|
|
Sponsored by: |
I’ll be updating all day on Twitter. Follow here:
This entry was posted
on Sunday, November 8th, 2009 at 11:33 am by Kevin Devaney Jr..
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
Posting tweet...
Josh Thomson has done some of everything since joining The Journal News in March 2003. He began working for the Gannett weeklies during the winter of 2002 as a freelance writer. He joined the daily staff soon after and has since covered various high school and pro sports. Away from sportswriting, Josh lives in Westchester and spends his free time either with his wife, Sarah, or expertly managing his various championship-winning fantasy sports teams. He's visited 21 major-league baseball stadiums and insists that Fenway Park and Wrigley Field are the best by far. Josh graduated from Carmel High School in 1998, then went to Boston University, where, in 2002, he received a degree in communications with a minor in history.
READ MORE
Copyright © The Journal News, a Gannett Co. Inc. newspaper serving Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties in New York.
The anticipation mounts
NRO 7 NRK 0 after 1 49 yrd TD run by #17 point after gd
Good size crowd, much better than yerterday
NRO 7 NRK 0 at half..
Really wish this was online. Kev no offense the twitter just isn’t doing it for me. Are any radio stations broadcasting this online???
I would pay $7 that could go to section one to watch online if they were worried about revenue. I live in the mid-west and follow the section everyweek. Was this considered?
Have the section list things that would require the camera to be turned off: fights, injury etc… just shut it off problem solved,. Still don’t believe this was really an issue.
Wake me when this bore fest ends! Every year its the same game between these two. Run, Run, Run….Vanilla football at its worst.
Last nights game between Roosevelt and PK was football in this century.
N.Rockland and New ro are efficient, but boring.
Two solid teams but nothing exciting at all!
NRO 14 NRK 0. 12 sec left in 3rd
NRO 21 NRK 0 6:55 left
NRO 24 NRK 0 4:22 left Field Goal
NRO 31 NRK 0 int for TD 4:11 left
NRO 38 NRK 0 Int for TD 3:55 left
Wow. North Rockland might want to cut its losses (literally) and run out the clock instead of trying to pass into a salivating New Ro secondary.
Game over
4 peat!!!
Wow, talk about a dynasty !
4 in a row. 7 in the decade. No one can disupute that.
And in the 4 point, the last three have been won on shutouts !
They beat JJCR 34-31, beat NR 27-0, beat Carmel 34-0, and now North Rockland again 38-0. Unbelievable. This team is on a mission !
See you in KINGSTON !!
NRO is going to have it’s hands full with MW
NEW ROCHELLE-17 MONROE WOODBURY-14 TIME FOR CHANGE ask OBAMA or ASTORINO if you do not believe
Congrats New Ro!
does anyone know who won the stepinac game?
iona prep score?
Wow that game started off close but got out of hand in the second half. The weather was beautiful. New Rochelle Dominated North Rockland at the line of scrimmag.
The power I went nowhere because north Rocklands line had no push at all. You can tell the New Ro players were playing hungry while North Rockland seemed to lose heart.
The score could have been worse because new Rochelle was at the 4 yard line when time expired. I dont think New Rochelle was playing mercy football today LOL.
Lou Dirienzo has great defensive instincts. I spoke to some lady at the game who said Lou Dirienzo isnt a top 5 linebacker in this section!!! LOL I wish she stuck around for his two back to back interception returns for touchdowns!!!
North Rockland has no offense but they do have a sound defense. The problem is that the offense couldnt sustain long enough drives for the defense to recover. North Rocklands defense was simply warn down and they never had the offense rolling to begin with and that all adds up to 38-0.
Maybe I shouldve went to POK – Roosevelt instead??
Oh by the way I hear that Monroe-Woodbury was almost defeated by Warwick. the score was something like 28-27!!! WOW!!!
Could New Rochelle take it to the dome this year??
Greg K
Iona Prep beats St. Joes by the Sea 40-28
Very bad day for all the Iona haters as Iona moves into the CHSFL AAA Semifinals- The team is peaking right now!!!!!!!!!
LetsGoNewRo,
Also, these last 4 sectional titles had a NewRo interception returned for a touchdown. Brendan Bellantoni in 06, Tremayne Williams in 07, Jeremy Days in 08 and 2 today by Louis Di Rienzo Jr.
Congratulations New Rochelle.
Sec1, I think this year is the opposite way around. MW will have there hands full.
Actually, 10960, Monroe-Woodbury beat Warwick by a score of 35-27:
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091108/SPORTS31/911080344
Still, if New Ro is going to take down M-W, this is probably the year to make it happen…
P.S. Yes, you should been at Poughkeepsie vs. Roosevelt last night. Support your Class A bretheren.
Whats the deal with the Senior bowl I havent heard anything about that?
Iona Prep Big win on the road today. 40 to 29. That was a true test against a real team St. Joe’s.
Congrats to the New Ro. FOUR IN A ROW!!!!!!
New Ro players came out and played with a lot of heart the entire game. Though a little sloppy at times, they executed the game plan. Congrats NewRo coaches as well. A methodical destruction of a worthy opponent!
Got to give some love to North Rock as well. Game was close through three quarters of play and into the fourth. Of course in desperation, North Rock gave up a lot of unnecessary points at the end of the game.
I hate to bring this up again, but of course North Rock LBS were 3 yards off the ball and of course they got burned on of all plays the COUNTER for a 50+ yrad TD run! How many times have they played New Ro this decade? They know the play is coming, but again by alignment, they have taken out their LB’s. New Ro’s o-tackles did not even need to block the inside LB’s, they were caught in the wash. I could have driven a Mack truck though the hole that New Ro scored on in the 1st half.
But at the end of the day, it would not have mattered. New Ro slowly, but surely destroyed this team by game’s end. North Rock just could not match up player for player with New Ro. Not that New Ro had a bunch of all stars out there, they just seemed to have a lot of depth at a lot of positions, especially RB.
The one thing that was evidently clear today, North Rock would have needed a super star at the QB position to really put a scare into New Ro, but they just do not have that kind of player(not much HS teams do). North Rock could not get any momentum offensively to put any type of pressure on New Ro. And New Ro’s D is way too good for you not to put any pressure on them. The score at the end of the game says everything you need to know about momentum.
Good luck New Ro the rest of the way, you guys looked real good today!
Any MW-NR predictions yet?
Ionapower, thanks from Iona Alum in NJ! New Season
Purple,
No predictions yet – too busy savoring this one.
Just a fact,
Very well said. Interesting, insightful and right to the point.
My prediction:
The winner of Friday’s Monroe-Woodbury vs. New Rochelle at Dietz will be the team which has purple as one of its school colors.
Whoops, make that Saturday...
I’m very excited for this monroe woodbury- New Ro matchup
These two teams have developed quite a rivalry through the years, and its only fitting that they meet up again.
Hopefully New Rochelle can turn the tide once and for all against the crusaders. Last two years have been heartbreaking. New Rochelle is due !
IonaPower,
No one is hating on Iona. I would hope that all Westchester would have liked to see Iona win that game, and even go further. That’s what Iona is suppose to do, win games against their CHSFL opponents. It’s the few Iona fans (not you) who want to make imaginary senerious against other Westchester teams that causes the anti Iona sentiment. Don’t be naive. Do you really think that if you were the only Iona fan on the blog, that there would be any negative feelings against Iona. I hope Iona goes out and continues to win.
A team that is peaking is New Rochelle. Their defense is stifling. North Rockland is a good team that played a bad game. I saw them twice this year, but they just ran into a buzz saw today. That happens. New Ro has a real good shot to go far this year. Defense wins.
The game coming up is the game that New Rochelle needs a QB for. Just sayin…...
That Run Run Run non-sense will not do much good against Monroe-Woodbury.
I hear warick had an air game that almost stunned Monroe-Woodbury.
Football 101
I hope New Rochelle beats Monroe Woodbury- I will save the dynamics of how people feel about Iona for another day- I would rather enjoy talking football.
Lets hope all the area teams do well in the playoffs-
To all of you non believers, I said it from the start,, the road to the section 1 championships is through the NR teams..
Good luck to New Ro next week!!!!!
10960,
Dont sell Lewis Edney short.
hes got quite an arm. and if hes struggling i wouldnt be surprised if ole johnny takes under center.
Jeff P. sent me this link above.
You guys are doing yourselves a disservice if you don’t read it.
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091108/SPORTS31/911080344
GoNewRo. Thanks.
New Ro really played well today. You know they did real well when there really is not much you can say to critique. Maybe one point, which 10960 is referring to, would be that the New Ro QB today seemed to look to run before pass when he was in the pocket. That could end up costing New Ro against MW.
But to be fair, when New Ro was going in for their second score near the end of the 3rd qtr, on that drive Edney made a very nice pass to a wide open receiver sitting in the 10-12 curl zone. So Edney did play well enough to get the job done today. Bottom line.
No doubt, there will be a lot of second guessing if New Ro comes up short against MW. But at this point in the season, you cannot make a change. And another point Edney is undefeated as the starting QB in 2009.
Let’s hope it stays that way for the remainder of the season.
Kick North Rockland and the Rockland league out of the BCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT A JOKE!!!!!!!!!!
Now do we understand why North Rockland didn’t want to play New Ro a few weeks ago? What comes around goes around. Go New Ro!!!!!!!!
Just a fact,
When North Rockland came out for the 2nd half they put Sal Sulla at qb in the shot gun. Their offense had much more potential and they drove a little but eventually were stopped. Why did they change out of it?
LetsGoNewRo,
Edney is a fine quarterback and McGhee is an excellent wide receiver. I can’t speak for Coach DiRienzo but I don’t see that changing even if Edney struggles vs MW. New Rochelle is where they are because the right guys are at the right positions.
Hey Mike Hoops,
cut them some slack, after all they made it to the final.
Though when you looked at them today you wonder how they got there.
Lets be honest, and realistic
New Rochelle was carried by their defense this year, Not by Lewis Edney.
10960,
Ok lets be honest, and realistic. New Rochelle was carried by their defense this year and Lewis Edney and the offense, and special teams and the coaching staff. How’s that?
GoNewRo,
I think once New Ro went up three scores, they had to leave #8 in. I do not think Sulla can really pass the ball well. All we saw from the wild cat was Sulla taking the ball faking a hand off and running with it for the most part. He missed a couple of short passes. To be honest I do not remember Sulla completing a pass in the wild cat formation.
Mike Hoops,
North Rock beat the best of AA North. Period!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go back and watch your Yonkers High team play in that oh so powerful DEVELOPMENTAL lEAGUE. lol!
Just a fact,
Ok – thanks. That make sense. But they went nowhere in the first half. There was some potential at least with Sulla touching the ball every play.
Go NewRo,
Alright Ill take that.
I still give much more credit to their defense.
The score doesnt shock me at all. No Roc plays power ball and there was no way they were gonna just shove it down new ro’s throats.
Said Iona Prep was gonna win. Guess 2 players can b that important.
oh and for the record, dont mean to offend nobody but umm…. New Rochelle is the best team in section 1.
What a disgrace you couldnt put on an offensive showing that bad if you tried, but in this case you could have pulled out the films from 20 years ago and seen the same play calling ,what a shame for those poor kids might be the only team in america you dont have to scout . I really think with all the support they have received from their football fans over the last 30 YEARS THE COACHING STAFF would take a step back ,look at THE PROBLEM and with true class,hand it over to the one of many fine young coaches ,RUPPERT,LYNCH to name a couple the time has come you have had great success but all things need change
Geeez, i had to hear you guys say Im offensive, look at the Bronxville blog!
oh my gosh the bronxville blog is an atrocity.
Don’t start counting your marbles on New ro because MW has big offensive weapon if NEW RO can stop MW’s run game they still have to deal with there passing it’s going to be an all out great game but New ro better come prepared because the MW NEW RO game will not be no cake walk that is for both teams I am for mw not trying to be a hater but new ro best come prepaired because the teams they played this season was a cake walk schudele. Next will be a game.
Why do things need to change for North Rock? They finished second in the strongest league in AA. Not too bad. How many college football players on that team? My guess not too many and look how well they did this year.
Kudos to the GREAT CASARELLA! Guy lost one game all year and people are calling for his head. We should strive to be as successful in our particular fields as this guy was, THIS YEAR ALONE! Forget about the 3 decades and counting of excellence!
The play calling today on offense was actually not bad for North Rock. The problem today for North Rock offense was LACK OF EXECUTION! For anyone who was at the game that disagrees, I certainly am willing to listen.
But for you guys who were not at the game just to come on here and go nuts, well you can, but you are just pure hating in my book. Again the score got out of hand at the end because North Rock was down 21-0 and instead of just sucking it up they rolled the dice and the game became a blowout.
Early on North Rock tried to hit a couple of short passes that were open, North Rock just did not execute. North Rock has enough size up front to play power football, just ask Arlington and JJEF. But New Ro defense is well coached. And if you cannot put some pressure on them through the air early, then you have a 11 defensive guys playing run first. North Rock did not start moving the ball on Arlington until they started hitting the short passes. That never happened today for North Rock.
At the end of the day North Rock offense never caught any rhythm. It almost seemed like North Rock players did not think they could win this game. I could be wrong, but that was what it looked like from the stands.
