Catholic Football League Selects Award Winners

Four players from the archdiocese received player of the year honors when the Catholic High School Football League announced its 2016 award winners.

Christian Anderson was named the Class AAA Offensive Player of the Year after leading Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx to a berth in the Catholic high school state championship game. The senior threw for 3,653 yards and 37 touchdowns. Anderson, who narrowly missed a state record for passing yards in a season, ran for 10 touchdowns.

Senior defensive lineman Gene Brown of Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains received Class AAA Defensive Player of the Year honors after collecting 81 tackles and five sacks.

In Class AA, Rodney Samson was the Defensive Player of the Year after helping Iona Prep win the Class AA league playoffs. The senior outside linebacker had 96 tackles and eight sacks. The most valuable offensive player of the Class AA playoffs rushed for 1,128 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Quarterback David Keogh of John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers was named Class A Offensive Player of the Year. He was the top Class A passer with 1,846 yards and 14 touchdowns, and ranked among the top five runners with 564 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. The senior ran for five touchdowns and threw for one in a victory over St. Dominic’s in Oyster Bay on Oct. 8.

Here are other award winners from schools in the archdiocese:

Golden Eleven Awards: Rory Kinsella, Xavier High School, Manhattan; Izayah Powell, Archbishop Stepinac; Miraj Patel, Kennedy Catholic; Francis Perry, St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School, Staten Island; and John Rooney, Fordham Prep, the Bronx.

Lieutenant Ronald Winchester Award (Unsung Hero Award): Justin Montoyo, Mount St. Michael Academy, the Bronx.

Metropolitan Football Association Award: Souleymane Camara, Cardinal Hayes; Brandon Gibson, Kennedy Catholic; and Chris Cammarata, St. Joseph by-the-Sea.

Class A Lineman of the Year: Michael Booth, Cardinal Spellman High School, the Bronx.

Here are the all-league honorees from archdiocese schools:

Offense

Archbishop Stepinac: Antonio Giannico, Jonathan Gomez, Brandon Gasparre, Tyger Winston, John Walsh.

Cardinal Hayes: Christian Anderson, Lucas Nunez, Emmanuel Oliver, Terrick Moncrief, Sam Rivera, Carlos Fernandez.

Cardinal Spellman: Rodney N’Guessan, Robert Rodriguez.

Fordham Prep: Matt Valecce, Will Loffredo, Pat Wolff, Joseph Petti.

Iona Prep: Michael Apostolopoulos, Michael DeGasperis, Kl’Shyne Shipmon, Joshua McGugins.

Kennedy Catholic: James Wieder Jr., Ed Longest, David Keogh

Msgr. Farrell High School, Staten Island: Gavin Monreale, Frank Patalano, Noah Lancia, Rocco Miraglia, Paul Inzerillo.

Moore Catholic High School, Staten Island: Justin Lacks, Tedi Kushi.

Mount St. Michael: Bryson Welch

St. Joseph by-the-Sea: Francis Perry, Dominick Anderson, Chris Simermeyer

St. Peter’s: Bobby Wing, Roger Montalvo.

Xavier: Jalen Johnson and Ifeanyi Emeh.

Defense

Archbishop Stepinac: Gene Brown, Louis Blackwell, Devonte Myles, Izayah Powell.

Cardinal Hayes: Damir Bligen, Jay-len Anderson.

Cardinal Spellman: Eric Berrios.

Fordham Prep: Matt Conlon.

Iona Prep: Rodney Samson Jr., Malkelm Morrison.

Msgr. Farrell: John Kelly III, Sean Koppenheffer, Adley Raboy, Chris Tallerico.

Moore Catholic: Mausari Miller.

Mount St. Michael: Justin Montoyo, Micah Jobson, Marquis Jimenez.

St. Joseph by-the-Sea: Matthew Gildersleeve, Robert Tarantola, Carlos Hernandez.

St. Peter’s Boys’ High School, Staten Island: A.J. Mistler, Nick Volpe, Christian Croner, John Martinos, Dan Heaney , Ryan Thatcher.

Xavier: Rory Kinsella, Malik Fisher, Donovan Shanks