bonus votes are available!

Voting concludes on November 21.

Does Your School Have What it Takes?MSG Varsity’s Home Field Advantage is underway!

Grand Prize Winners!

2011 School Spirit Mania Grand Prize Winner Mount St. Mary’s Academy

THE WINNERS CIRCLE


Sunday through Friday at 6:30pm

54

Photo CentralL O N G I S L A N D

Smithtown

H. Frank Carey

East Islip

Chaminade vs. Manhasset

Northport

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Log on to msgvarsity.com/magpicsand submit your photo today!

Bay Shore vs. Deer Park Farmingdale

Long Island Track

Half Hollow Hills East

Southold

Division

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Photo CentralN E W J E R S E Y

St. Joseph (Metuchen) vs. Mountain LakesWayne Hills

Allentown

57


New Jersey Track

Ridgewood

North Bergen

St. Benedict’s

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Photo CentralC O N N E C T I C U T

Greenwich

Lauralton Hall Greens Farms

59


Staples New Canaan vs. Wilton

Joel Barlow

Westhill

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Photo CentralW E S T C H E S T E R

Harrison

Yorktown

New Rochelle

61


Briarcliff

Tuckahoe

Scarsdale

Ossining

White PlainsSalesian

John Jay-Cross River

63


Monroe-Woodbury

Albertus Magnus

Hudson Valley Track

Pearl River

Nyack

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Photo CentralN E W Y O R K C I T Y

All Hallows

Fordham Prep

New York City All-Stars

Cardinal Hayes

Mount St. Ursula

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Mount St. Michael

Riverdale

66

A Quick Column

Twenty-three years. Thousands of players. And they tell me here at MSG Varsity that they want me

to narrow the list of my all-time favorite tri-state football players down to 10?

I’ll need security at games this year….nah, I can handle it.

There are those who will argue with my picks and some who will agree. So let’s get going. The criteria? Players had to be a performer on both sides of the ball at least for some point of their high school career. And let me be clear, we’re talk-ing high school here and NOT what they might have done after graduation at the college level, or beyond.

When you talk about the Tri-State Top 10 of all-time, it’s a special fraternity.

A big question I have is, can Old Tap-pan’s Devin Fuller stake his claim on the list? More about him later.

So here is my Top 10:

Brian Toal RB/LB

Don Bosco, Class of 2004

In September of 2000, I watched as Don Bosco freshman Brian Toal blocked a punt, scooped it up and scored a touchdown. The rest was his-tory. Bosco would beat Ridgewood that night and many wins would follow, including two state titles over the next four seasons. Toal and his dad, Greg—the head coach—had laid the foundation atop the hill that has continued to grow the last seven seasons.

The stat line for the All-American was good, but not overwhelming. You know what, 32 touchdowns was pretty special. So were 106 tackles from his linebacker spot. But his great-est skill was to make the other 10 players on the field even better. Toal—son of a coach, heck of a player—is the best I’ve ever seen.

Will Hill QB/S St. Peter’s Prep, Class of 2008

Be it from his QB spot, safety, or on specials, “The Thrill” was always just a touch away from putting it in the end zone. The three-year varsity starter graduated from the Jersey City school as an All-American and is still the last quarterback in New Jersey to beat Don Bosco.

Tyrell Dortch RB/DB Hoboken, Class of 2000

The Redwings have produced many a great player, but “TD” earns top billing in my eyes. A threat from both sides, I still remember his final high school game like it was played yes-terday. It was December, 1999, versus Wayne Hills in the state final at Giants Stadium. Dortch scored all four touchdowns, rushed for 289 yards as Hoboken won, 27-7.

Brian Cushing RB/S Bergen Catholic, Class of 2005

“Cush” would be a bit higher on the list if he didn’t miss two and a half games due to injury. His five-touchdown, all-purpose performance vs. St. Joes in his senior year is still the best individual show I have seen on a high school football field. Four weeks later, his two TDs and three sacks at Giants Stadium led Bergen Catholic to the state title. It’s still called the “Cushing Game” which, by the way, is the last time the Crusaders beat Bosco.

Ray Rice RB/DB New Rochelle, Class of 2005

I still like to tell people had Ray played in Jer-sey, he would have been one of the most heav-ily recruited players in America. New Ro’s glad he stayed on their side of the Hudson. He never ran for more than 200 yards in a game because he and his teammates had most games won by the half. As good as he was on offense, I always thought he was better on defense.

Stephon Gregory

Curtis, Class of 2001

Looked like Clark Kent, but played like Super-man. No player in this Top 10 did more for his team than this guy. He lined up all over the field and had more than 3,000 yards of total of-fense his senior year leading the Warriors to back-to-back PSAL titles in 1998 and 1999.

Knowshon Moreno RB/CB Middletown South, Class of 2006

Played just enough “D” to make this list, but buttered his bread on offense. New Jersey’s all-time leading scorer with 782 points had 6,268 total yards of rushing—second best in Garden State history. His 36-0 record in his fi-nal three years is stuff of legend.

John Sullivan C/NG Greenwich, Class of 2003

Hall of Famer Steve Young is considered the best player in Greenwich history. I never saw Steve play in person, but I did cover his young-er brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, and they were terrific. But “Big John” is the best in my eyes. An incredibly athletic 6-foot-4, 282 pounds, Sullivan owned both lines of scrimmage dur-ing his All-American career.

Greg Olsen TE/DE Wayne Hills, Class of 2003

You could tell from Day One the coach’s kid was special. He just made it look so easy for three years, scoring 27 touchdowns at tight end. In his junior and senior seasons, he played some defensive end and could have been a major col-lege recruit at that spot. The All-American’s fi-nal high school game resulted in a state title for his pop and the Patriots.

???

Wayne Hills won yet another state title last year, handing Old Tappan and Fuller a heartbreaking loss in the closing seconds at Giants Stadium. Right now, that is the only thing missing from Fuller’s incredible three-year run. And more important than his All-American talents, Fuller (QB/DB) is an even a better kid. Good luck, No. 7, getting into the Top 10. It’s there for the taking.

By Mike Quick@Quick60

My picks for the best-ever!Can Devin Fuller join the tri-state high school Top 10?

RB/QB/WR/DB

Be sure to tune into ‘A Quick 60’ every Tuesday night this fall to talk tri-state high school football! You can call in at 516-224-6100, email at [email protected], or Tweet Mike at @Quick60

Old Tappan’s Devin Fuller

Photo by Mike Stobe

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Don’t Get Tackled by Traffic on the

Way to the Game!

Don’t Get Tackled by Traffic on the

Way to the Game!

When our kids take the field, a whole community takes it with them.It’s why we’re committed to highlighting local high school students

and their communities in sports, the classroom and the arts.

MSG Varsity: The Magazine 2011 Fall Edition

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