Lret me preface by saying I am a Nytack fan. With that said, Iona Power your last line when giving the score is what would piss people off about your school. You give that vibe that your goal is show people they are wrong as oppose to just rooting for your team. Just my opinion, take it for what its worth
**strongest league in section 1
So we have all heard about the curse of the bambiono….What about the curse of Johnny Mchgee???? How is Johnny Mcghee gonna mess it up this year against Monroe Woodbury?
2 years ago the fumble with minutes to go
last year – pulling the kick that was never heard
This year???
North Rockland barely beat JJEF, the 3rd best NOrth team and survived Arlington at home only to get crushed by New Ro
Just the Fact, NOrth Rockland is in the developmental league
CL SOUTH, CL NORTH, RAMAPO, Suffern, MAmaroneck,
WHAT A JOOKEEEEE
football giant
It was meant as a tongue in cheek comment but I guess coming from an Iona Fan it upsets people. During the middle part of the season it was open season on Iona Prep.
Who did Cassarella beat?
South is not good
nor is
Ramapo
nor is
Suffern
nor is
Clark North
nor is
Mamaroneck
They played 3 good teams and went 2-1, I guess you can throw in WP and say 3-1
The rest were no good
does new ro play mw next week?
IonaPower,
Its amazing to me the short fuse and hypocrisy some fans have towards Iona. They seem to excuse every obnoxious comment, saying its justified since “some” Iona fans were rude months ago. I can’t imagine what football giant’s objection to your comment was. You’re a better man than I, I would’ve said something stronger in response and probably gotten into a whole back and forth. Your restraint is admirably. Great win for Iona today! What can you tell us about the game?
Ionapower
Are you serious? You really don’t know why people have a problem with Iona? Why don’t people have a problem with Stepinac? Is it the school? No. The fans are the problem.
wow, great win by Iona. St Joe by the sea beat St. anthonys. If Iona wins it all it would be an amazing story.
I cant believe the North Rockland Comments I’m reading. Sounds like a bunch of envious haters.
Well NOrth Rockland
over the last 5 years has a horrible record against teams outside of Rockland
horrible but some way some how, they show up to section championships.
Tony Cas is a man that should be respected.His record speaks for itself.Case closed…....
You probably mean “Joe”
The AA championship game was between two outstnding teams. They outlasted and beat all others. No other team has been able to crack the hold on the champinship other then the NR teams.
Until someone else comes along to challange them, the are the premire teams of the decade.
Great season for both of the NR teams. Let’s get behind all of our Section 1 teams for the state run to the chapionship.
Mike Hoops, you are just plain funny. You have less than ten post the entire year and not one was about football. You had a couple about keeping a kid from going to Gorton.
Remember that one where you and the other “INTELLIGENT” adults in Yonkers MADE the kid go back to Yonkers high.
I will give you credit though your most recent post about North Rock not doing well outside Rockland County was the closest thing you came to talking football. There is, HOWEVER, just one tiny little problem. YOU ARE WRONG!!!!
Let me enlighten you and the other bloggers about North Rock’s success since 2004 outside of Rockland County and Overall.
Overall record in Section 1
2004 – 8-2
2005 – 10-0
2006 – 7-3
2007 – 8-1(1st game against MW not included)
2008 – 6-4
2009 -8-1
That is a .810 winning %
Games since 2004 played outside Rockland County
2004 – 3-2
2005 -6-0
2006 -3-3
2007 – 3-1
2008 – 3-3
2009 – 4-1
That is a .688 winning % (that is real bad, lol!)
And if we take the New Ro games out of the above #’s
It looks like this:
2004 – 3-0
2005 – 5-0
2006 – 3-2
2007 – 3-0
2008 – 3-2
2009 – 4-0
That is a .840 winning %
So North Rock has done quite well in games outside Rockland County. If it were not for New Ro, North Rock has a DOMINATING record outside Rockland County.
Mike Hoops don’t worry, basketball is right around the corner and you can hop on here and us football guys will disappear, for a while.
Hoops Fan my comment to Iona Power wasn’t rude nor did it involve you. So seriously butt out. I could care less what you have to say. I have no paitence for someone like you. Don’t talk down to me. I don’t know you and you don’t know me. If you have such an issue or problem with my comment, I will meet you face to face. I am here to blog and give opinions. I don’t need some one questioning myso called objective when I was just making a comment because the Iona issue has been a huge topic over the past month.
Grid Iron
No one has a problem with Stepinac, because they haven’t won anything. Until someone steps up a dominates westchester athletics like Iona, no one will have a problem with you.
It’s not the Iona fans that people dislike, it’s all of the Iona success that they can’t deal with.
I’m not picking on Stepinac here, I like Stepinac, but you’re the one who brought them up.
so since the state playoffs are not section one games, can they be broadcast????
DANIEL K:::::
NEW RO RESPECTS ALL, BUT FEARS NO ONE!! YOU CAN BE ASSURED, THEY WILL BRING THEIR BEST GAME!!!!!
MW-NewRo may be for the state championship. They are ranked #1 and #2. MW is 68-4 the last 6 seasons. They lost 3 straight years in the state finals, two of which they could have won. The other loss was to Ray Rice and the boys in 2004. The Warwick game was a great one. Warwick only ran the ball 5 times by RBs all game. They threw or ran out of a scramble the entire game. They had a receiver that finished with over 1200 yds. and 19 tds. New Ro runs the ball which is an entirely different match up. MW averages 45 a game and is explosive on offense. Their D is not as good as New Rochelle as New Ro may be the best D in the state. You know this game is coming down to the last few minutes.
Just A Fact,
Take Mamaroneck out of the equation, a school half the size of NOrth Rockland and the NR winnig percentage is at 58 percent, not 95 percent like in Rockland County
Mike Hoops, WRONG AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!
Take Mamaroneck out and the winning % is .615. And that is after they played and beat Mamroneck 2x in 2008 we means the numbers are skewed in your favor.
What more do you want from this program.
Again it is worth saying again. Without New Ro in the numbers .840 winning % out of Rockland County. That is called complete and utter domination!
i predicted iona would win and they did – no surprise there.
but ionapower let’s not get to crazy.
iona finished 3-5 to end the season and no doubt beat a good st. joe’s team and they might be peaking – great for them.
still have trinity and st. anthony’s in the way who i don’t see them being able to beat this year.
best of luck though.
Hoops Fan-
At this point it is not worth going into the anti Ioan Prep sentiment. Below is the game story courtesy of the NY Post. For whatever reason the Journal News did not send a reporter to the game.
Fourth-seeded Vikings upset by Gaels in CHSFL Class AAA quarterfinals
By TIM BONTEMPS
Last Updated: 1:17 AM, November 9, 2009
Posted: 1:05 AM, November 9, 2009
From long touchdowns to goal line stands to controversial decisions from the officials, yesterday’s CHSFL Class AAA quarterfinal between St. Joseph by the Sea and Iona Prep had a little bit of everything.
In the end, a stellar day from Iona quarterback Tyrae Woodson-Samuels, combined with a pair of big defensive stops, allowed the Gaels to win, 40-29, advancing to next week’s semifinals.
Iona Prep (4-5) had their way with the Vikings’ secondary all day, with Woodson-Samuels picking apart the defense with a variety of wide receiver screens. The senior quarterback was a staggering 34-for-38 for 379 yards and four touchdowns, with Peter DeSalvo (15 receptions, 141 yards) and Michael Dunkley (eight, 117, two touchdowns) doing most of the damage.
“We knew from the get-go that, speed-wise, we don’t match up with them,” St. Joseph by the Sea coach Greg Manos said. “I think we didn’t get off blocks fast enough, and that’s what they do.
“We just couldn’t get off blocks fast enough to make the tackles, and when we did get off blocks, they came back inside. They’re just a good team.”
Despite all of that, the Vikings still had their chances to win the game, as they were held without points twice inside the five-yard line. After a 43-yard pass on fourth down from Joe Lane to Lyle McCombs got the ball to the Iona 14-yard line with nine seconds remaining in the half, the two hooked up on the next play, only to have McCombs stopped at the 1-yard line as the half ended with Sea trailing 20-14.
“It was like Kevin Dyson in (Super Bowl XXXIV),” McCombs said. “I was dragging across the middle and when Lane saw me, I was like, ‘Alright, this is a touchdown.’
“Then I catch it, turn around and he’s there.”
The second goal line stand, however, was even more deflating for St. Joseph’s by the Sea. Down 40-29 with just under six minutes remaining and with a third-and-goal from the 1-yard-line, the Vikings ran a dive with Chris Murphy. The line judge made what appeared to be a touchdown signal, causing the hometown fans to celebrate and for six points to be put on the scoreboard.
However, the officials said they hadn’t ruled him in the end zone, and then McCombs was ruled to have been stopped short on fourth down to all but end the game.
“It is what it is, but we can’t do anything about it now,” McCombs said.
St. Joseph’s by the Sea (6-2) had defeated the Gaels, 42-28, in Week 7, but Iona was without standout running back Jeffrey Mack. It was clear that having Mack on the field was a huge asset for the defending CHSFL ‘AAA’ champs. Whenever St. Joseph’s by the Sea tried to clamp down on the Gaels passing attack, they would just hand the ball to Mack and watch him make play after play.
“Tremendous,” Iona coach Vict Quirolo said of Mack, who rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. “He made plays when we didn’t have stuff. He makes things happen, and he puts us on another level.”
Even with Iona’s ability to move the ball at will against their defense, the Vikings stayed in the game thanks to a stellar performance from McCombs. The 5-foot-10 senior running back did everything for Sea — rushing for 118 yards on 22 carries, catching eight passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns and returning a punt 89 yards for a touchdown.
“I’m proud of this team,” McCombs said. “It was a pleasure for me to play with this team, with this group of guys.”
tbontemps@nypost.com
print email share
buzz digg reddit fark it facebook rss From long touchdowns to goal line stands to controversial decisions from the officials, yesterday’s CHSFL Class AAA quarterfinal between St. Joseph by the Sea and Iona Prep had a little bit of everything.
In the end, a stellar day from Iona quarterback Tyrae Woodson-Samuels, combined with a pair of big defensive stops, allowed the Gaels to win, 40-29, advancing to next week’s semifinals.
Iona Prep (4-5) had their way with the Vikings’ secondary all day, with Woodson-Samuels picking apart the defense with a variety of wide receiver screens. The senior quarterback was a staggering 34-for-38 for 379 yards and four touchdowns, with Peter DeSalvo (15 receptions, 141 yards) and Michael Dunkley (eight, 117, two touchdowns) doing most of the damage.
kendall rodriguez
Lyle McCombs had an outstanding overall performance in the Vikings’ quarterfinal loss to Iona Prep.
“We knew from the get-go that, speed-wise, we don’t match up with them,” St. Joseph by the Sea coach Greg Manos said. “I think we didn’t get off blocks fast enough, and that’s what they do.
“We just couldn’t get off blocks fast enough to make the tackles, and when we did get off blocks, they came back inside. They’re just a good team.”
Despite all of that, the Vikings still had their chances to win the game, as they were held without points twice inside the five-yard line. After a 43-yard pass on fourth down from Joe Lane to Lyle McCombs got the ball to the Iona 14-yard line with nine seconds remaining in the half, the two hooked up on the next play, only to have McCombs stopped at the 1-yard line as the half ended with Sea trailing 20-14.
“It was like Kevin Dyson in (Super Bowl XXXIV),” McCombs said. “I was dragging across the middle and when Lane saw me, I was like, ‘Alright, this is a touchdown.’
“Then I catch it, turn around and he’s there.”
The second goal line stand, however, was even more deflating for St. Joseph’s by the Sea. Down 40-29 with just under six minutes remaining and with a third-and-goal from the 1-yard-line, the Vikings ran a dive with Chris Murphy. The line judge made what appeared to be a touchdown signal, causing the hometown fans to celebrate and for six points to be put on the scoreboard.
However, the officials said they hadn’t ruled him in the end zone, and then McCombs was ruled to have been stopped short on fourth down to all but end the game.
“It is what it is, but we can’t do anything about it now,” McCombs said.
St. Joseph’s by the Sea (6-2) had defeated the Gaels, 42-28, in Week 7, but Iona was without standout running back Jeffrey Mack. It was clear that having Mack on the field was a huge asset for the defending CHSFL ‘AAA’ champs. Whenever St. Joseph’s by the Sea tried to clamp down on the Gaels passing attack, they would just hand the ball to Mack and watch him make play after play.
“Tremendous,” Iona coach Vict Quirolo said of Mack, who rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. “He made plays when we didn’t have stuff. He makes things happen, and he puts us on another level.”
Even with Iona’s ability to move the ball at will against their defense, the Vikings stayed in the game thanks to a stellar performance from McCombs. The 5-foot-10 senior running back did everything for Sea — rushing for 118 yards on 22 carries, catching eight passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns and returning a punt 89 yards for a touchdown.
“I’m proud of this team,” McCombs said. “It was a pleasure for me to play with this team, with this group of guys.”
tbontemps@nypost.com
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/high_school/football/sea_sunk_by_mack_iona_prep_in_chsfl_nbpzKUvvLpZ81CnJ7QpvUO#ixzz0WMx6tUHI
Iona Power why are you lumping Hoops fan into Iona stuff? Do you enjoy him being your spokesman???? It is good to see him get called out. There was no need for him to comment on everything and attempt to belittle people.
