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FiveBoroSports.com All-Queens football honors
By FiveBoroSports.com December 25, 2008
It was an encouraging year for Queens football, a standout regular season and surprising postseason. Holy Cross, led by its dominant, shutdown defense, finished third in CHSFL Class AAA, although the Knights were upset by No. 6 Chaminade in the playoffs. St. Francis Prep enjoyed some fine moments as well, knocking off rival Cross in the Battle of the Boulevard.
In the PSAL, four Queens teams – Campus Magnet, Bayside, Beach Channel and Flushing – made the 16-team city championship playoffs, with No. 15 BC shocking No. 2 Curtis in the opening round. Far Rockaway made the Cup Division final, falling short to George Washington.
QUEENS FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Terrence Coon, Holy Cross
Is there anything Terrence Coon can’t do on a football field? When Holy Cross needed a big defensive play, the senior often delivered – he had a league-high nine interceptions and many he took to the house for a momentum-changing touchdown. Looking for a touchdown run? Coon did that, too.
Not only was he the most dominant defensive secondary player in the league, Coon has tremendous football instincts. That credit goes to his father, Tommy, an assistant coach at Holy Cross. Whichever college gives Coon a chance will be thanking us on Saturday afternoons.
“He’s a playmaker. There’s a lot to be said about being a coach’s son, having a brother (Tyrell) go through the program,” Holy Cross coach Tom Pugh said. “He understands the game. A lot of kids today don’t understand the game. They understand how to play, but they don’t understand the game. He knows to be in the right spot at the right time.”
QUEENS FOOTBALL COACH OF THE YEAR
Victor Nazario, Beach Channel
What the Dolphins did during the regular season alone would have gained Nazario consideration for this honor. Beach Channel went 8-1 as a Level 3 team and got into the 16-team City Championship playoffs. But it’s what BC did in those playoffs that has not only earned Nazario the FiveBoroSports.com Queens Coach of the Year distinction, but etched his – and the Dolphins’ – name in PSAL history.
In the first round of the playoffs, Beach Channel, the 15th seed, traveled to No. 2 Curtis, the defending PSAL city champion, and beat the Warriors, 8-0, in a driving rain. Word of the unimaginable upset spread throughout the city and the prevailing reaction was disbelief. But believe it: Nazario made his players believe they could go into Staten Island and beat big, bad Curtis. And that’s just what the Dolphins did.
“I can believe it; you guys are the ones who couldn’t,” Nazario said of the media and the pundits after the big win. “I always did.”
ALL-QUEENS FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB Damir Dukanovic, Bayside
The strong-armed quarterback set the borough afire with his long touchdown passes. He threw for 2,371 yards and 21 touchdowns, but more importantly led the Commodores back, not only to respectability after a two-win season, but to the 16-team City Championship playoffs.
RB Gregory Ibe, Far Rockaway
His senior season obviously didn’t end as he hoped – an overtime loss to George Washington in the Cup Division final – but Ibe was the MVP, in our opinion, of the league. He ran for 1,090 yards and scored 16 touchdowns, while also serving as Far Rock’s defensive linchpin at middle linebacker, making 60 tackles and compiling three sacks.
RB Bobby Dougherty, St. Francis Prep
Coming into the season, Dougherty’s teammate in the backfield, Tristan Akong, was getting the majority of the attention. But the 5-foot-10, 178-pound senior carved his own identity this season – no longer was he second banana to Akong. Dougherty was particularly enormous in a 17-7 win against archrival Holy Cross. The Battle of the Boulevard is always the biggest game of the season and it was Dougherty scoring the key, momentum-turning touchdown, on a 23-yard end around, to lift the Terriers to victory.
RB Will Hunter, Christ the King
The future is extremely bright for Christ the King and Hunter is one of the biggest reasons. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound junior will only be bigger and better next season – and hopefully he won’t be plagued by the injury problems that almost mired his 2008 season.
RB Jahleek Austin, Beach Channel
The Dolphins had three fine running backs – Turran Rhodes and Jacquaan Matherson were the others – but Austin stood out most. In his first season up from the junior varsity, the speedy junior was third among Level 3 backs with 820 rushing yards. He was also tied for third, with Flushing’s Willie Lincifort, with six touchdowns. Austin is one of the main reasons Queens Coach of the Year Victor Nazario is excited about next year after orchestrating the biggest upset in PSAL playoffs history.
RB Christen Joyner, Flushing
Talk about making up for lost time. In his first year of varsity football, the 5-foot-11 senior led Flushing, in its second year with a varsity program, to the 16-team City Championship postseason. The Campus Magnet transfer ran for 1,134 yards and 13 touchdowns.
