NYCHSFL Championship + Turkey Bowl Top Performers
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The NYCHSFL has been busy toward the end of November as we saw the Championship Games go down the weekend before Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving day we visited the annual NYCHSFL Turkey Bowls between Fordham Prep vs. Xavier and Cardinal Hayes…
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Continue ReadingThe NYCHSFL has been busy toward the end of November as we saw the Championship Games go down the weekend before Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving day we visited the annual NYCHSFL Turkey Bowls between Fordham Prep vs. Xavier and Cardinal Hayes vs. Mount St. Michael Academy. With eight teams between the championships and the turkey bowls, we have a ton of players who should be recognized for their performances. Let’s start off with the top performers of the championship weekend of the NYCHSFL
NYCHSFL Championship Top Performers
Korey Duff Jr. showed off why he is one of the most highly touted recruits in the Class of 2024. Duff Jr was simply unstoppable and is the main factor in St. Anthony’s pulling away in their victory over Iona Prep. Duff Jr. had seven receptions for 205 yards and four touchdowns. Duff Jr was simply unguardable all night and this performance is even more impressive when you consider that Iona Prep has one of the best secondary’s in the state of New York.
Highlights
It is hard to mention how good of a night Korey Duff Jr had without giving props to the man throwing him the ball. Dante Torres Dante Torres 6’3″ | 190 lbs | QB St. Anthony’s | 2023 State NY was incredibly effective in what was St. Anthony’s biggest game of the year. The Senior leader threw for 336 yards and four touchdowns (All to Duff Jr) on a 74% completion percentage. Torres not only was incredible through the air but added eight carries for 145 yards and two touchdowns on the ground to lead the Friars in both passing and rushing on the night. Torres’ movement in the pocket was incredible and a tough Iona Prep defensive line struggle to get their hands on him all night. What was most impressive about Torres night was his ability to know when to run vs. keeping his eyes down the field and delivering the ball to his playmakers. Torres long season of domination showed it can shine at the highest level in New York. The future is bright for one of the most polished players in the class of 2023.
Highlights
On a team littered with Division 1 commits as skill players Senior Andre Kirton Andre Kirton 5’9″ | 170 lbs | ATH Holy Trinity | 2023 State NY always seems to stand out. In a game where both offenses struggled to find their footing it seemed as though Andre Kirton Andre Kirton 5’9″ | 170 lbs | ATH Holy Trinity | 2023 State NY was at the center of most of the big plays for Holy Trinity. Kirton had a really nice INT on a trick play when Moore Catholic was desperate to get something going on offense. Kirton also added a couple nice receptions and a long kick return and was Holy Trinity’s most dangerous player throughout the game.
Highlights
Hopeton James Hopeton James 6’2″ | 205 lbs | DL Holy Trinity | 2024 State NY was incredible against Moore Catholic and his presence in the backfield is one of the main contributing reasons that the Moore Catholic offense struggled to have big plays. James will be recognized for his three sacks of really athletic Moore Qb John Michalski John Michalski 6’1″ | 200 lbs | QB Moore Catholic | 2023 State NY but it was his really solid run defense and timley stops on third down past the line of scrimmage which made him one of the best performers on a really talented Holy Trinity defense.
Highlights
Jabril Carter
Jabril Carter
Mount St. Michael Academy struggled on offense throughout the day but when they were able to move the ball it was courtesy of Jabril Carter. The Senior wide receiver was getting open routinley in the Xavier secondary and if quarterback Marc Pearson Jr had a little more time to throw on some snaps Carter could have added several more big plays of his own. Carter’s speed and route running was just to much for a tough Xavier defense but in the end Mount St. Michael’s could not get the ball in the hands of their start receiver enough to get the victory.
One of the main concerns of the evening for a St. Anthony’s team was how to contain star Iona Prep QB Ajani Sheppard Ajani Sheppard 6’3″ | 225 lbs | QB Iona Prep | 2023 State NY . It is near impossible to shut down the quarterback with how skilled he is but the St. Anthony’s secondary had the type of performance that can really change a game. A lot of that was from the performance of Jaeden Jenkins Jaeden Jenkins 6’2″ | 165 lbs | DB St. Anthony’s | 2023 State NY and his two INT’s. Jenkins interceptions were timley as the first came at the very beginning of the game leading to St. Anthony’s first score of the day on offense. His second came when it seemed like Iona Prep were starting to claw their way back in the second half defiantly ending all and any momentum Iona had.