On to football, Nanuet and Bronxville seem to be in a great place right now. Well oiled machines.. Roosevelts depth may eventually be an issue. And New Ro..PLEASE beat MW. Get that moneky off your back.
just a fact
i will admit that coach cassarella does a great job at NR and the program has a storied past. i live in rockland and have seen NR for the last 35 years but you need to admit that rockland county football is terrible. That is not to say that there are not good players in the league but the teams are weak and the football is weak and that is why the better players leave rockland to go out to jersey. New ro and north rock would not be putting up records like they do if they had to play the large public group 4 jersey teams on a regular basis. Players leave because they want to play better competition and that is why they go to bosco/joes/bergen/peters. You can call it recruiting or marketing or whatever you want but please admit that the football in section 1 is weak and that is why the better players play for the catholic school league.
with that being said i also agree that people are out of their mind if they are calling for cassarellas head. He got to the finals and that is more than many other teams can say. However, it is time for some self examination on why players leave NR to go to jersey.
iona power,
nice win, who do you guys get next?
section 1
Hoops fan asked for information on the Iona-St. Joes game-Let me ask you a question- Do you feel Iona Prep was belittled on these blogs this year?
DBP 81
Iona plays at Number 1 seed Holy Trinity- They have a big time running back that has started since he was a Freshman. They start a Freshman QB who was regarded as one the top incoming Freshman in the area.
St. Anthony plays Holy Cross in the other Semifinal
Section 1,
I’m definitely not anyone’s spokesman, but if I read a group of ignorant bloggers making negative comments about a team/players, I’d object. I’d hope more people would object actually. If more people objected to ignorant posts that put down teams/players, then there would probably be less of those posts.
On a Section 1-related topic, I’m not sure if you’ve read a bunch of obnoxious bloggers trying to connect steroids with the Bronxville team – I think its disgusting to make those kind of blind assumptions about 16/17 year olds. I’ve objected to that nonsense more than once, does that make me a Bronxville spokesman? no it doesn’t. There’s no place for nonsense like that on a blog.
IonaPower,
Thanks for the link on the Iona/SJBS recap. I know its early, but what do you make of the Holy Trinity/Iona matchup? It seems to me if Iona’s defense continues to make plays, they can win in a close one again. With a full team, Iona will definitely put up some points on anyone it seems.
Yes they were def. attacked, but a lot of it seemed to be justified due to gloating and pre-season smack talk. Iona fans are very outspoken. You weren’t involved but as a whole the Iona fan was chest pounding until they started losing. Which stinks, because it takes away from the kids on the field. Then to boot you have a non-iona fan starting controversy.
In the end, most logical fans are and should want to root for Iona( I know I am) They are a local school that has many local kids playing.
They have a tough road, but if they win it this year, in my mind, that will be amazing.
DBP I repsect your honesty, but why say local football is weak. Not every area needs to be compared to Jersey. All that does is belittle area kids
Section 1,
“justified” is a very interesting word to use there. You can use your own moral compass to figure out what would be justified and what would be just plain wrong.
I would like to know one controversial thing I’ve said all year? I can’t think of one. But I’m sure you can, right?
Section 1
I think a lot of the anti Iona comments had a lot to do with Kevin placing them in his top 10 while they were losing. I think that is what inflamed a lot of the negative comments- I also think that every program has a few knuckleheads that make comments that could shed a bad light on a particular school.
Hoops Fan
Iona
Trinity should be a good gameTheir running back Brunnetti is a beast who has tormented Iona since he was playing as a Freshman. Last year Iona did a good job on him- Iona will need to continue their fast paced spread offense that is clicking right now- The last two games they have scored 35 on Farrell and 40 on St. Joes which are both high level programs. If Iona plays a mistake free game they have a great chance.Hoops fan, was it your question or Iona Power’s? I find no reason to answer you when it comes to Iona Prep. You aren’t a fan. Iona Power knows that there have been uruley fans all year. That is why he answers attacks the proper way.
And you see nothing wrong with the way you defend the CHSFL vs kids saying Bronxville does juice is just plain bizarre. You know what you do and if you can’t see a difference so be it.
Section 1,
I’m not responding to you about Iona Prep. You made an unsolicited comment towards me. I’m asking you to explain youself. You seem like an adult – I’d expect you are able. Can you point out one controversial statement I’ve made all year? If you can’t, then just keep my name out of your mouth.
IonaPower,
Brunetti is very good. He beat up on Stepinac last year in the AA Finals also. I don’t know a lot about Holy Trinity’s defense, but since Woodson-Samuels put 300+ yards on them a couple weeks ago and Iona scored a few TDs without Mack, I’d bet they can score plenty of points. Should be another great game. Too bad its in LI.
Iona Power
I agree with you. Iona seems to have a lot of outspoken fans(similar to Rye, Harrison, etc) so negativity comes quickly. Human nature is to root against that type of fan and object. Don’t agree with it, but thats the way it is.
The majority of the stuff is so silly, but it should be ignored not discussed. Mainly because it is said to get a rise. There is no real discussion base around it. But yet it took over the blog…
section 1
I said that there are many talented players from section 1 and i know that ALL of the players do there best in a year round sport but my point was that section 1 football is weak and that is why many players choose to go to the private schools. It is not all about recruiting and stealing players but there needs to be some self examination on the part of the section 1 teams when they question why students leave to go to another school out of distict
Hoops fan you do nothing wrong, you never respond to anything and you never spark controversy right? Do me a favor and ignore everything I write. Like many others, I have no interest in you. You were called out by Football Giant and you should have been. No clue who you think you are. If you can’t see your defense CHSFL and gear your logic to make the league look better as controversy so be it.
You also claim to want to discuss football and local sports but yet you are the first to comment on everything except that. As an adult, learn to ignore things instead of sticking your nose in everything.
You have an issue with what people say, then call DBP out for calling our local football weak.
sect. 1:
hit the road jack!!!
this is chsfl talk.
go on another blog an find out who wants to talk about nanuet / bronxville..etc!!!!
dbp81: i agree with you 100%. sometimes people cant take the truth!
I don’t agree with your comments and this is a blog that is geared towards section 1. So you are using New Jersey powers as the end all. We all know that brand of football is better if not some of the best around. So why do you feel the need to essentially mock the local product? Like it or not, that is what you are doing.
High school football isn’t always about where the best players go, who gets recruited, etc. It is about local high schools fighting it out on the field and enjoying the best years of their lives. Calling it weak and comparing it to Jersey isn’t right.
? is why CHSFL/Iona get attacked… So Hoops Fan let me see you respond to that post. Or will you not because it is CHSFL?
dbp,
I wouldn’t be so critical of Section 1 football – its probably the best area of football in NY State outside of Long Island. Football in New York State just isn’t a powerhouse like TX, FL, CA, NJ, etc. TX, CA and FL can be explained away because of the year round weather. It is surprising how much stronger NJ football tends to be than NY. New York has been a basketball state forever and I’m sure the reasons for this are far more complex than I know. Compared to other areas of NYS, Section 1 is very competitive.
?
Can you try to be somewhat professional and less antagonistic- These forums are only as good the contributors.
Section 1,
This is a blog, which allows people to share their opinions. In your own words, your objection to me is that I, a) respond b) defend CHSFL teams (Iona/Stepinac) and c) apparently use logic to make the CHSFL “look better.”
a) Yes, I do respond – that is the purpose of a blog. I hate to tell you this, but often on blogs people write things you disagree with – thats not a reason to attack them.
b) I do sometimes defend Iona or Stepinac when i read ignorant comments directed at them. Sometimes I should probably ignore the ignorant comments – agreed – but I don’t see anything wrong with responding to an ignorant comment or blogger.
c) the CHSFL has been a great league of football since before my time. The CHSFL doesn’t need me saying anything to make it “look better.” The proof is on the field or for people like you who don’t see many CHSFL games, in the tri-state rankings which give CHSFL teams a lot of respect.
If you write things directed at me, don’t then tell me to ignore what you write. How about just keeping my name out of your mouth in the first place if you have nothing intelligent to say.
If what ”?” said above insults you so much, you obviously have the sensitivities of a 2nd grader. 10x worse things have been written repeatedly in the past 6 weeks about Iona or Stepinac – those didn’t seem to bother you. In truth, I think ? and DBP are overstating their points a bit and I said so above to DBP. But if you find offense in either of those statements you should’ve been howling bloody murder at the negative Iona comments of the past several weeks. Don’t you see the hypocrisy in this? I think Football Giant and you are both close to equally over-sensitive. Now you both act like CHSFL fans can’t make one comment or else the politically correct Section 1 police will object to our pro-CHSFL comments. Thats absurd. Enjoy all the good local football.
what a bunch of baby’s. that’s why these blogs are the way they are.
ionapower, i don’t need you to tell me to be “professional”...this is a westch. blog – give me a break!
good luck to new ro & roosevelt!
hoops fan
i agree that Ny is a basketball state and that section 1 represents it tremendously in that sport. I mean MV/new ro/wp/peekskill/iona/ are very good programs that can stand up with others around the country and will have the opportunity this year to prove that but for some reason i find section 1 football to be on the weaker side. it is not that the players do not play hard or they are not well coached but there is something missing and the football is on the weaker side of the pendulum.
My point was that because it is weaker that is a reason why players leave the section to go to the privates. It is not all about recruiting. I mean I do not see many MV players leaving their town to go play hoops elsewhere and there is definitely a reason for that.
dbp,
I hear what you’re saying, but I think Section 1 stacks up relatively well to the rest of the NYPHSAA football regions. I don’t know how else to make the comparison except to other regions of NYS.
Hoops Fan is the trouble maker on the blog. IonaPower was asked a question which he politely answered. Then here comes Hoops Fan. I would not have been so nice. He butts into everyone’s questions about Iona that have nothing to do with him. This conversation would have ended if it wasn’t for Hoops Fan. A trouble making disgrace and one of the main reasons that people hate Iona. Are you trying to help Iona, because you are a terrible spokesperson for them.
Football 101, you responded for me..thank you. Its not just me, his act is tired and bad for the blog. But Hoops fan keep thinking you are the best and you don’t stir controversy.
And the over senstative commment, I can speak for myself. If you want to have a tough guy auora to you..please. If you want, I will glady meet you. You are nothing more than a loud mouth blogger who thinks they are better than everyone. For you to attempt to talk down to someone on a blog is pathetic and shows your true colors.
This thread had ZERO to do with you and you stirred the pot once again with your big mouth. The blog isn’t called Hoops Fan blog. Nor is it here for you to ruin.
Seriously hoops fan do you ever stop? You are potentially the biggest baby in the world. Grow up.
Section one, leave it be. This has gooten old real fast
Football 101,
My initial comment was written and directed to IonaPower, not to you – so who’s doing the butting in? The hypocrisy on this blog is too much for me. If people like you, choose to “hate” a school they know nothing about, then they have far larger psychological and personality issues than my comments. I don’t see where “hate” should be at all a part of a HS sports blog and too often it has been this year. Everyone is going to have opinions – thats part of any forum. You seem to not allow any opinions that upset your sensibilities.
IonaPower,
Actually, you are responsible for this one getting out of control. I expect this from Hoops Fan, but you are the one that broght up the topic when it could have been left alone. Now Hoops Fan jumps in to escalate something that was not necessary from the start. This blog was about the North Rockland, New Ro game. Not Iona, but it was you, a usually level headed guy who took it where it did not need to go. Then you sit back and let Hoops Fan take it to another level. Shame on you.
Football 101
What are you talking about?? I was merely answering a question from a poster named Greg K who had asked if anyone had the Iona result from their playoff game.
This Iona crap is starting to piss me off as I don’t need to start explaining the reasoning behind my entry. If people don;t like what I have to say then that is their problem. Ignore my posts or don’t respond to me.
This was the below entry that I had answered
greg k
November 8th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
iona prep score?
IonaPower,
Here are your words. I just cut and pasted.
“Very bad day for all the Iona haters” You act like Mr innocent, but the halo is off your head.
Football 101
I know what I said and I stand by what I said- If you want to make that an issue then you should start exploring what has been written throughout this season-
Like I have just stated if someone does not like what I say then that is out of my control. You act like it is the Iona fans that are the only problem- Take a look at some of the fans from Rye, Harrison, Bronxville etc and you can start calling out those programs.
I am done with this and will only talk FOOTBALL from here on out!
Here we go again!! If I was a fly on the wall at a bird brain convention this is what I would hear.
Hey Ionapower my man. It has been way to quiet around the blog. Too much sect 1 stuff, and they have the nerve to stick to football.
I know hoops fan my ace in the hole. What can we do?
Well Iona the all Powerful, lets start some trouble, a food fight, Iona Prep style. There is a New Rochelle, North Rockland game coming up. When the blog starts about that game, then we can muscle our way in and turn it into an Iona Prep peeking at the right time celebration.
Yea Yea Hoops. You are a genius. I am so excited, but hoops, I got everyone fooled that I am a good guy what do I do?
Well Iona powerful my dog, just throw the ball near the hoop and I will dunk it Catholic school style. Mention Iona, and those common public school folk will get all hot and bothered. Then I will come in like the big bad wolf, and blow their house down. You be Oliveoil and I will eat some spinach like Popeye.
yippy yeah hoops. You are the greatest, right behind Iona Prep that is. Remember that basketball season is coming soon and Iona will be the best again.