OL Dwayne Brown, Bayside
The Commodores offense was able to pile up such prolific numbers because its offensive line was so impenetrable. Brown, a dominant left tackle, was the backbone of that consistent group in addition to starring at defensive end. Now, he’s a key figure off the bench for boys’ basketball coach Cory Semper.
OL Mauritius Vogel, Christ the King
Running back Will Hunter and quarterback Terrel Hunt were always threats to break off big plays for the Royals. But who do you think was opening up the holes? That job went to Vogel, a three-year starter for coach Kevin Kelly. The 6-foot-2, 280-pound mountain of a senior was a beast at the point of attack and more athletic than met the eye.
WR Jonathan (Panama) Achab-Syms, Campus Magnet
Achab-Syms became the playmaker coach Eric Barnett sorely needed, a deep threat out wide and ferocious blocker. He caught six touchdown passes and hauled in 20 receptions for 370 yards, leading the Bulldogs to the playoffs. Several Division I-AA schools are after the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder, including Stony Brook, Wagner and C.W. Post. Panama was more than just a receiver, though – he excelled on special teams as one of the best place kickers in the PSAL.
WR Onur Gurbuz, Bayside
There may not have been a more versatile player than Gurbuz, one of the best inside linebackers in the city, a dangerous threat at wide receiver, punter and kicker. Bayside’s emotional leader, he had six sacks, 58 tackles, one defensive touchdown, league-highs of 44 receptions (for 731 yards) and nine touchdown catches and returned one kick for a score.
WR Tariq Tongue, Holy Cross
Because he wasn’t blessed with the typical wide-receiver’s frame – he is 5-foot-9 and 162 pounds – Tongue has worked hard on trying to master the idiosyncrasies of the position to gain an edge over bigger, taller receivers. His combination of knowledge and work ethic has helped separate Tongue not only from defensive backs, but also from other receivers in the CHSFL.
“If you’re a small receiver, you have to compensate for your lack of size,” Pugh said. “He catches the ball, all his routes are precise. … He’s so fast and his body is a muscle.”
ALL-QUEENS FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL Leston Simpson, Campus Magnet
Division I and I-AA schools are extremely interested in the dominant 6-foot-5, 215-pound defensive end. As a senior, he spearheaded the Campus Magnet defense, finishing with 57 tackles, six sacks, two fumble recoveries and one interception.
DL Fred Dugard, St. Francis Prep
After an outstanding senior season, Dugard didn’t quit. He came back and won the defensive MVP award for the Island team at the CHSFL Senior Bowl. The 5-foot-11, 213-pound Dugard had an unstoppable motor – he never gave up on plays. Whenever St. Francis Prep needed something big on the defensive end, the unit’s heart and soul came up huge every time.
“That’s why he’s a captain,” running back Bobby Dougherty said of Dugard after the Cross game. “He propelled the defense today. He played a tremendous game, kept us in the game and forced a couple of fumbles. On the defensive side, he was our main guy. He proved today why he is our captain and why he’s the leader of our defense, too.”
DL Ben Antoine, Long Island City
A pass-rushing demon, Antoine was third among Level 3 players with seven sacks. He may stand just 5-foot-9 and weigh only 187 pounds, but the senior gets the most out of his slight build.
DL Richard Volini, St. Francis Prep
The Terriers’ defense was extremely underrated – it was ranked fifth in CHSFL Class AAA. Volini might be the poster boy for that underrated label. Most people know all about Fred Dugard, but the 5-foot-10, 221-pound senior was a great run stuffer on the defensive line and got to the quarterback when needed, too.
LB Chris O’Connor, St. Francis Prep
Why wouldn’t O’Connor be a great linebacker for St. Francis Prep? It’s a family tradition. His brother Shane was a star at the position for the Terriers not too long ago and Chris was just following in his footsteps. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound senior rarely made a mistake and always made the open-field tackle.
LB Reggie Francklin, Holy Cross
Surely junior running backs around the CHSFL are breathing a sigh of relief this holiday season because they don’t have to see big No. 15 on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Perhaps no one hit harder in the CHSFL than Francklin, a 6-foot, 224-pound beast of a linebacker. Late in the season the Hofstra-bound Francklin also became an unstoppable running back.
LB Travis Scott, Beach Channel
No team had a better defensive performance than Beach Channel’s in an 8-6 win against Curtis in the first round of the PSAL City Championship playoffs. Scott, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound senior, had nine tackles and a fumble recovery against the defending PSAL titleholder. It was just a continuation of what he did all season.