Vincent Spina Vincent Spina 5’11” | 175 lbs | DB St. Anthony’s | 2023 State NY was another catalyst of the incredible St. Anthony’s defensive performance. With an interception of his own Spina was able to collect a turnover but it was his 12 solo tackles and 14 total tackles that make him a top performer. When Iona Prep moved the ball Spina was there to finish plays he was everywhere accounting for 25% of the Friars solo tackles. The Senior linebacker put on an incredible performance and showed that St. Anthony’s is not just an offensive powerhouse.
Shane Zaletofsky
Shane Zaletofsky
Shane Zaletofsky was really solid on the ground as the main ball carrier in Xavier’s unique run-first system. Zaletofsky had 137 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns (And a 2pt conversion) to lead Xavier to a 29-22 victory. Zaletofsky’s speed and patience cause a lot of issues for Mount St. Michael’s defense.
If not for safety Luis Ferran Luis Ferran 5’8″ | 140 lbs | DB Mount St. Michael | 2023 NY Xavier could have potentially blown out Mount St. Michael Academy. Ferran had two timely interceptions when Xavier was near the Redzone in the second half. Unfortunately the Mount St. Michael’s offense was unable to turn those into scoring chances but without the plays of Ferran Xavier could have easily added two more touchdowns to their lead.
Sean Donohue
Sean Donohue
Sean Donohue was all over the field for Xavier. The Senior defensive leader had two INT’s, two passes defended, and lead the team with 13 tackles, nine of which came as solo tackles. Donohue was really solid preventing Mount St. Michael’s from getting their run game going outside the tackles and the Senior was excellent in pass coverage. Donohue overall had likley the best performance on this Xavier squad and it showed in all four quarters of the game.
Jameer Reeder Jameer Reeder 5’10” | 180 lbs | ATH Holy Trinity | 2024 State NY was really solid on defense all afternoon for Holy Trinity playing a really physical brand of football. However, on offense Reeder could no get anything going as a runner until he made the game breaking play on a 58 yard touchdown run to put up Holy Trinity by two scores. Not only did Reeder deflate the energy of Moore Catholic but he did so on an incredible run that showcased his speed and patience as a runner. Reeder followed his blocks and waited for the perfect opportunity on the outside to use his speed to take him the rest of the way. Although there was not a lot of consistency offensively for the Holy Trinity squad his defensive play and game changing run made him one of the most important difference makers on the field.
Highlights
NYCHSFL Turkey Bowl Top Performers
Matthew Moorehead
Matthew Moorehead
Matthew Moorehead had a incredibly efficient game for Fordham Prep. Moorehead’s five touchdowns are a career high and he had 241 yards through the air on 73% completion percentage. Moorehead was able to do this will spreading the ball to all his playmakers. Five different players registered three or more receptions for Fordham Prep which made them so difficult to stop.
Charlie English
Charlie English
Charlie English was dominant on the ground for Fordham Prep. Averaging 10.8 yards per carry the Senior had 173 yards and a touchdown on the ground while adding three receptions for 74 yards. If his offensive performance of 247 total yards was not enough English also had eight tackles on defense, an INT, and a kick return of 27 yards. English is such a well rounded do it all type of player that Fordham Prep will surely miss but for his last high school game English had one of the most impactful performances in the NYCHSFL all season.
Kenneth Antoine Kenneth Antoine 5’10” | 200 lbs | RB Cardinal Hayes | 2024 State NY was simply too much to handle for Mount St. Michael’s. The stud running back had three touchdowns on the day (could have been four but one was called back) and showed no mercy on short yardage situations. Antoine had 25 carries for 203 yards in addition to those three scores. Quite the incredible day on the ground which put him over 1,000 yards on the season. While Antoine was the main benefactor this is the perfect time to shoutout the Cardinal Hayes offensive line which had one of their better performances all season.