High five Hoops. Yup, High five Iona the most Powerful
HAHAHA always laugh at the Fly on the Wall.
football 101,
Please explain what is wrong with saying “very bad day for all the Iona haters”??? How insanely over-sensitive can you be? If you’re not an “Iona hater” you don’t have to think anything of it. No one would argue there hasn’t been a whole lot of Iona-hating on the blog this year – everyone acknowledges there has been. The Iona-haters say its “justified” because of too much “pre-season smack talk” – I think thats bs. Do you have nothing worthwhile to add to the blog besides this nonsense? How about a post-season look at Nyack or North Rockland in ‘10 or whoever you support?
Hey Popeye just appeared aka Hoops Fan. Where is Olive oil. You two guys are a big joke. Two cartoon characters
Hey all you Iona haters. My blood pressure is really high. Why do you talk about Iona. I am really mad and I will get really angry and then I will hit you with the ultimate payback. A 5 page article that makes no sense. I just can’t mind my business. Olive Oil I am here to protect you.
fly on the wall you are a complete tool.
DBP81,
I have a long response, but I am on a very limited basis at this point. But you have been good to my requests.
I disagree with your assessment about Rock County football. Just from an AA stand point, it was not too long ago when, besides North Rock, we had Ramapo, Clarkstown South and Clarkstown North was on the brink of making some noise. Don’t blame you for your thoughts; all were HORRIBLE this year except North Rock and Suffern. Talk about MAJOR back steps.
You still sound like you are selling, the problem for North Rock, the talented kids of Havestraw and Stony Point are buying.
If North Rock wants to compete with New Ro where it is MEANINGFUL for the next decade, they are going to have to actively recruit kids in STOPPING THEM FROM GOING TO DBP AND ST. JOE’S.
Because of the distance, North Rock job should be easy. I would play the distance card and also the “if you go to DBP your just another number, at North Rock you can be the STAR!!!”
How do you like that sales pitch? You can have the last word!
(I guess this was a long response)
Fly on the wall rules.
Boy would I like to be a fly on the wall to some of these angry Iona fans. I am sure they will be armed with fly swatters by now.
Hey guys, what’s up with that fly on the wall guy. He is eating us alive. What can we do?
Let’s ask him if he is male or female.
Yeah what a good idea. Yippy dippy Yea. That ought to make him go away. Then we can control the blog.
Did you know we are peeking?
just a fact
The problem is outside of north rock the other schools you have mentioned are one or two year run schools, if everything goes right for them. I cannot remember south being any good except for 1978 or 79. Suffern is a smaller aa school and most of sufferns athletes end up playing 3 sports and i do not know where football ranks out of the three. The last time i remember suffern being any good was when tony defrancesco was the qb. As for ramapo/valley they are faced with other issues that forces their better players out of district. Clarkstown north has not had a good program since i believe ricky israel in the early 70s. Even when keith bullock was on the team NR destroyed them.
So, that leaves NR who is by far the best in rockland and has been for the past 30/40 years and the question remains, why would a player who considers himself to be a top tier player with college potential leave this league to go to bosco/joes/bergen and i believed that i answered that question with the above analysis of rockland.
Distance is not a question because it is only 15 miles from NR to bosco/joes and there is a bus. As for being a star on NR, you might be right because bosco is a 4 year program where you have to earn your time and be ready when it arrives. I see sulla and loudini did well after transfering back to NR but i believe that both of them would have played this year at bosco and joes but they felt they wanted to play more last year and they did and played well. However, with the schedule section 1 gives and the weakness of rockland ball, players are going to leave, and these are players who probably played in the middle school system for the local publics, so they were already in their programs when they left. It will not be easy for NR or any of the other publics to keep these players in district.
dbp81
The problem with Rockland schools are #1 Don Bosco and #2 St Joseph’s. They never saw a good Rockland player that they wanted to leave in Rockland. That’s some real recruiting being done by those two schools.
CONGRATS TO NEW ROCHELLE MAKING THE MSG top 10
WEEK 9 (As of November
1. Don Bosco Prep, NJ (8-0)
2. Bergen Catholic, NJ (6-2)
3. St. Peter’s Prep, NJ (6-2)
4. Monroe-Woodbury, NY (10-0)
5. St. Joseph (Montvale), NJ (6-2)
TAXI SQUAD
11. Holy Trinity, LI (9-0)
12. Howell, NJ (7-1)
13. Holy Cross, NY (7-2)
14. Staples, CT (8-0)
15. New Canaan, CT (8-0)
6. Fort Hamilton, NY (10-0)
7. Wayne Hills, NJ (8-1)
8. Paterson Catholic, NJ (9-0)
9. St. Anthony’s, LI (8-1)
10. New Rochelle, NY (9-0)
16. Sayreville, NJ (8-1)
17. Toms River North, NJ (8-1)
18. Hunterdon Central, NJ (9-0)
19. Sachem North, LI (9-0)
20. King, CT (7-0)
dbp81:
the bottom line is schedule and recognition.
no disrespect to sect. 1 but the competition is weak overall. if a stud athlete wants the best exposure, best competition, and best place to be challenged day in and day out, they would not choose a north rockland over a bosco. that is the bottom line. it also does not help n. rockland that bosco has alot of money – if you know what i mean!
as far as recruiting, the family/student makes the final decision, not the coach’s, so get over the idea that the catholic’s & bosco’s of the world “take your kid” – that is so stupid.
i respect new rochelle’s program as they send alot of kids to college programs for football, i just wish they played better teams.
maybe sect. 1 should think about putting a super league together…new ro / wplains / mvernon / n. rockland / carmel / mahopac / jjef…thoughts?
thoughts,
Maybe the idea of a superleague should be looked at for competition and promotion of section 1 football. I do want to say however, that NR has a long tradition of excellence and coach cass and his assistants have done a great job over the years.
westchester 1
it is not all about money because bosco is a catholic school that is feeling the crunch like many other private schools. You might not believe this but athletes at bosco do pay tuition, although some do get financial aid which helps cover a portion, not the entier tuition. They also nickel and dime you to death with all types of fundraisers and other things so it is not cheap.
p.s. you forgot BC who also gets many players who come from the south end of the county such as tz/pearl river and nanuet.
westchester 1
sorry i got the money issue confused, those comments were for thoughts
Just A Fact,
North Rockland wins 61 percent of the time outside the county against similar size schools and 95 percent of the time in Rockland!!
Thats 95 in County
61 out of County
Winning 61percent of the time is not special!!
thoughts,
You might really be on to something with a Super league in AA. Given my confidence in Section 1 – I think it makes way too much sense to actually happen though. All the schools would benefit, the teams would be better and the players would likely be improved and have better exposure.
If you made a Super league in AA of New Ro/North Rockland/MV/White Plains/JJEF/Arlington/Carmel/Mahopac – let each team play 5 or 6 (out of a possible 7) league games with 1 or 2 elective games. The PSAL in NYC has done something similar with basketball and it is a big improvement. No one benefits from a 42-6 yearly drubbing of Lincoln. If Section 1 can organize a “developmental” league on the bottom end of the competition, it only makes sense that they’d consider a Super league on the top end. Allow the other AA schools to compete for playoff births, but by creating leagues based on talent rather than location the competition level across the section would be much better and I think it could actually encourage participation at the schools that are not traditional winners.
If one of the AA leagues consisted of Gorton, Lincoln, Scarsdale, Mamaroneck and Ketcham – those teams could actually go into August with a reasonable chance at a league title that they haven’t had in years- its a great goal to be able to have. Going into a season knowing you’re going to get killed (by New Ro and maybe White Plains) doesn’t do much for kids confidence or for the morale/turnout for your team.
Mike Hoops,
82% without New Ro over the last 6 years out of Rockland County. That is pure domination! With the exception of 2005, North Rock has not even had the traditional dominant teams that they are accustom to, and they still are kicking butt! Just a GREAT job by the entire Coaching staff.
Not too many schools in AA with over 2000 kids, so I do not know where you are going about North Rock not playing teams their size. New Ro has the same problem. Do not have the enrollment list with me though.
Either way, have the last word and enjoy the Hoops season. Maybe next year you can have some football comments.
BTW, why you on North Rock’s jock, thought you wanted the Gorton job. lol!
DBP I think you are way off base in your overall analysis. If a player is a legit college propsect he doesn’t need your school or Joes. He can stay in say NR and succeed. The in between players are the athletes who need the catholics. Schedule and recognition means nothing when dealing with a top caliber player. Even the kids that left to go to say Joes or Bosco would have been in the same place had they stayed home.
A school like Bosco brings status, competition and “eyes” more than any local school will bring. But that is not what a top caliber kid needs. Now these players tend to be few and far between, but there is no doubt in my mind they need to go DB, Bergen, etc to get where they want to go.
Bullock
New RO kids
Lassic and the NR stand outs.
All these kids no matter where they played were going D1.
section 1
For your guide Don Bosco these are the following players committed to division 1 schools.
Brandon Sacco OG Pitt
Bryan Murphy DE Pitt
James Kitteredge DE Vanderbilt
Steele Devito OLB Boston College
Ryan Cobb MLB Virginia
Cris Brady CB Yale
Tony Jones the running back will get offers as well.
Bosco is a national program- The only programs that could be used in the same sentence are Bergen Catholic, St. Peters Prep, St. Joes of Monvale and St. Anthony in Long Island.
The NY CHSFL (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ST.ANTHONY) and Section 1 unfortunately will find it very hard to ever compete with those programs. Iona Prep found out the hard way when they had major problems with Bergen Catholic.
I am well aware of where these kids are going. I am also well versed in football outside of Section 1. My point is that TOP players in our area do not need a school like Bosco to reach their goal. They can succeed in Section 1. Yes the comp is weak compared to Bosco, but that isn’t the end all to receiving offers.
The vibe seems to be that schools like Bosco or Joes are raiding our players thus causing a “weak product”on the field. I think this in completely untrue. Think about it, you can count on your hand(each year) the stud players all through out our area. And to be honest you could also include the kids that left. In the end, there is just not that many premier players.
This is why I take offense to CHSFL people or privates saying Section 1 is weak. It is uncalled for and many are comparing our area to powerhouses which is like comparing D1 to D3.
section 1
you listed one player from clarkstown north, lassic who finished school in 1989(i believe) and some new ro kids who i am not familiar with outside of the big names like rice,mcdermott and greene. I know north rock has had several others like becker, osullivan, smith and a few others but where are all the others? How do you compare north vs south to bosco-bergen or any other rockland county game to that or bosc/joes/peters/bc games. You do not and that is why people leave the area.
Ask yourself this question, if bosco was as big as they are right now back in the 80s-90s do you think the above mentioned players might have gone to bosco and not to their local public? Would you rather go to Nr and play suffern or go to bosco and be on tv against delasalle where we anded their 25 YEAR home winning streak? would you rather see nanuet vs pearl river or go to bosco and play on tv against 3 time defending alabama champ prattville and end their 24 game home winning streak? The catholic schools offer so much more in football than the publics do for many different reasons and those reasons are very attractive to players who want to be seen and play the best ball possible.
i will say again NR and new ro have tremendous staffs and solid dedicated players but they are in a different league than the privates. At least jersey has state finals for publics and privates while Ny includes some privates from upstate in their state finals which I believe is unfair to the publics.
Apparently I wasn’t clear so I apologize. I am not comparing anything. Your point is blatantly obvious so we all know the answer. In actuality it isn’t a point. You are saying something that isn’t realistic. You are comparing powerhouse private school programs to local high school football.
It is just like saying what is better Stac vs Dominican or Oklahoma vs Ok St!!! There is that much of gap so when you say Sect 1 is weak it is not right. Make a real comparison.
To your last paragraph again the answer is obvious but it is not what is impacting Rockland/Westchester football. That is what you are missing. Your Bosco isn’t destroying or making the local product so called weak. Nothing is and its because the star studed talent doesn’t come so often. That is the point here. You are making it seem like local football stinks because a logical player leaves to go to a school like Bosco. This is not true. Look at the Bosco Roster..how many kids in total are from our area??? Look at Joes and even throw in Iona. How many stars are their? Not marginal players, stars? As you will see, nothing that impacts our local teams enough where the product becomes poor or weak.
That is the point. You can gloat all you want and it is 100% justified. But your comparisons are not accurate.
This is both screen names . One is my roommates…
I think all three of you have solid points.
Section 1,
You’re likely right that blue-chippers like Bulluck, Ray Rice, Derric Owens, Kelvin Smith, Courtney Greene would probably get 1A offers regardless of where they went to HS. However, those type of players come along rarely. There a lot more local players who are in the 1AA-D3 range who I think it is definitely dependent on the coaching, competition and exposure at the high school level that can determine if and what level they may play at in college.
And don’t underestimate the amount of players who grow entirely into 1AA or 1A players from the start of HS. A local example is Eric Ogbogu from Stepinac/Univ. of Maryland/NFL, who I don’t believe ever played organized football before his freshman year of HS – those type of players and there are a decent # of them are definitely products of their systems/coaching.
DBP,
I think you’re right that if the programs were better at schools like the Clarkstowns, Ramapo, etc, less kids would end up at the NJ Catholics. And you’re right, if another Keith Bulluck came along again in the Clarkstown district, he’d probably end up at Bosco. But I think Section 1 has a point, its ridiculous to draw direct comparisons btw Bosco,Bergen,st joe’s to Sect 1 schools. Draw the comparisons btw Sect 1 schools with other sections in NYS. The NJ Catholics are on a different level from everybody.
Hoops fan ..exactly! ( I never thought I would agree with you…haha) Section 1 should be compared to other areas like Section 9. That is realistic.