LB Martin Thomas, Campus Magnet
A monster at middle linebacker and fullback, Thomas was a load for everyone who faced the Bulldogs. He had 66 tackles and three sacks, numbers that don’t tell the complete story of a two-year starter who is still developing. Division I-AA program are calling for him, too.
LB Travis Quarless, Holy Cross
Holy Cross had the most opportunistic defense in the league and Quarless, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound hard-hitting linebacker was one of the leaders of the group. The Knights shut down some of the league’s premier running backs, including Fordham Prep’s Bruce Grant and Maurice Easterling of Stepinac. Quarless, part of one of the best linebacking corps in the city, was a major reason why.
DB Dean Marlowe, Holy Cross
With Terrence Coon running back an interception for a touchdown seemingly every weekend, CHSFL coaches looked to go in a different direction. But throwing toward Dean Marlowe proved to be a fatal mistake. Yet another game-changer on the Holy Cross defense, the 6-foot, 156-pound defensive back was just as dangerous on special teams where he was one of the league’s best returners.
DB Deon Frazier, Flushing
There may not be any one player who has helped the Flushing program more than Frazier. He was a rock for them at quarterback last year as a Cup Division team and became one of Level 3’s top playmakers this year. He threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more at QB, but it was at cornerback – where the 5-foot-9 junior had a team-high five interceptions – that truly ignited the Red Devils.
ALL-QUEENS FIRST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
K Nick Copelli, St. Francis Prep
Winter is the season to rest for Copelli. In the fall, the 6-foot, 180-pound senior is one of the St. Francis Prep boys’ soccer team’s star players and the football team’s excellent kicker. In the spring, Copelli is the baseball team’s starting first baseman and middle-of-the-order power hitter.
ALL-QUEENS HONORABLE MENTION
OFFENSE
QB Ben Burrello, Beach Channel
QB Terrel Hunt, Christ the King
QB Nico Ramirez, St. Francis Prep
RB Wildecson Lincifort, Flushing
RB Tristran Akong, St. Francis Prep
RB Anthony Roberts, Campus Magnet
WR Mark Taylor, Long Island City
WR Kory Dildy, Bayside
Defense
DL Dale Cadington, Holy Cross
DL Chris Brathwaite, Holy Cross
DL Martin Garces, Info Tech
LB D.J. Curry, Bayside
LB Michael Eaton, St. Francis Prep
LB Brandon Wilson, John Adams
DB Daniel Marc, Far Rockaway
FiveBoroSports.com All-City and All-Boro football honorees this week
Wednesday: Bronx/Manhattan
Thursday: Queens
Friday: Brooklyn and Staten Island
Saturday: All-City
*A player cannot be an All-Boro Player of the Year and the All-City Player of the Year
fiveborosports@gmail.com
QUEENS FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Terrence Coon, Holy Cross
Is there anything Terrence Coon can’t do on a football field? When Holy Cross needed a big defensive play, the senior often delivered – he had a league-high nine interceptions and many he took to the house for a momentum-changing touchdown. Looking for a touchdown run? Coon did that, too.
Not only was he the most dominant defensive secondary player in the league, Coon has tremendous football instincts. That credit goes to his father, Tommy, an assistant coach at Holy Cross. Whichever college gives Coon a chance will be thanking us on Saturday afternoons.
“He’s a playmaker. There’s a lot to be said about being a coach’s son, having a brother (Tyrell) go through the program,” Holy Cross coach Tom Pugh said. “He understands the game. A lot of kids today don’t understand the game. They understand how to play, but they don’t understand the game. He knows to be in the right spot at the right time.”
QUEENS FOOTBALL COACH OF THE YEAR
Victor Nazario, Beach Channel
What the Dolphins did during the regular season alone would have gained Nazario consideration for this honor. Beach Channel went 8-1 as a Level 3 team and got into the 16-team City Championship playoffs. But it’s what BC did in those playoffs that has not only earned Nazario the FiveBoroSports.com Queens Coach of the Year distinction, but etched his – and the Dolphins’ – name in PSAL history.
In the first round of the playoffs, Beach Channel, the 15th seed, traveled to No. 2 Curtis, the defending PSAL city champion, and beat the Warriors, 8-0, in a driving rain. Word of the unimaginable upset spread throughout the city and the prevailing reaction was disbelief. But believe it: Nazario made his players believe they could go into Staten Island and beat big, bad Curtis. And that’s just what the Dolphins did.
“I can believe it; you guys are the ones who couldn’t,” Nazario said of the media and the pundits after the big win. “I always did.”
ALL-QUEENS FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB Damir Dukanovic, Bayside
The strong-armed quarterback set the borough afire with his long touchdown passes. He threw for 2,371 yards and 21 touchdowns, but more importantly led the Commodores back, not only to respectability after a two-win season, but to the 16-team City Championship playoffs.
