Half Hollow Hills West's Joseph Filardi wins 3rd annual National Football Foundation QB Challenge
Joseph Filardi had the most prolific season of any quarterback in Long Island history last fall.
So, it was no surprise that the Boomer Award winner as Suffolk’s top quarterback dominated the various skill tests in the third annual National Football Foundation Boys QB Challenge Saturday. The Half Hollow Hills West senior outscored the competition to win overall honors at Smithtown West High School.
“It’s a great way to have fun and compete at the same time,” said Filardi, who won the anticipation award at the event last year. “This is great combine work to get ready for the season. The drills were difficult, but I got used to them quickly. I’ve been throwing ever since the season ended, even through the lacrosse season, so I felt prepared.”
Filardi, who is committed to Syracuse for both football and lacrosse, excelled in the tests of accuracy, anticipation, touch, arm strength, mobility, and football IQ (the participants took a written test on their knowledge of the game). In a test of distance, he launched the ball 61 yards.
“The drills are difficult because we try to emphasize playing at a high level of football,” said Jonathan Gill, who coached college football for more than 20 years and serves as the director of the Long Island QB Challenge. “The quarterbacks that are successful today are the ones that can perform these drills at an elite level of speed. I was very impressed with what I saw today.”
Miller Place’s Shane Kiernan earned the top score in the anticipation category this year and finished second overall in the challenge, which hosted 15 quarterbacks from across LI.
“It’s a great opportunity to be around a bunch of great QBs and their receivers,” the junior said. “You learn that the competition will be great this season.”
Sachem East’s AJ Vurchio won the accuracy award and finished tied for third overall with Lynbrook’s Joseph McHale. Vurchio, a senior, also stars in basketball but said the football field is where he’s in his element.
“I really looked forward to this,” Vurchio said. “I didn’t make it last year, so to be chosen this year and not tryout was a great honor. I had been preparing all summer for this.”
Smithtown East junior Antonio Marrone won the IQ challenge, which tested their knowledge of fronts, blitzes, and other coverages.
“I studied a lot for the test, so I felt pretty confident and prepared,” Marrone said. “I’ve also been playing since I was five years old and have had a great quarterback coach, so I feel like it has led me to this moment. It feels great to be here because I didn’t play as much last year and I’m only a junior so no one really knows me. So, showing what I can do was a great opportunity.”
The crowd of spectators also had the chance to witness 30 of Long Island’s top wide receivers show their skills on the stadium turf. Gavin Gatchalian of Farmingdale earned the Most Outstanding Receiver award.
“We have a great team and it’s exciting to be here and receive this honor,” Gatchalian said. “There were a couple of tough drills today, but I worked with Coach Gill to prepare and I think that helped me today. It’s going to be a great season for Farmingdale and I think we showed what we’re capable of today.”
Filardi is also looking forward to finishing where Hills West left off last season.
The dual-threat quarterback passed for 3,337 yards and 44 touchdowns and completed 215 of 347 attempts as a junior.
Filardi also rushed for 1,083 yards and 13 touchdowns on 120 carries and compiled 79 solo tackles, two sacks and an interception as a safety.
“Our biggest goal as a team is to win a Suffolk County championship and a Long Island championship,” Filardi said. “We have the capability to do so and I’m looking forward to showing that this year.”