Now the Obogu comment.. brings up another question. Is the coaching superior in the CHSFL/Bosco’s of the world or is it the competition and exposure? If Obogu goes to North Rockland would his path be that different? I tend to think again the top tier schools like Bosco have the best, but the tweeners are very similar to the Casarellas, Castellano, etc.
The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of creating a “Super” league format in AA and A for Section 1 teams. I think every year there are too many 41-6, 42-0 type games in Section 1 that do nothing for the winner and demoralize the loser (also hurting the loser’s team pride and ability to generate #’s consistently). Imagine the following scenarios, keeping the same 6 game season format:
This is all off the top of my head so please excuse me if I forgot a team.
AA Super laague – 9 teams (each plays 5 league games and has 1 elective game)
New Ro
No Rock
White Plains
MV
JJEF
Arlington
Carmel
JJCR
AA Rock – 4 league,1 crossover w/ AA So & 1 elective game
Suffern
Cl No
Cl So
Ramapo
Spring Valley
AA South – 4 league,1 crossover w/ AA Rock & 1 elective game
Gorton
Lincoln
Mamaroneck
Scarsdale
Ketcham
A Super North – 5 league, 1 elective
Somers
Pok
Lakeland
Fox Lane
Greeley
Yorktown
A Super South – 5 league, 1 elective
Rye
Harrison
Eastchester
Nyack
Ossining
Roosevelt
A North – 4 league, 1 vs. AA South, 1 elective
Brewster
Peekskill
Panas
Hen Hud
Beacon
A So – 4 league, 1 vs. AA North, 1 elective
Portchester
Saunders
Pearl River
Tappan Zee
Byram Hills
For the playoffs in AA, take the top 6 from AA Super, winner of AA Rock and winner of AA South into 8 team playoff. Or top 5 from AA Super, winner of AA Rock, winner of AA So and wild card from among AA Rock/AA South.
For A Playoffs, take Top 3 from A Super North, top 3 from A Super South, winner of A North and winner of A south into 8 team playoff.
I think this idea could increase interest/parity in regular season games across the board. Limit the # of blowouts. Increase interest/#’s for traditional weaker teams. Give every team a legitimate shot at the playoffs. Create better competition for the better teams. And overall, increase the interest and fan support for Section 1 teams. I’m sure a similar proposal could work for Class B and Class C as well – I just don’t know those teams off the top of my head.
Section 1,
The coaching/system is a very interesting question and obviously hard to honestly, accurately answer. I do think the best coaches from Sect 1 (DiRienzo, DeMatteo, Casarella, etc) are right up there with the best coaches from the CHSFL (Reichert, Pugh, Quirolo, etc). However, I do see two big differences. 1) The offensive systems in the CHSFL are generally far more complex and much closer to what any kid will see in college and 2) there are plenty of coaches/programs in Section 1 that aren’t on that level at all. I don’t want to call any team out by name. But there are plenty of school districts in Westchester where a kid would be getting far, far better coaching at an Iona or Stepinac than staying in their local public school.
Your question about Ogbogu. Hard to answer definitively. If a player like him went to North Rockland instead of Stepinac would he still have likely made it to a 1A school – the answer is most likely in my opinion. However, there are plenty of Sect 1 schools that if a player like him ended up at, he probably would’ve never come close to that level. You see what I mean?
Excellent point on the complexity of the offense. Many local schools have tried or are trying but it hasn’t been to succesful. Depth becomes an issue.
I see what you are saying about Obogu, but again this goes back to what I had said earlier. I feel the tweeners or undeveloped do benefit from the Catholics. It is the stars that can play in Section 1 without a hitch and get those college looks regardless.
Let’s not forget White Plains they have had a few Pro’s themselves, Art Monk being one better than any of the players that have been talked about here!!! Hall of Fame.
Sec1,
I think White Plains has had more pros than any local program, with New Ro, North Rockland and Stepinac behind them in that order.
Section 1,
I think we probably agree. Keep in mind though, even a HS star like Ray Rice only had two 1A scholarship offers (Rutgers and Syracuse) and neither was a big-time program at the time. You’d like to think that a local HS star would’ve gotten more exposure and more offers.
Well Ray Rice still had a lot of question marks around him due to his size. Obviously the people were way off, but that is why the offers werent flowing. Fred went to Stanford, McDermott was offered Wisconsin. Greene and others to Rutgers. So there was no issue with big time colleges comin to New Ro.
Ok to play devil’s advocate.. Jeff Mack from Iona. If he is at New Rochelle ripping it up. Does he get even more offers than what he has now? See I tend to think he gets more at New Ro. But I could be wrong.
To me it all goes back to being a star. You can do it in so called weak section 1 and prosper. These players are special, but overall Section 1 holds its own and isn’t as weak as people may think.
Jay Saldi,George Rooks, Ray Farmer, Dick Nolin, White Plains ect..
section 1,
I agree those New Ro kids all did great when it came scholarship time – Campbell, Douglas, Lee, Greene, Rice all went 1A. But those were 5 kids from two remarkable classes – there hasn’t been a 1A player at New Ro since and it had been many years for a 1A player at New Ro before those 5 guys.
I completely disagree about Mack. What limits him from being attractive to 1A schools is his size (5’7” about 165), not exposure. Probably every major East Coast school has checked him out I would think. I think you’ll get at least an equal if not greater amount of exposure at Iona than you would at New Ro these days. Thats no knock on New Ro’s program – just a side effect of them having a relatively weak schedule. New Ro is 9-0 and probably hasn’t played against a team yet this year that has a 1A prospect – meaning 1A coaches aren’t looking much at New Ro’s game films. Iona has also played 9 games, with at least 4 against teams with 1A commitments. Thats not including teams like St Joseph’s by the Sea and Holy Trinity which don’t have any 1A commitments at this time that I know of, but have at least several 1AA prospects. Iona’s played Bergen Catholic (several big-time prospects, including a BC commit), Xaverian (a Syracuse commit), Holy Cross (a UVA commit and a junior that is a big-time target), St Anthony’s (another Syracuse commit).
Don’t underestimate the amount of times kids get noticed by college programs from the program evaluating their opponents or teammates. It happens all the time that a college coach is looking at one player and notices someone else on the field they like. For that point alone, kids at Iona/Mount/Fordham/Stepinac are getting plenty of looks.
Sec1,
Great names! Where did Ray Farmer go to school? I’ve heard Dick Nolan, who later became head coach of the 49ers, played on a WPHS team that had 4 or 5 major college players on it – I think several of them went to Maryland. There seem to have been a lot of local players who went to Maryland over the years (Nolan, Friedgen, Brian Cummings, Ogbogu, Maldonado, among others) I wonder what the original connection was?
Here are some other great WP names I can think of – Wayne Charles/Duke, Ricky Edwards/Northwestern, Ridenhour/Penn State, Nduka/Buffalo, Lamar Hinkson/Cincinnati
Ok see this is where I 100% disagree with the competition and schedule stuff. A real d1A kid isn’t effected by this whatsoever now a days. Why? because a main recruting point for colleges has become pre-season camps. You want to examples from this year SILAS RED AND KEVIN PIERRE LEWIS. I know you heard of them. Well Silas is going to Penn State and Kevin is going to BC. They play for King. King plays some of the weakest teams around. I have seen several games and it is a complete joke. Silas averages over 15 yrds a carry. It looks like a Wii game as oppose to a football game. Anyway both players were recruited around camps. Football is a sport where pure athleticism and small school recruiting heavily takes place.
Look at the NFL. Every team has small school players staring. Geez Austin Davis on Dallas is from Monmouth!
I think the schedules and competition is over valued when it comes to football. A talent is a talent. If a lot of kids aren’t getting big looks as compared to say the CHSFL it is not because of exposure. It is because they aren’t good enough.
Sec1,
not to mention – Sam Bowers, Tom DePaso, Dennis Morgan and a couple others from the late 50’s whose names I can’t remember
IonaPower,
Why isn’t Iona or Stepinac as good as Bergen Catholic or Don Bosco. I do not want to open up any wounds but it would seem to me that Catholic school fans in this area should be comparing themselves to some of the other Catholic schools instead of spending their time focusing on sect 1 public schools. I never brought it up before but I always wondered why the New Jersey Catholic Powerhouses are so much better than Westchester Catholic schools. Same rules in obtaing players? Definately. Are the programs over there better or do they recruit better? I am sure that if you look at the Stepinac and Iona rosters, you would find players from all over Westchester and even into NYC. It seems to me that our Westchester Catholic school fans stay away from comparing themselves to other programs that play by the same rules they do. I don’t want a fight, but it would be nice to know what NJ is doing so much better than Westchester.
Section 1,
I think you have to delineate between two different kind of prospects (both college and pro) – there are guys that are “workout warriors” whose measurables jump off the table. A local example would be Doug Hogue from Roosevelt/Syracuse. Redd and Pierre Louis would be other examples. Those guys will be noticed wherever they are – I agree.
But you seem to discount the amount of prospects (both 1A and NFL) that aren’t there for their measureables, but are there for their football playing talents and instincts, lets call them “Intangibles” players. There are probably two dozen “intangibles” players on every 1A roster and close to the same on every NFL team. At some point, as an evaluator of talent you see hundreds of kids across the country who run a 4.5 with decent size, so how do you differentiate?
If you don’t agree with me, ask a major college assistant coach. Everyone of them will tell you that there are many, many kids of their rosters whose measurables aren’t superstar level. The amount of kids on any 1A roster who are “intangibles” type players in large part come from great HS programs because college coaches have the chance to evaluate them on film or in some cases in person at summer camps. I think this is an indesputable fact.
Football 101,
You obviously haven’t read many of the above posts. You call me a trouble maker before, but then you make inflammatory comments like that?
First, NJ football in general is just better than NY – it has been for many, many years. NY has always been a basketball town – football has tended to lag behind – always has. So yes, the NJ Catholics are better than the CHSFL, generally speaking. Just like the NJ publics are better than the NYS publics and PSAL, generally speaking. Frankly, the difference between NJ Catholics/NY Catholics is much smaller than the difference between NJ publics/NY publics – generally speaking.
Also, you assume you know all about any of the above mentioned catholic schools tendencies in “obtaining” players. I’d venture to say that you have zero direct knowledge of that are are going of your guesses. Making statements off guesses isn’t usually fruitful. Even if what you guessed is true – which I don’t know that it is – that NJ catholics and NY catholics attract players the exactly same way – the pool of players in the State of NJ is in general much better than the state of NY, so it would be obvious why the NJ catholics, in general, are better than the NY catholics. Make sense?
Football 101
The only NY area CHSFL AAA that can be mentioned with the NJ Catholics is St. Anthony- Up unitl about 5 years ago Farrell from Staten island could be mentioned becuase they were the ONLY Catholic school in all of Staten Island that played football. Also you have to remember that Iona is a much much smaller school I believe than these NJ Catholic schools. St. Anthony has a huge region of available talent where it has kids that also WANT to go to that program. They just built a major football and sports fieldhouse.
I also do not think that Iona Prep puts the emphasis on sports and football in general as a Bosco, Bergen Catholic and St. Anthony. Also the radius of areas that Iona get kids is very small compared to their competition in the CHSFL AAA. St. Anthony and Holy Trinity gets kids from Suffolk and Nassau County. Chaminade gets kids from all of Nassau. Holy Cross get kids from Brooklyn and Queens. Xaverian get kids from ALL of Brooklyn. Farrell and St. Joes are in afirece battle for kids in Staten Island. Mount St. Michael has kids from all over the Bronx. This is why Iona will always face intense competition against their CHSFL AAA counterparts.
IonaPower, I appreciate your answer. I asked a question, and you answered it like a man.
Hoops Fan, you are quite defensive. I did not think you would show that side, because you are not nice to defensive public school fans that are constantly being compared to Iona and Stepinac. New Jersey doesn’t have better talent. Don Bosco and St Joseph’s talent base is largely in NY. So are the talent base of your top NJ basketball powerhouse Catholic schools. Their programs are loaded with NY talent. The NJ schools are relentless recruiters, plain and simple. Their programs have gained national recognition, so now they have kids wanting to play at their schools. A great basketball school like Rice can lose players to St Benedicts and St Patrick’s because of their TV exposure. Bosco plays nationally televised games. It’s all about how committed a school is to being good. To some of those to NJ schools, sports is like a religion, like it is in other parts of the country.
Gentlemen, I asked a fair question. No disrespect intended.
Football 101
When I look at the NJ Catholics currently I see a National Program in Don Bosco that will churn out 4-7 Division 1 players per year. Bergen Catholic, St. Joes of Monvale and St. Peters Prep etc are top ranked East region programs. St. Anthony of Long Island has earned the right to be mentioned with those last 3 schools that I mentioned. Iona Prep I believe aspires to be mentioned with in that class. Playing Bergen Catholic was I still believe a good idea and should continue to play a game like this on a yearly basis. Programs like New Rochelle and North Rockland should also be given the chance.
Football 101,
Regardless of how you want to interpret my answer, its is crazy to say NJ does not have better talent than NY in football. By any objective measure it is proven. I’ll give you a few objective measures. Last year, NYS had 23 1A football commitments – NJ had 50+. Those #’s are consistent on a yearly basis. Last year, NJ had 7 first round NFL draft picks. NY had zero. NJ has had at least one HS team ranked in the National Top 25 polls every year in the last 10 that I can remember. I think St Anthony’s has been ranked a couple times. New Ro might have been ranked the year they lost to CBA – but thats it as far as I know. Do you still think NY has as much football talent as NJ? You might be the only person in either state who believes that.