RB Gregory Ibe, Far Rockaway
His senior season obviously didn’t end as he hoped – an overtime loss to George Washington in the Cup Division final – but Ibe was the MVP, in our opinion, of the league. He ran for 1,090 yards and scored 16 touchdowns, while also serving as Far Rock’s defensive linchpin at middle linebacker, making 60 tackles and compiling three sacks.
RB Bobby Dougherty, St. Francis Prep
Coming into the season, Dougherty’s teammate in the backfield, Tristan Akong, was getting the majority of the attention. But the 5-foot-10, 178-pound senior carved his own identity this season – no longer was he second banana to Akong. Dougherty was particularly enormous in a 17-7 win against archrival Holy Cross. The Battle of the Boulevard is always the biggest game of the season and it was Dougherty scoring the key, momentum-turning touchdown, on a 23-yard end around, to lift the Terriers to victory.
RB Will Hunter, Christ the King
The future is extremely bright for Christ the King and Hunter is one of the biggest reasons. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound junior will only be bigger and better next season – and hopefully he won’t be plagued by the injury problems that almost mired his 2008 season.
RB Jahleek Austin, Beach Channel
The Dolphins had three fine running backs – Turran Rhodes and Jacquaan Matherson were the others – but Austin stood out most. In his first season up from the junior varsity, the speedy junior was third among Level 3 backs with 820 rushing yards. He was also tied for third, with Flushing’s Willie Lincifort, with six touchdowns. Austin is one of the main reasons Queens Coach of the Year Victor Nazario is excited about next year after orchestrating the biggest upset in PSAL playoffs history.
RB Christen Joyner, Flushing
Talk about making up for lost time. In his first year of varsity football, the 5-foot-11 senior led Flushing, in its second year with a varsity program, to the 16-team City Championship postseason. The Campus Magnet transfer ran for 1,134 yards and 13 touchdowns.
OL Dwayne Brown, Bayside
The Commodores offense was able to pile up such prolific numbers because its offensive line was so impenetrable. Brown, a dominant left tackle, was the backbone of that consistent group in addition to starring at defensive end. Now, he’s a key figure off the bench for boys’ basketball coach Cory Semper.
OL Mauritius Vogel, Christ the King
Running back Will Hunter and quarterback Terrel Hunt were always threats to break off big plays for the Royals. But who do you think was opening up the holes? That job went to Vogel, a three-year starter for coach Kevin Kelly. The 6-foot-2, 280-pound mountain of a senior was a beast at the point of attack and more athletic than met the eye.
WR Jonathan (Panama) Achab-Syms, Campus Magnet
Achab-Syms became the playmaker coach Eric Barnett sorely needed, a deep threat out wide and ferocious blocker. He caught six touchdown passes and hauled in 20 receptions for 370 yards, leading the Bulldogs to the playoffs. Several Division I-AA schools are after the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder, including Stony Brook, Wagner and C.W. Post. Panama was more than just a receiver, though – he excelled on special teams as one of the best place kickers in the PSAL.
WR Onur Gurbuz, Bayside
There may not have been a more versatile player than Gurbuz, one of the best inside linebackers in the city, a dangerous threat at wide receiver, punter and kicker. Bayside’s emotional leader, he had six sacks, 58 tackles, one defensive touchdown, league-highs of 44 receptions (for 731 yards) and nine touchdown catches and returned one kick for a score.
WR Tariq Tongue, Holy Cross
Because he wasn’t blessed with the typical wide-receiver’s frame – he is 5-foot-9 and 162 pounds – Tongue has worked hard on trying to master the idiosyncrasies of the position to gain an edge over bigger, taller receivers. His combination of knowledge and work ethic has helped separate Tongue not only from defensive backs, but also from other receivers in the CHSFL.
“If you’re a small receiver, you have to compensate for your lack of size,” Pugh said. “He catches the ball, all his routes are precise. … He’s so fast and his body is a muscle.”
ALL-QUEENS FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL Leston Simpson, Campus Magnet
Division I and I-AA schools are extremely interested in the dominant 6-foot-5, 215-pound defensive end. As a senior, he spearheaded the Campus Magnet defense, finishing with 57 tackles, six sacks, two fumble recoveries and one interception.
DL Fred Dugard, St. Francis Prep
After an outstanding senior season, Dugard didn’t quit. He came back and won the defensive MVP award for the Island team at the CHSFL Senior Bowl. The 5-foot-11, 213-pound Dugard had an unstoppable motor – he never gave up on plays. Whenever St. Francis Prep needed something big on the defensive end, the unit’s heart and soul came up huge every time.
