QB Joseph Filardi, LB Mikey Sands claim Gregg Sarra Award
James Metzger (far left) and Gregg Sarra (far right) pose with Sayville's Mikey Sands, second from left, and Half Hollow Hills West's Joseph Filardi during the at the annual Scholar Athlete Awards Brunch of the National Football Foundation’s Suffolk County chapter at the Melville Marriott on Sunday. Credit: David Meisenholder
Joseph Filardi made the trip from Syracuse to add one more piece of hardware following his renowned career as Half Hollow Hills West’s quarterback.
And Mikey Sands, the middle linebacker who wrapped up his Sayville football career with plenty of grand accolades after helping lead the Golden Flashes to the 2024 Suffolk Division III title, put the cherry on top Sunday morning.
Filardi and Sands were named recipients of the third annual Gregg Sarra Trophy, which honors Long Island’s top offensive player and top defensive player, at Sunday’s annual Scholar Athlete Awards Brunch of the National Football Foundation’s James C. Metzger Suffolk County chapter at the Melville Marriott.
“I dream big, and it truly is an honor,” said the 5-10, 185-pound Sands, who will play collegiately next year at Franklin & Marshall. “But I couldn't really picture myself [winning] just because size-wise, I kind of doubted myself sometimes. But I'm glad I pulled through.”
Said Filardi: “Just getting an award from Gregg Sarra and one named after him is great, just for all he does for Long Island sports and players and just all the coverage he’s done for me throughout my high school career. It's been awesome, so I'm really grateful and thankful for all he's done.”
The NFF created the award for the 2022 season and named it after Sarra, Newsday’s high school sports editor who has dedicated 40 years to covering high school football on Long Island.
“It’s great because there isn't a person that embodies high school football more than Gregg, and has given so much to promote it,” said Len Genova, the president of the NFF Suffolk chapter. “He deserved it. He earned it. We're happy to do it. Hopefully over time, it becomes the biggest award.”
Wantagh senior Dylan Martini, Carey sophomore Justin DePietro and St. Anthony’s senior Gary Merrill were finalists.
Former St. Anthony’s wide receiver Korey Duff Jr. and former East Islip lineman Sebastian Regis — who played their freshman seasons at Rutgers and Stony Brook, respectively, in the fall — earned the honor last season. Former Farmingdale middle linebacker Trevor Gayron, a member of the Navy rugby team, and former St. Anthony’s quarterback Dante Torres, now at Harvard, were the first recipients.
The 6-1, 184-pound Filardi, named the winner of the 65th Carl A. Hansen Award as Suffolk’s top football player in December, graduated early from Hills West and enrolled in Syracuse for the spring semester. The Orange recently finished spring practice, and Filardi said it has been a great transition to college thus far.
“It's been a little bit faster,” he said of the football aspect. “Playbook comes at you fast, but I’m getting the hang of it now and just ready to get rolling.”
He will return home after finals in early May and get the full prom and graduation experience with his friends in June. In the summer, he will return to Syracuse, where he also will play lacrosse next spring.
Filardi, a two-time Boomer Esiason Award winner as Suffolk’s best quarterback, posted some of the best numbers in Long Island football history. He completed 136 of 208 passes for 3,102 passing yards and 43 touchdowns to only three interceptions last season. He ran for 1,204 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Colts went 9-2 and lost to Sayville in the Suffolk III title game.
He finished his career with 14,483 all-purpose yards and 151 total touchdowns, both Long Island records. He threw for 9,267 career yards and 123 touchdown passes — both second in Long Island history to Sayville’s Jack Coan (2013-16). Filardi ran for 2,929 career yards and 28 touchdowns.
“I always look back at what I've done, and I'm proud of myself for all my accomplishments,” Filardi said. “And obviously when I was younger, looking up to my older brothers playing, I obviously wanted to succeed when I got to the high school level. And I feel like I've done that, and I’m excited to start a new chapter at Syracuse.”
In December, Sands received the 14th annual Rob Burnett Award as Suffolk’s Defensive Player of the Year and the Bob Collotta Award, annually given to the county’s most outstanding linebacker. He had 116 tackles (48 solo), six sacks, 21 tackles for loss and a pick-6 last season. Over his three-year varsity career, he posted 169 tackles (98 solo), 11 sacks, 29 tackles for loss and two interceptions, both pick-6s.
Sands will reunite with his older brother, rising junior linebacker Benny Sands, at Franklin & Marshall. Mikey Sands also received the Bryan Collins Memorial Scholarship on Sunday, a $10,000 award in honor of the former LIU Post coach who died suddenly in July 2023.
“It’s kind of just for my brother, honestly,” said Sands, referring to his younger brother Sammy, who has a rare genetic disorder. “It's just as much of an award for me as it is for my family and him. It just puts a spotlight on him. I love him so much, and I can't imagine life without him.”
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