Your statement about the NJ catholics having a talent base “largely” from NY is also way off. Those schools have a handful of players from Rockland at most. A small percentage of their best players come NY, not large %.
In terms of basketball, there have been a couple NYC kids end up in Jersey, but not a large # either. Shaheen Holloway (15 years ago) and Corey Fisher were two blue-chip players who matriculated at St Pats in Elizabeth. In the past couple years, the CHSAA lost two 6’7” big-time transfers after their sophomore years from All Hallows and Molloy, respectively, to St Anthony’s in Jersey City. “Loaded with NY talent” is a huge overstatement.
Hoops I agree with the intangible aspect but that is getting away from the initial point. I am saying that a star can play in Section 1, play a weak schedule and not be impacted.
Many feel that all the good players are leaving to go to a Bosco because they have to get that exposure otherwise they will regress and not get noticed. See that is a sticking point which in inaccruate.
Overall the impact players are still staying home and succeeding. Many of the tweeners or rising prospects leave because of the current coaching situation. Example being say the McCorty brothers. They would have went to Spring Valley and at the time that was a bad decision.
So in the end the solid programs with solid staffs are keeping their players and not losing them thus making Section 1 “weak” .
Good discussion on all accounts.
I hope Iona Power is right in that his school puts in the effort to get elite. That would be great for our area and give a football fan like myself eye candy
section 1,
To your first point, it depends on your definition of “star”. Obviously, most anyone getting 1A or 1AA attention is arguably a “star” on the HS level. If you’re talking about the handful of superstars (Ray Rice, Maldonado, Greene, Kelvin Smith, Derrick Owens) I agree they’d get looks wherever they are.
Let’s not use Don Bosco as an example because they’re off the charts – anyone would benefit from playing on the #2 team in America with 10 other big-time players every day in practice – that will make you a better player, aside from the exposure. Let’s use St Joes in Montvale as the example. Is a kid better off going to St Joes over No Rockland – probably yes, but they could still have a good experience at North Rockland or Nyack. Is a kid better off at St Joes or Spring Valley, Ramapo, Suffern – definitely St Joes in my opinion.
Section 1,
There’s one other point to consider. Of all the big-time local Section 1 area players of the past 20 years, really only two of them have been “national” recruits – Maldonado (Ohio State) and Owens (Alabama). The great majority of local 1A talent has ended up at the six big-time schools that recruit this area Syracuse (Kelvin Smith, George Rooks/WP, Kwasi Leverette/Oss, Lamar Wilcher/Oss, Doug Hogue, Dan Sheeran, Wilky Basile/No Rock), Rutgers (Greene, Lee, Rice, Carswell/No Rock), Penn State (Ridenhour/WP, Jimmy Kennedy – recruits CHSFL and PSAL regularly), Temple (Perry/Iona Prep, Douglas/New Ro), Wisconsin (Bernstein, Weininger), Maryland (Ogbogu/Stepinac, Cummings/Iona Prep, Maldonado). I should note UTEP had a Westchester connection in the early/mid-80’s and had a bunch of local guys in those years from Mahopac, Roosevelt, Stepinac, Gorton and even one or two from Westlake and John Jay.
If you look at the NJ Catholics – those schools send kids all over the country every year – USC, Florida, Notre Dame, Michigan, etc – not just the handful of schools that recruit NY/NJ. The CHSFL is less so than the NJ Catholics, but still has kids recruited from a larger range of schools regularly, in addition to Syracuse, Rutgers, Penn State, Wisconson, Temple, Maryland – the CHSFL also has sent kids in the last few years to USC, Michigan, Purdue, UVA, etc.
Hoops Fan,
You got defensive when I asked why Stepinac and Iona did not stack up to schools like Bergen Catholic and Don Bosco. You are the guy who felt that it is legitmate to compare Iona and Stepinac with section 1 teams, so you should be a man like IonaPower and just answer my question. To me, it is a fair to ask why schools who can reach over the boundaries of their home town have different levels of football programs. I hear what IonaPower is saying and he admits that Iona aspires to be like Bergen Catholic and Don Bosco. That’s great and I accept that as a fair and honest answer. We are trying to get there, but we aren’t there yet. Cool
The fact remains that Don Bosco has NY players and is not restricted from getting players from any place in this country or beyond. Neither is Stepeniac or Iona. Both of whom I am sure have NYC players, and can get players from the great player rich state of New Jersey. The problem is, Iona nor Stepinac can recruit top notch out of state players. Don Bosco can. I am sure neither Stepinac nor Iona would turn away a New Jersey all American who wants to play for their team. If you told me that the CHSFL is restricted to NY State players, then I would not have asked my question. Since Iona, Stepinac, Bergen Catholic, and Don Bosco can recruit from the same player pool, I think I asked a legitimate question.
Football 101
The chances are slim to none that Iona EVER gets to the level of Bosco- Getting to the level of Bergen Catholic and St. Anthony will also be difficult- Both schools are bigger and put more resources into their programs. You have to see that new Sports Fieldhouse built by St. Anthony- It is unbelievable-
Also 95% of the players on Iona Prep are from Southern Westchester. They have a few players from the Bronx- With Jeffrey Mack and Greg Gadson being two of them and also being regarded as top 5 players overall in the program. Also not one player is from NJ or CT.
Another issue for Iona Prep is their admission standards- I know for a fact that they lost more than a few kids WHO WANTED to attend but where denied because of grades. Iona Prep has not sacrificed the integrity of their academic standards to admit a potential student that they feel would not be able to keep up with the school work.
I give Iona Prep credit for staying in the CHSFL AAA because over the years some very large schools like St. Francis Prep who in the past dominated have moved to the CHSFL AA. Only recently has St. Francis moved back up to the CHSFL AAA. I equate Iona playing a CHSFL AAA schedule to a school like Rye who has been great in Class B and now Class A to being moved into a league with New Rochelle, North Rockland , Carmel, White Plains and John Jay EF.
Football 101
I wanted to also make clear that I am not implying other Catholic schools bend admission standards. I just know what has occurred at Iona Prep. Other schools have the right to admit any student they see as a fit.
Football 101,
I feel like I answered your initial question with great detail and even a few objective facts – facts are helpful in a conversation. You’re making huge assumptions about Iona and Stepinac and your assumptions seem to be wrong. Iona and Stepinac are restricted in where they can get players from. Both schools are almost entirely from Westchester with a few each from the Bronx – same as the overall student body. I don’t want to get into the semantics of “recruiting”, but neither Iona or Stepinac is supposed to be “recruiting” athletes. I’m not sure if there are similar rules at the NJ catholics. Neither Iona, nor Stepinac has ever had kids from NJ, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, etc. If the NJ catholics have had Rockland co. kids thats once thing, but it doesn’t equate to Iona or Stepinac.
Please let me speak for myself, as I do the same for you. I’ve never said Iona or Stepinac should be compared with Class B or Class C schools, or even Class A Section 1 schools. I do think drawing comparisons between Iona, Stepinac, New Ro and White Plains makes a lot of sense – if you’ve noticed they’re been playing eachother for 50-60 years and the level of competition is high with a good deal of parity over the years. Those are the comparisons I think are reasonable. I don’t think its reasonable to compare Stepinac or iona to a Pleasantville, Lincoln, etc, etc.
If you want to compare the NY catholics to the NJ catholics, thats fine, but the level of football is much higher in NJ than in NY, so the comparison won’t work. Also, IonaPower is correct, Stepinac and Iona are much smaller schools than Don Bosco, bergen Catholic, etc. To be consistent, if you make the Stepinac/Iona vs. NJ catholics comparison, you should also make the NJ publics vs. Section 1 publics comparison – and the NJ publics are much better than the Section 1 publics in most every objective measure.
You also make a point about Don Bosco being able to take kids from all over the country – do you know that to be true? I’ve never heard of a kid from Don Bosco from anywhere other than NJ/NY.
Hoops Fan,
Why is Stepinac so much out of the class of Don Bosco and Bergen Catholic. At least Iona can get a game with them. Since you like to answer IonaPower’s questions. Seems to me that Stepinac can’t even hang with the big dogs of their own league and is playing second fidel to Iona. I just can’t understand why Stepinac cannot compete with the top chsfl teams as well as NJ teams. Now you can write a book about something that is finally directed to you.
Football 101,
You are so transparent. I’m happy to take a stab at your question in good faith though. Stepinac’s football program has been among the top few in Westchester each of the last 3-4 years. Iona has won the previous several meetings, but I think most Iona fans would agree the last two Stepinac/Iona matchups have been very hard fought, close games. Next year’s Iona/Stepinac matchup (assuming it happens) looks like another evenly matched game. If you want to knock Stepinac for being the #3 team in Westchester thats your perogative, but it seems petty and small.
If you’re a fan of Section 1 football, you have to be an adherent to the philosophy that student body size affects football teams – i.e. Class AA, A, B, etc. Of the 20 CHSFL teams, I think Stepinac is somewhere near 15th in enrollment. Stepinac is definitely in the top 15 in terms of football programs, so in those terms Stepinac competes quite well against other CHSFL teams. Last year, Stepinac was in the CHSFL AAA and finished 4-4 I believe – I’d call that very competitive, wouldn’t you? Next year, Stepinac will likely be in the AAA again, so it will be interesting to see how they fare.
REgarding the Stepinac/Iona vs. Don Bosco/Bergen question that I’ve answered several times already. NJ football is far better than NY football and has been for ages. That being the case, any direct comparison between NJ and NY will be to NJ’s benefit – the same goes for NJ publics vs. NY publics. Does this answer your question?
You’re a North Rockland fan, right? How would you compare North Rockland with NJ public schools like Elizabeth, Wayne Hills, Piscataway? Not a great comparison for North Rockland, right?
Hoops Fan
Hoops Fan
Good job on some of the other guy from White Plains, Tommy Depaso great player and Bowers and Monk were on the same team. And the UTep connection,the reason for that was Coach Max Bowman from Westchester CC National Champions. Bowman left to go to UTep and brought with him from WCC Seth Joyner who was from Spring Valley, I would say Seth is with out a doubt one of the Greatest player ever to come out of Sec1 3x All Pro NFL, Eagles and also Players from Mahopac were Tony Russo,Dave Toub Eagles, also another one from Mahopac I can’t remember the name was 6ft 8 played O line for Chargers. Also to the point of major recruits from Sec 1, Mahopac’s Mike Russo Penn St, Mike broke his leg did not even play his Seinor Yr and Joe Paterno came to Mahopac High School after that still to recruit him. Penn State won the National Chapionship with Mike starting
Hoops I think you completley got off topic with me. As much as I like reading about the recruitment of kids to college, it has no bearing on the initial point. In the end, a outstanding player doesn’t need the CHSFL, Bosco or anything to reach their goal. And the schedule has no bearing on it either. And lastly, this type of athlete isn’t being stolen away as the proof is in the pudding.
One thing I do think you are off on is a top players recrutiment in Section 1 vs CHSFL. NJ is different. You are making it seem like bigger time schools will go after a kid from the CHSFL. Totally untrue when we are talking about stars. The kids you mentioned were recruited by other programs you didn’t mention. Those players going to Vriginia or Michigan are few and far between, simliar to a Maldanando going to Ohio State.
Lastly the enrollment size of private schools is a silly arguement. Stop with the size matters with these schools. St. Joes is small and is outstanding. Oakhill in hoops has small enrollment. What matters is the quality athlete brought in. There is over 1000 kids at Bosco but only a portion play and are there to play, the overall population
is their for school..
**Bosco has kids from CT.
Hoops Fan
I am not a North Rockland fan, althought I respect their program. I am just a HS football fan.
Football 101
last year for NJ was a FLUKE year for the NFL draft. Do not let Hoops fool you. We had a long thread a while back about NJ vs. NY players. Funny thing not one post from Hoops back then. In the NFL over the last decade, the numbers between NJ and NY making it were VERY close. NJ did have the edge. If there is a difference it ain’t much.
But don’t listen to me I am retired from blogging for the year.
(if you are real bored you can probably find some of the stats that were used I think it was mid to late August)
Football 101
actually if you go back to 9/13 “week end recap”
wehad this debate.
Here is a article from USA today:
“Here is the stats from the USA Today again. Instead of this bickering back forth I will let the FACTS tell the story and the other bloggers can decide for themselves:
NFL Draft choices by high school home state – last 11 years – New Jersey (149) and New York (124).”
section 1
In my mind the enrollment size does matter. Iona being the smallest school is a major factor when compared to the larger schools in the CHSFL AAA. St. Anthony and Chaminade have over 65 player on their roster. Schools loke Xaverian and Holy Cross have players coming in from all over Brooklyn and Queens. Farrell and St. Joes are the only two major Catholic league programs in all of Staten Island. Mount St. Michael is really the only legit football program in the Bronx. I say that because Fordham Prep has more students in their school from Westchester.
Just a Fact,
I really don’t pay hoops fan any mind. There are more NY players on Jersey HS teams then there are Jersey HS players on NY teams. Do those numbers include NY kids getting counted as Jersey players? The fact remains that if Stepinac was a better program they would be drawing interest from Connecticut, and Jersey too. What Hoops Fan does is an old political trick. Its called filibustering. Everyone is on to him.
Hoops Fan,
Are you serious? You what to compare Rockland, the smallest county in the state of NY to the entire state of New Jersey. Are you kidding me.