“That’s why he’s a captain,” running back Bobby Dougherty said of Dugard after the Cross game. “He propelled the defense today. He played a tremendous game, kept us in the game and forced a couple of fumbles. On the defensive side, he was our main guy. He proved today why he is our captain and why he’s the leader of our defense, too.”
DL Ben Antoine, Long Island City
A pass-rushing demon, Antoine was third among Level 3 players with seven sacks. He may stand just 5-foot-9 and weigh only 187 pounds, but the senior gets the most out of his slight build.
DL Richard Volini, St. Francis Prep
The Terriers’ defense was extremely underrated – it was ranked fifth in CHSFL Class AAA. Volini might be the poster boy for that underrated label. Most people know all about Fred Dugard, but the 5-foot-10, 221-pound senior was a great run stuffer on the defensive line and got to the quarterback when needed, too.
LB Chris O’Connor, St. Francis Prep
Why wouldn’t O’Connor be a great linebacker for St. Francis Prep? It’s a family tradition. His brother Shane was a star at the position for the Terriers not too long ago and Chris was just following in his footsteps. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound senior rarely made a mistake and always made the open-field tackle.
LB Reggie Francklin, Holy Cross
Surely junior running backs around the CHSFL are breathing a sigh of relief this holiday season because they don’t have to see big No. 15 on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Perhaps no one hit harder in the CHSFL than Francklin, a 6-foot, 224-pound beast of a linebacker. Late in the season the Hofstra-bound Francklin also became an unstoppable running back.
LB Travis Scott, Beach Channel
No team had a better defensive performance than Beach Channel’s in an 8-6 win against Curtis in the first round of the PSAL City Championship playoffs. Scott, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound senior, had nine tackles and a fumble recovery against the defending PSAL titleholder. It was just a continuation of what he did all season.
LB Martin Thomas, Campus Magnet
A monster at middle linebacker and fullback, Thomas was a load for everyone who faced the Bulldogs. He had 66 tackles and three sacks, numbers that don’t tell the complete story of a two-year starter who is still developing. Division I-AA program are calling for him, too.
LB Travis Quarless, Holy Cross
Holy Cross had the most opportunistic defense in the league and Quarless, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound hard-hitting linebacker was one of the leaders of the group. The Knights shut down some of the league’s premier running backs, including Fordham Prep’s Bruce Grant and Maurice Easterling of Stepinac. Quarless, part of one of the best linebacking corps in the city, was a major reason why.
DB Dean Marlowe, Holy Cross
With Terrence Coon running back an interception for a touchdown seemingly every weekend, CHSFL coaches looked to go in a different direction. But throwing toward Dean Marlowe proved to be a fatal mistake. Yet another game-changer on the Holy Cross defense, the 6-foot, 156-pound defensive back was just as dangerous on special teams where he was one of the league’s best returners.
DB Deon Frazier, Flushing
There may not be any one player who has helped the Flushing program more than Frazier. He was a rock for them at quarterback last year as a Cup Division team and became one of Level 3’s top playmakers this year. He threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more at QB, but it was at cornerback – where the 5-foot-9 junior had a team-high five interceptions – that truly ignited the Red Devils.
ALL-QUEENS FIRST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
K Nick Copelli, St. Francis Prep
Winter is the season to rest for Copelli. In the fall, the 6-foot, 180-pound senior is one of the St. Francis Prep boys’ soccer team’s star players and the football team’s excellent kicker. In the spring, Copelli is the baseball team’s starting first baseman and middle-of-the-order power hitter.
ALL-QUEENS HONORABLE MENTION
OFFENSE
QB Ben Burrello, Beach Channel
QB Terrel Hunt, Christ the King
QB Nico Ramirez, St. Francis Prep
RB Wildecson Lincifort, Flushing
RB Tristran Akong, St. Francis Prep
RB Anthony Roberts, Campus Magnet
WR Mark Taylor, Long Island City
WR Kory Dildy, Bayside
Defense
DL Dale Cadington, Holy Cross
DL Chris Brathwaite, Holy Cross
DL Martin Garces, Info Tech
LB D.J. Curry, Bayside
LB Michael Eaton, St. Francis Prep
LB Brandon Wilson, John Adams
DB Daniel Marc, Far Rockaway
FiveBoroSports.com All-City and All-Boro football honorees this week
Wednesday: Bronx/Manhattan
Thursday: Queens
Friday: Brooklyn and Staten Island
Saturday: All-City
*A player cannot be an All-Boro Player of the Year and the All-City Player of the Year
fiveborosports@gmail.com