Newsday's All-Long Island football first team 2022
From left: Brady Clark of Bayport-Blue Point, Dante Torres of St. Anthony's and Stevie Finnell of Garden City.
OFFENSE
CARL A. HANSEN AWARD WINNER
QB – Brady Clark, Bayport-Blue Point, 6-2, 185, Sr.
It was a historic season for the Bayport-Blue Point football program, and it started with Brady Clark. He led the Phantoms to the school’s first Long Island Championship title in its first appearance. Clark threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more in a 35-7 win over the defending Class IV champions from North Shore. He passed for a school-record 27 touchdowns and threw only one interception on the way to the school’s first undefeated season.. For his accomplishments, Clark earned the 63rd Carl A. Hansen Award presented to Suffolk’s most outstanding player.
He also won the Boomer Esiason Award as Suffolk’s best quarterback after he passed for a school-record 1,585 yards and completed 91 of 122 passes (74.6%). He rushed for 600 yards and six scores on 70 carries.
"Brady was the complete package at quarterback,” said Bayport-Blue Point coach Mike Zafonte. “He was athletic, intelligent and a team leader. He was the right guy to lead us to the Long Island Championship.”
RICH REICHERT AWARD WINNER
QB – Dante Torres, St. Anthony’s, 6-4, 190, Sr.
St. Anthony’s climbed back on top of the CHSFL after a nine-year absence. The Friars couldn’t have done it without Dante Torres. The Friars earned a 50-18 win over Iona Prep to capture the CHSFL Class AAA crown. Torres threw four touchdown passes to junior Korey Duff Jr. and totaled 509 all-purpose yards. A little more than a week later, St. Anthony’s traveled to the shores of Lake Erie to play St. Francis of Buffalo for the Catholic League’s state championship. Despite a frozen tundra, snow squalls and winds between 40 and 52 miles per hour, Torres led the Friars in an epic comeback from a 20-point, third-quarter deficit to a 27-20 title win. They scored the 27 points, including two short Torres TD runs, in 13 minutes. His leadership and school-record 3,364 yards passing earned him Newsday’s Rich Reichert Award as Long Island’s best Catholic League football player.
"He had an amazing season,” said St. Anthony’s coach Joe Minucci. “The win in Buffalo will go down as one of the best. We battled to pull that one out.”
Torres’ passing yardage was the second highest single-season total in Long Island history. He also threw for 32 TDs and rushed for another 13 scores.
TOM THORP AWARD WINNER
RB – Stevie Finnell, Garden City, 6-2, 195, Sr.
It was hard to tell if Stevie Finnell had a greater impact on offense or defense. He was devastating wherever he lined up. Whether it was stuffing the run or tracking down the quarterback for a sack, Finnell was the monster in the Trojans' shutdown defensive unit. He was a blend of speed and power on the edge and difficult to contain. He also was a powerful running back. Where most backs avoided heavy contact, Finnell seemingly enjoyed the collisions and made defensive backs pay in the open field. He rushed for 1,359 yards on 122 carries and 20 scores and led Garden City to the Long Island Class II title. In the championship game he rushed for 346 yards and four touchdowns in a 28-0 win over Bellport. For his fantastic season, Finnell was presented with Newsday’s 81st Tom Thorp Award as Nassau’s most outstanding player.
"He put in the time to come into this season much stronger and much faster than the last,” Garden City coach David Ettinger said. “And it showed every game. He’s an incredible athlete.”
Finnell averaged 11.1 yards per carry and added 13 receptions for 383 yards and five TDs.
QB – Anthony Licci, Farmingdale, 5-10, 175, Sr.
He won the Snyder Award as Nassau’s top quarterback. He completed 83 of 113 passes (73.4%) for 1,621 yards and 26 TDs with three interceptions and led Farmingdale to the Long Island Class I championship.
Farmingdale QB Anthony Licci. Credit: George A Faella
RB – Tomaso Ramos, Farmingdale, 5-10, 170, Sr.