I would take two Westchester section one public schools, New Rochelle Football and Mt Vernon Basketball and put them up against any Jersey public school program. So why doesn’t Stepinac stack up to the top NY and Bergen County Catholic schools? Don’t give me that enrollment smoke and mirror trick. A Catholic school can have an enrollment of 60 students, all of them all americans. Some of the best basketball programs have very small enrollments. Oak Hill Academy is the premier basketball program in the nation and has a enrollment of 100. St Benedicts in NJ has 240 students.
Football 101,
You seem to jump around from point to point and haven’t really made any serious statements yet. I’d respect you more if you came out and said which team you support so i can understand where you’re coming from – maybe you don’t have a team?? You’re really starting to seem like a joke – at least have the integrity to stick with one point/question to see it through. You also make all these ridiculous statements that aren’t close to reality.
1) You can’t compare a school like Rice, St Benedicts or Oak Hill to a Stepinac/Iona in the school-size debate. Oak Hill and St Benedicts recruit their entire basketball team from all across the country and abroad – that doesn’t happen at Iona/Stepinac or even Don Bosco football. Rice recruits most of their team and has a much more fertile ground that their players come from. Everyone will agree the Bronx/Harlem (Rice’s student body) is much more fertile ground for basketball players than Westchester (Stepinac/Iona).
2) You made a comment about NY players at NJ schools and NY players at NJ schools. To my knowledge there are zero major HS football players from NJ playing for NY HS’s. You say if Stepinac was better they’d have players wanting to come from CT or NJ – is that reality or just your theory? Southern CT maybe – but NJ??? Why would a NJ player come to NY?? Stepinac has had some excellent teams over the years, particularly basketball and I don’t ever remember them having a single student from NJ – it just goes to show your comments mostly are fiction.
3) Do you know what “filibustering” is? Did you just hear it in 7th grade history class and decide to use it today. Answering your dumbed-down questions with facts is not “filibustering.”
4) I wasn’t comparing all of Rockland Co. to all of NJ in terms of public schools – clearly. You picked the best two NJ catholics (Bosco and Bergen) to compare Iona/Stepinac to, so I picked a handful of the best NJ publics (Wayne Hills, Piscataway, Elizabeth) to compare North Rockland – could I make any more fair a comparison??
5) If you don’t believe enrollments have anything to do with football programs strengths then I don’t think you know anything about football. of course, there are other factors, but student body size of course plays a huge part. It does so in every possible local example.
6) To put an end to your whole Stepinac obsession. Stepinac doesn’t pretend to be Don Bosco in football or Rice in basketball (though Stepinac usually does scrimmage Rice every year and plays on the JV and freshmen levels). Stepinac has earned a reputation as one of the handful of top football programs in Westchester, and has been for the past 50-60 years, probably right behind New Ro, White Plains and Iona. Rye, Harrison, Dobbs and others have great programs for their class, but I’m talking overall strength. Stepinac’s basketball program has earned a reputation behind Mt Vernon but probably ahead of New Ro, White Plains, Iona in terms of Westchester basketball programs over the same period of time. Knowledgable people could agree that point.
If you’d like to make any serious or fact-related statements, I’m happy to discuss them with you.
Section 1,
I guess I didn’t make my point clearly in terms of the recruitment. I read your statement to be essentially:
“All 1A type HS stars will get found regardless of where they go to HS and who they play against. This is reinforced because kids can now go to camps that post/record their size/measurables/speed.”
I disagree with that entirely if I’m understanding you correctly. I’d say 60-75% of 1A rosters are filled with kids who are “workout warriors” who have great combinations of size/speed or just blazing 40 times. So out of 100 kids on a 1A roster, 60-75 are there on their measurables. But that still leaves 25-40 that are there either as a combination of very good, not great measurables/production/intangibles. Those players aren’t simply recruited at a combine. They are recruited either from game film or in-person viewings. If you play at a notable HS, with a track record of college players, with teammates that are being recruited and against opponents that are recruited, your changes of being recruited at any level are much, much higher. If you don’t believe me, go quickly look through the 10-15 1A rosters, there are HS’s schools/leagues that produce much higher % of players than others.
Iona Power, aside from St. Anthonys who is a real power, why aren’t those other teams you mentioned dominating every year? Why was St. Joes in Jersery a power until Toal took over at Bosco?
Enrollment means nothing and when you pull up stats within the CHSFL or NJ catholics that is not a clear advantage at all. If it was Iona would never have won last year. St. Anthonys dominates because they get the best players and have a stud coach. The facilites is a new thing and will only help an already powerful program. Enrollment is overated in privates. Not just football, look at basketball too
Section 1,
By the way, I enjoy the discussion – we may not agree, but I respect your opinion and you present it like a gentleman.
You seemed to object to my argument abour recruitment of Section 1 vs. CHSFL vs. NJ stars. Maybe I wasn’t clear. Let me try to be more concise, I think the facts are very clear here.
Of all the 1A players from Westchester in the last 20 years, only two have been recruited to “national” type college programs – Maldonado/Ohio State and Owens/Alabama. The other couple dozen have been recruited by the 5 or 6 schools that either did or do recruit NY – Syracuse, Rutgers, Penn State, Maryland, Wisconsin (seems not to recruit NY with new coaching staff) and Temple. For your reference – Syracuse (Kelvin Smith, George Rooks/WP, Kwasi Leverette/Oss, Lamar Wilcher/Oss, Doug Hogue, Dan Sheeran, Wilky Basile/No Rock), Rutgers (Greene, Lee, Rice, Carswell/No Rock), Penn State (Ridenhour/WP, Jimmy Kennedy – recruits CHSFL and PSAL regularly), Temple (Perry/Iona Prep, Douglas/New Ro), Wisconsin (Bernstein, Weininger), Maryland (Ogbogu/Stepinac, Cummings/Iona Prep, Maldonado). Fred Campbell is the one guy not in this mix, with Stanford being an unusual recruiter due to their academic standards – they recruit nationally, but you have to have incredible grades/SATs to even cross their radar. Am I missing any kids from the last 20 years?
You dismissed the difference between some of the schools that CHSFL players have landed but I think you’re incorrect. There are two CHSFL players currently at Michigan including a starting DT (Ferrara), there are two or three at UVA, not including a HS Sr commit and Kevin Ogletree who is a rookie with the Cowboys. There have also been two recent CHSFL players recruited to USC (Vidal Hazelton and Will Poole). There are also two current CHSFL players at Purdue. There have also been recent CHSFL players at schools like Iowa (Eshareturi/Mount), Georgia Tech (Foschi/Chaminade/NFL), in addition to kids currently at Penn State, Maryland, Boston College, Syracuse, Rutgers, etc.
The NJ catholics take it to a whole different level. In addition to recent kids at USC (Cushing/1st round pick), Don Bosco also has two All-Americans at Florida and the NJ catholics have many, many kids at other major schools all over the country.
Football 101
I looked it ip. Here are the enrollments of Catholic schools that have better basketball programs than Stepinac and Iona.
I had to look it up because both Hoop fan and Ionapower used their school’s size as a reason why they are not as good as other Catholic schools. Now Hoops as usual is back pedaling off the school size excuse.
Students
Iona Prep 750
Stepinac 593
Rice 276
Christ the King 1,100 half are girls so they have only 550 boys
St Anthony’s Jersey 250 half are girls so they have 125 boys.
I can go on and on. If you look at it I have to agree that Stepinac and Iona Prep are underachievers compared to catholic schools with fewer boy populations.
Hoops fan you have lost me. Your last post really has nothing to do with the overall topic. I think football 101 got to you. It is somewhat informative but really isnt relevent. You got the main point, but then went off it.
Let me try and be more clear. A star football player can get a d1 scholarship whether he plays in CSHFL, Jersey powers or the weak Section 1. This is a FACT. It can’t be disputed. This was brought up because DBP is making it seem like a good local kid needs to get out of section one and go play for a school like Bosco to succeed. Which led to Section 1 being weak because most of our stars are abiding by this.. NOT TRUE.
Oh and the work out warriors is your term. Silas and Kevin were brought up to prove a point that heralded competition is not what you are making it out to be when it comes to football. THAT IS FACT. A star is a star. To say that Silas and Kevin are exceptions is incorrect. The point was competition, you can’t continue to defend that point with the example I gave. King school plays middle school teams. Did it impact recruiting for them.. no!
Will credibility and tough comp help a tweener..YES. But that was never disputed.
Lets just agree to disagree.
One thing…to say that Bosco doesn’t recruit there whole team like a St. Benedicts in hoops is wrong. They know who is on that team before it has a practice. Yeah there could be a few suprises, but lets be realistic
Section 1
I agree about basketball but football is another story- We can see what happened this year in section 1 -Roosevelt for the over the last 10 years was a zero factor in Class AA. The first year they move to Class A they win it all. POK who lost to Roosevelt spent a lot of time in Class AA and never made it to the final game. This year they play for a championship in Class A. Rye dominated Class B and while they had a good season they did not make it out of the semifinals. Enrollment and Classification for the most part matters.
Now if Iona Prep continues their run this year and wins back to back CHSFL AAA titles as one of the smallest schools in the league then I will reevaluate my opinion.
Westchester 1
I mean what is your point- You bring up a National program in Christ the King who has kids coming in from the top AAU programs every year. Christ the King only cares about basketball- EVERY OTHER SPORT IONA spanks CTK.
Westchester 1
Iona won the damn CHSFL AAA in football last year. They won the CHSAA A City Championship in baketball. They were the only school last year to win both football and basketball since Mount during the mid 1990’s so your underachieving statement is downright ignorant.
Hoops I am still not seeing a real difference. The star players from both Section 1 and CHSFL are very equal in terms of where they go. It doesn’t matter where the school recruits from, what matters is the quality of the program. The studs you mention are not as common as one would think. You can name them all, just like someone can in Section 1. CHSFL make get more stars over time but that should happen based on the bright lights and advantages right? Look if I was a stud, I would go the CHSFL root, but again not the point.
Star players can garner the same attention home than say at Iona. I stand by that.
By the way good read on Poole. Willie was a solid hoops player too. )
Iona never said it didn’t impact public schools. We are talking about Private/catholic schools. Hoops mentioned enrollment when it came to Step or Iona vs a bigger private. That is where I disagreed. And I honestly think I am right. What matters in those sitatuions is who gets the best players. You know it and so do I. I am 100% with you on it impacting publics..
I missed Westchester 1 post and when I went back. I do agree that the enrollment thing needs to be dropped when talking about advantages within privates. I said it in my last post, but you would have to agree with that. It shouldn’t have been brought up.
Personally I think the underachieving comment is silly. Both schools represent well and are a joy to have in the area. But when dealing with athletic first catholic/private schools they belive in quality not quantity. Publics are the reverse.
Section 1,
We’ve discussed before that guys like Ray Rice and Courtney Greene were underrecruited despite playing at the best program in Section 1. Would they have been more widely recruited at Don Bosco or St Anthony’s, LI – I think the answer is yes and thats no disrespect to New Rochlle (amazing program), just a statement on the reality of recruiting in this area.
To put it in purely statistical terms over the past 20 years.
every ten years there is one national-type recruit from Section 1 (maldonado, Owens2 total)About 1 kid every year from Westchester/Rockland has averaged a major conference 1A scholarship19 kids over 20 years (I assume I’m forgetting at least 1 or 2) named above including Terry Baltimore and UCONN (a new major conference school that recruits NY). If you are that 1 kid every year that has a shot at a 1A offer – keep in mind there hasn’t been a 1A kid in the past 2-3 years and probably won’t be one this year – you are basically set into receiving scholarship offers from one of the following schools that recruit Section 1 – Syracuse, Rutgers, UCONN, Penn State and Temple. Two quick facts, when Bernstein and Weininger were recruited to Wisconsin, Wisc’s recruiting coordinator was a Stepinac grad, Rob Ianello, now the recruiting coordinator at Notre Dame. When Barry Alvarez left Wisc they seemed to stop recruiting NY altogether. I included Maryland above, but the two local HS kids to sign there out of HS were from Iona and Stepinac (Cummings and Ogbogu), Maldonado (obviously Maryland’s coach is a Harrison grad, Ralph Friedgen) transferred in. Also, the one other wildcard was Nealon Greene who went to Clemson from Lincoln. I think when Nealon went to Clemson, one of their assistant coaches was an Iona Prep guy, Rob Spence.So Once-a-year-type stars from Section 1 over the last 20 years will get one of five scholarship offers – largely speaking. Just realized you can add Tre Johnson from Peekskill/Temple to that list, Derek Dennis/Peekskill/Trinity Pawling/Temple and Maurice Minter/Oss/Syracuse. Also remembered a couple of the names I mentioned went to prep schools or JUCOS first, such as Minter, Dennis, Leverette, Wilcher.
The CHSFL sends roughly 3-5 kids a year to 1A schools. I think 4 last year and 4 commited so far this year, but could be more this year. In addition to regularly having kids at Penn State, Boston College, Syracuse, Rutgers, Temple, Wisconsin, Maryland – the CHSFL also regularly has kids at schools like Michigan and UVA as well as on a more occasional basis at schools like Georgia Tech, Iowa, NC State. So my point is that even superstars from Section 1 (besides the once a decade type player) don’t get the offers from Michigan, UVA, GA Tech, NC State, Iowa, Boston College, Maryland, etc, etc. Do you see what I mean? This is no knock on Section 1 whatsoever, just an observation of what has happened over the past 20 years in Section 1 with supporting facts.