Ramos was a finalist for Thorp Award as Nassau’s most outstanding player. He rushed for 1,594 yards on 149 carries for 10.7 yards/carry and 28 TDs. He set an LIC record with 392 all-purpose yards.
RB – Kyle Messina, Sayville, 6-1, 190, So.
He was the Suffolk Division III MVP and rushed for 1,998 yards and 29 touchdowns on 239 carries. He was a standout linebacker who had a fumble recovery and an interception to lead the Golden Flashes to the Long Island Class III title with a 33-7 win over Plainedge.
Tomaso Ramos of Farmingdale, left, and Kyle Messina of Sayville.
WR – Korey Duff Jr., St. Anthony’s, 6-5, 200, Jr.
His signature game came in the 50-18 win over Iona Prep to capture the CHSFL Class AAA crown. Duff had four touchdown receptions and 205 yards receiving in the win. He finished the season with 42 receptions for 995 yards and 12 TDs, with an average of 23.7 yards per catch.
WR – JJ Aiello, Bayport-Blue Point, 6-0, 215, Sr.
The surehanded Aiello set a school record with 15 touchdown receptions. He finished with 28 catches for 743 yards and averaged 26.5 yards per catch on the way to the LIC Class IV crown.
WR – Joe Burriesci, Farmingdale, 5-8, 175, Sr.
He won the Pizzarelli Award as Nassau’s top wide receiver. He had 30 receptions for 656 yards and nine TDs with an average of 21.9 yards per catch on the way to the LIC Class I title.
From left: Korey Duff Jr. of St. Anthony’s, JJ Aiello of Bayport-Blue Point, Joe Burriesci of Farmingdale.
OL – Sebastian Regis, East Islip, 6-2, 280, Jr.
He was a finalist for the Zellner Award as Suffolk’s top lineman. He was a state wrestling runner-up last season.
OL – Ryan Amato, Floyd, 6-0, 195, Sr.
Amato won the Zellner Award as Suffolk’s top lineman. He is the fourth recipient of the award from his school.
OL -- Mason Dietrich, Chaminade, 6-4, 275, Sr.
The anchor to an outstanding offensive line for the Flyers. The center was the key to the Flyers' rushing attack. He will play football at Fordham.
OL – Vin Petzold, Plainedge, 6-1, 290, Jr.
He is a two-year starter at center for a Red Devils team that is 23-1 in that span and has won two Nassau titles and an LIC.
OL – Carson Ciancuielli, St. Anthony’s, 6-2, 285, Sr.
He paved the way for St. Anthony’s ground attack. With the passing game stymied in brutal weather, Ciancuielli anchored a line for the Friars, who scored four touchdowns on the ground in the state championship win over St. Francis of Buffalo.
OL – Sawyer Olson, Garden City, 6-2, 215, Sr.
He won the Martone Award as Nassau’s top lineman. He is an outstanding run blocker who helped pave the way for the Trojans to rush for over 3,100 yards.
From left: Vin Petzold of Plainedge, Ryan Amato of Floyd, Sebastian Regis of East Islip.
DEFENSE
DL – Dominick Novello, Mepham, 6-2, 215, Sr.
Novello was a finalist for the Piner Award for Nassau’s most outstanding linebacker. He impacted the game from everywhere on defense. He blocked three kicks, made 79 tackles, and had 11 tackles for a loss. He also accounted for 2,149 yards of offense and 25 TDs.
DL – Jordyn Davis, Uniondale, 5-10, 275, Sr.
He was a finalist for the Martone Award as Nassau’s most outstanding lineman. Opposing coaches agreed that Davis was the key to the Knights stopping the run.
DL – Jason Hunt, Bellport, 6-1, 185, Sr.
He earned the 11th annual Rob Burnett Award as Suffolk’s most outstanding defensive player and the Suffolk Division II Player of the Year. He had 74 tackles, 56 solos, 18 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, five pass breakups and two blocked punts.
DL – Chris Bacon, Holy Trinity, 6-3, 230, Sr.
He was the CHSFL Class AA-I Defensive Player of the Year. Bacon impacted the Class AA-1 title game with two sacks.
From left: Chris Bacon of Holy Trinity, Jason Hunt of Bellport, Dom Novello of Mepham.
LB – Kwasi Bonsu, Baldwin, 5-10, 220, Sr.
He had 65 tackles, nine sacks and 6 tackles for loss. Also, a great blocking back and a Nassau wrestling champion.
LB – Shane Mosia, Plainedge, 6-1, 190, Sr.
Mosia has been one of the top linebackers in Nassau for the last three years. This year he was a finalist for the Piner Award given to Nassau’s top linebacker. He had 96 tackles.
LB – Owen Johansen, Northport, 6-2, 215, Sr.
He won the Collotta Award as Suffolk’s most outstanding linebacker. He missed four games after he suffered a broken leg against Bellport.
LB – Trevor Gayron, Farmingdale, 6-3, 215, Sr.
He won Newsday’s Flatley Award as Nassau’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player and the Piner Award as Nassau’s top linebacker. He had 111 tackles, including eight for a loss.
Clockwise, from top left: Owen Johansen of Northport, Shane Mosia of Plainedge, Trevor Gayron of Farmingdale, Kwasi Bonsu of Baldwin.
DB – Ian Strong, St. Anthony’s, 6-4, 195, Sr.
He was the guy you want coming up in run support. Strong had 80 tackles, three tackles for a loss, one sack and three interceptions. He also had 30 receptions for 797 yards and 10 TDs.
DB – Donte Phillips, Bellport, 5-10, 175, Sr.
A Hansen Award finalist who played through a groin injury, Phillips led Bellport to the Suffolk Division II title. He had 51 tackles, including 32 solos, three tackles for a loss, one interception and eight pass breakups. He rushed for 1,519 yards and 20 TDs.
DB – Caden Leseiwicz, Floyd, 5-11, 175, Jr.
He won two major awards, the Cassese (most outstanding defensive back) and the most outstanding kicker in Suffolk. He had a LI-leading nine interceptions.
ALL – JoJo Provenzano, Hauppauge, 5-10, 180, Sr.
He was a finalist for the Hansen Award. He rushed for 736 yards and seven TDs on 83 carries (8.9 yards/carry). He returned three kicks for scores and had 71 tackles, including 12 for a loss.
ALL – Chris Carson, Lindenhurst, 6-2, 200, Sr.
A two-way impact player for the Bulldogs, Carson had three interception returns for TDs. He had 23 receptions for 462 yards and three TDs. He was a finalist for the Hansen and Burnett Awards.
Top, from left: Ian Strong of St. Anthony's, Donte Phillips of Bellport. Bottom: Chris Carson of Lindenhurst.
K – Evan Glusic, Holy Trinity, 5-10, 190, Sr.
He was the CHSFL AA-1 special teams Player of the Year. Glusic made 28 extra points and nailed seven field goals, including a long of 53 yards and three of 40 yards or more. He made two field goals in the CHSFL AA-1 championship.
COACHES OF THE YEAR
Joe Minucci, St. Anthony’s
The Friars coach guided the school to its first Catholic Class AAA state championship with a stirring 27-20 comeback win over St. Francis of Buffalo. The Friars rallied from a 20-point third quarter deficit to pull out the win. They finished 11-1.
Mike Zafonte, Bayport-Blue Point
He led the Phantoms to the school’s first Long Island Class IV championship with a 35-7 win over North Shore. A year after losing a heartbreaker in the Suffolk Division IV final, Zafonte led his team to an 11-0 record.
Buddy Krumenacker, Farmingdale
He is in his 30th season as the Dalers coach. This year, they won their ninth Nassau title and second LIC under Krumenacker. His 41-year career record stands at 291-99-11 including 214-80-6 at Farmingdale.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