Section 1,
We’re splitting hairs. Yes, I agree Section 1 stars (about 1 a year) will still get/can get 1A offers and looks. My point is that those looks will come from 5 local 1A schools that recruit Section 1 with the exception of the once a decade type player. Yes, the CHSFL has more 1A players – not making that point. But I am saying, the equivalent star at Mount/St Anthony’s/etc will get the same 5 potential offers as the Section 1 superstar, plus potentially from Michigan, Maryland, Boston College, Iowa, UVA, GA Tech and even twice from USC. I think there is a definite difference there with the additional looks. So I do think there is a difference getting offers just from 5 main schools as opposed to getting offers from 12 main schools. The next step is the superstar from a NJ catholic will get offers from EVERYONE, literally dozens of schools. I’m not trying to toot the horn of the CHSFL, because in comparison the NJ Catholics are on another level up overall.
p.s. Willie Poole was without a doubt one of the best athletes in New York City in a long time.
I appreciate the detail and info, but this really is proving a point that you created, not the initial topic. I am solely talking about star players. Those star players could have gone to any single school you mentioned. Then the great players still goes to the secnond tier of school you mention. In the end does the CHSFL have more kids getting recruited..YES. But it is due to the type of athlete not because of the league he plays in. And again I stand by that. The average CHSFL player will go to Cortland or American just like a Section 1 kid will.
I hate to break it too you, but it really isn’t that much of difference. And take St. Anthonys out of the mix. Then what? It may be equal in terms of studs.
By the way. Lets not forget about Rueben Frank this year. Uconn is a solid program. And the kid from Roosevelt is being recruited by big time schools. Look we can name the studs each year. It is the players not the overall competiton or programs. See what I mean? Look I think the CHSFL is top notch and better over than Section 1. I am not a fool or ignorant. But the star player and recrutiment aspect isn’t different.
Again CHSFL has more players going at this time, but it has nothing to do with the league, it has to do with the players.
Westchester 1,
You come off as such a naive, country bumpkin its not even funny. yes, Rice and CTK are better than Iona/Stepinac, no one disagrees. But I’ve answered it several times before. A) those two schools are heavy into recruiting and most importantly B) Rice (Harlem/Bronx) and CTK (all of Brooklyn/Queens) have much, much more fertile grounds from which their players/students matriculate from. There is little comparison. The best players from Queens/Brooklyn or Bronx/Manhattan will 99 times out of a 100 be better than the best in Westchester. And keep in mind, the best players in Westchester generally are in Mt Vernon and kids aren’t leaving Mt Vernon for any private school.
Section 1,
The difference is this – a once a year type star from Section 1 has at most 5 big-time 1A options (Syracuse, Penn State, Rutgers, UCONN, Temple). Temple isn’t even Big East anymore.
It makes no difference how many 1A players the CHSFL has every year. But take the equivalent star at a CHSFL school and that kid has those same 5 options as the Section 1 star, plus Michigan, BC, UVA, Iowa, NC State, Maryland, etc. Do you agree those extra 5-7 offers/looks make a difference? I do.
Reuben Frank further proves my point, UCONN is one of those 5 schools that look at the best of Section 1. Had Frank signed with North Carolina or Georgia it would’ve helped to disprove my point.
In the case of Walker or Thomas for Roosevelt. I wish them both the best. Both great players, but you and I know there is a big difference between getting “feelers” or “looks” and actually getting scholarship offers. We’ll see what happens with them. If they do go 1A, I bet it is to one of 4 big-time schools I mentioned (Syracuse, Rutgers, Penn State, UCONN) that I mentioned or to the other two 1A’s that recruit locally (Temple, Buffalo).
Just a Fact,
Your actual information on NFL draft picks the last 11 years is great 149-NJ, 124-NJ. Much closer than I expected. NY does have about 19 million people to 11 million in NJ, so on a per capita basis, the #’s are more than 2:1 in NJ’s favor.
I’d also argue this point. While the NFL draft picks are closer than expected the amount of kids of 1A rosters/1A scholarships is far, far in NJ’s favor. I just spent 15 minutes a few minutes ago looking up 1A rosters (Notre Dame, Florida, USC, Miami, Boston College, Ohio State) – the advantange in players NJ has over NY on 1A rosters is probably at least close to 2:1 if not more so – thats not on a per capita basis either.
See the point, but disgree because the star players that we call stars got other looks outside of those 5 schools. If your that good you get seen. Case in point, Fred went to Stanford. Similar to Poole and USC. Barely happens… Also I think you are over valuing some of the colleges who give extra looks. Virginia and they have done what? Rutgers has been more successful as of late. So I guess CHSFL will bring more schools to the table, but we aren’t agreeing on the quality of them(athletically not academically)
With Roosevelt, it is the receiver that is being heavily recruited. Not those players. And Temple just became bowl eligible, so they are on the rise. Solid coach…
Boy would I like to be a fly on the wall in Hoops Fan’s head.
First you would hear the voices inside his head.
What is that? Who is that? Who said that?
Wake up Hoops. Its your man IonaPower. You have been exposed as a fake. You make no sense anymore my man. You’re even embarrasing me. Get a grip.
I said that size matters Iona P and I look like a fool now. Someone actually had sense to not believe me and looked it up.
I said it too hoops, but you are a bag of wind and now the gig is up. Everyone knows it but you. You know what Hoops my man. You’ve been on offense all year and now you are on defense. What defense are you in.
I am in the 3/4 say anything defense and I’m losing 150-0.
Football Giant. Thanks on the clarification on the Roosevelt kid… Hoops I do see your point. I tend to agree with you but Football Giant brings a side that makes sense as well….
Sec1,
You have a great memory and really know your stuff. I’ve been looking forward to responding to you all day – just been too busy remember more names. Yes, Tommy DePaso was a great player at White Plains and a very good LB at Penn State. You mentioned Bowers and Monk were on the same team. Wasn’t Saldi on that team too? If not, Saldi and DePaso must’ve been teammates. I give credit to someone else, I think it was DutchessFBFan, on mentioning many names from UTEP – I couldn’t remember all the names. But here are a few others from UTEP; McKenna/Stepinac, Lipscomb/Gorton, Pufahl/Roosevelt. Quercetti/Mahopac, Manfredonia/Mahopac, McEsker/Mahopac, Stagliano/Westlake, Morra/John Jay, Randy Forrest/New Ro.
Here are a couple other White Plains names from the 80’s – Wayne Charles/Duke, Ricky Edwards/Northwestern, and another big guy who apparently went to Hawaii, Morgan. I don’t remember Morgan’s first name or where he went to school, but another poster recently mentioned he went to Hawaii – not bad if you like surfing and bikinis.
I have a question for you. My memory is great in some points and spotty in others. New Ro had that great string of 5 1A players over two classes recently (Rice, Lee, Greene, Douglas and Campbell) and I don’t think has had any 1A players since. I thought of Randy Forrest at UTEP and Ben Jefferson at Maryland from New Ro in the early 80’s, but I can’t think of any 1A players from New Ro between Jefferson/Forrest and Rice & Co. 20+ years later. There must’ve been at least a few. Who am I forgetting???
Football Giant,
You obviously know your stuff. But have any of those 20 guys I memtioned had many looks outside of the handful of schools mentioned? I really can’t think of any. Rice was down to Syracuse, Rutgers. Greene and Lee had the same two schools. I mentioned Stanford as exception type of school – due to their extreme academic requirements they recruit agnostically on a national level…any kid on a certain level academically will get a look if they’re a serious player – Northwestern is very similar.
My examples of Poole (CTK) and Hazelton (Moore Catholic) ending up at USC were more examples of once a decade type HS players in the CHSFL – equivalent to Maldonado/Owens in Section 1. Hazelton was by some considered #1 HS player in America.
Interesting info about Pritchett at Roosevelt. We hear so much about Thomas and Walker, yet relatively little about him. What info can you share? I know he’s about 6’2” and a junior. I’m sure he’ll get looks, if he’s not already getting them. My point is that on a 95%-type basis, his scholarship options will be Penn State, UCONN, Syracuse, Rutgers, Temple, Buffalo, maybe Maryland.
To your point about me overvaluing scholarship offers from Michigan, UVA, Iowa, GA Tech, BC, Maryland. None of those 6 are Flordia or USC, agreed. But over the past 20 years Michigan has played in several Rose Bowls, won a national title, two Heismans – not bad. UVA is a bit enigmatic, but a great academic school (like U of M) and has had many 1st round NFL picks, including LI’s DBrickashaw Ferguson. GA Tech is ranked Top 10. Iowa is ranked Top 10. Boston College plays in a Bowl game almost every year and had a ton of draft picks. Maryland has seen plenty of Bowls and has had many draft picks including Stepinac’s Eric Ogbogu. I’m not saying those 6 schools are the 6 premier programs in America, but they are pretty good and much better than Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple and UCONN.
Fly on the Wall,
Do something with yourself…anything…just do something
Section 1,
There is one misconception of yours I’d like to correct. YOu seem to think the majority of the CHSFL 1A players come from St Anthony’s, they’ve certainly had several – Michigan, two at Maryland, Rutgers, UVA and one heading to Syracuse that I know of. But there are players and teams from all over the CHSFL at major schools. Off the top of my head there are young current NFL players from the following schools – Hayes, Christ the King, Chaminade, Holy Cross. There are two 1A freshmen (Purdue/UVA) from Xaverian and another from there heading to Syracuse next year. Hayes has a freshman OG at Pitt, and another RB heading to Syracuse next year and a WR uncommitted. Holy Cross has a OL heading to UVA, another at UVA and a Junior WR uncommitted. Mount has a DL at Iowa and a LB at Army. Farrell has a couple guys at 1A schools as does Kellenberg, Chaminade. I don’t know about St Joseph’s by the Sea and Holy Trinity, but if they don’t already have any guys, I’m sure they will soon. St Francis Prep – I don’t know about them right now – but they’ve had likely more than anyone on a 1A or NFL level from any program in NYS over the years.
section 1
thanks for giving me credit for starting this debate because there seems to be some real passion on both sides of the issue and that is why we all read the blogs because we want to see want other people think.
ps- i believe bosco has an enrollment of about 825 boys.
pss- good idea whoever came up with that league breakdown and playoff idea to create better games
Good info, I am surprised there are as many from other schools like that.
In the end more players are getting bigger looks out of CHSFL. But I kind of think that is a foreone conclussion. I never disputed the division as a whole and the excellent football it brings to the table. I just tend to think people under estimate Section 1 as a whole. And in reality it may get better. If Spring Valleys coach gets those kids on the right path, watch out.
Hoops Fan
Thanks for the comp, which comes with my age lol. I will have to think about other players from New Roch, in my eailer post I brought up the UTep player could not remember McEskers name who did ay for the Chagers.. Also Great player from Sec1, from Peekskill Bill Thomas Boston College and Dallas Cowboys # 1 Draft choice, also from Peekskill Eliot Artis WCC/ Temple and of great wrestler..
Section 1,
We definitely agree that Section 1 as a whole is underrated by some. Here’s an amazing fact – three players from New Ro’s recent championship team – Ray Rice, Courtney Greene and Andre Douglas – were on NFL rosters this year – that is unbelievable for any HS. Glenroy Lee was probably a training camp cut. I also agree more kids get bigger, better looks coming out of the CHSFL. I also agree that if Spring Valley and Ramapo turn things in the right direction they could be two of the best programs in Section 1.
Sec1,
Let me know if you think of anyone from New Rochelle – I still can’t think of any names from the mid-80’s to the Ray Rice years. I can’t even remember any All-County caliber players from New Rochelle during those years. I guess I followed White Plains much more closely during those years due to their rivalry with Stepinac – I could name many players from the same years at WPHS. An older New Ro name I just thought of that you’ll probably remember is Bill Ellenbogen who played at UVA or Va Tech, then played a few years in the NFL. I also thought of, including Seth Joyner from Spring Valley/UTEP – John Harvey who also played in the NFL a year or two.
Bill Thomas from Peekskill is an all-time Section 1 great. I think he was a few years behind Bob Hyland at Boston College. Eliot Artis is another great name that I haven’t heard in decades.
Hoops Fan
Jay Saldi was a senior Tommy Depaso was a Soph Sam Bowers Freshman Art Monk 8th grade.. One player from New Rochelle who went to IONA Prep great player Dick Ambrose 9yrs Clevland Browns
Ambrose was a very good pro. That is some stretch of players for WP in the early-mid 70’s. I assume Bowers didn’t play varsity as a freshman. But that would mean one year DePaso was a Sr, Bowers was a Jr and Monk a soph – wow. I can’t remember if Monk was a big contributor as a soph, I tend to think he must’ve been. Lester Gordon is another big name from New Ro/Ohio State from the early 70’s. I’m trying to think of some others from the same time period.
Hoops Fan
Another player from New Rochelle George Starke Columbia/ Washington Redskins 12yrs. A player of note Tommy Lee Arch Bishop Step Idaho St/ Jets
Tommy Lee was from Yorktown
Hoops Fan
Bob Hyland BC-67 Bill Thomas BC-72 also Tommy Lee was from Yorktown
Sec1,
I’m a Stepinac grad so I remember Hyland and Lee’s playing days very well. George Starke was another great lineman and was also an outstanding basketball player. I think he played on some excellent basketball teams at Columbia with Jim McMillan