Newsday's Top 10 Long Island high school quarterbacks to start the 2024 season 

Here is Newsday's annual look at 10 of the top quarterbacks on Long Island heading into this season, in alphabetical order:

AIDAN BARNES, Elmont, Junior

One of Long Island’s strongest arms passed for 930 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore, leading the Spartans to a 5-3 record. He has a big target in the 6-5,190-pound Nassir Edwards, the Pat Pizzarelli Receiver Award winner from 2023.

THOMAS COSTARELLI, East Islip, Senior

He led East Islip to the Long Island Class III title with a 19-14 comeback win over South Side. He compiled 2,649 all-purpose yards and 28 touchdowns. Accuracy is his best asset – and he makes the big throws.

JOEY DIESSO, Massapequa, Senior

He took the reigns of the offense when the starting quarterback was injured last season, and Massapequa didn’t miss a beat. Diesso threw for 1,400 yards and 27 touchdowns and rushed for 231 yards and eight more scores on the way to the Long Island Class I crown.

JOSEPH FILARDI, Half Hollow Hills West, Senior

What should be alarming to opposing coaches is Filardi’s ability to run. He passed for a Long Island record 44 touchdowns with six interceptions, but also rushed for 1,083 yards and 13 more scores.

DENNIS FINKEL, Farmingdale, Senior

He’s a coach's dream -- a quarterback who rarely makes a mistake. He threw for 20 touchdowns and only two interceptions as a junior. He passed for 1,310 yards with a 66.1% completion rate.

GARY MERRILL, St. Anthony’s, Senior

The Friars' offense was dependent on Merrill’s scoring ability. He totaled 28 touchdowns. He had equal success on the run and through the air. He rushed for 1,154 yards and 15 scores and added another 1,452 passing yards and 13 touchdowns.

ELIJAH OUTLAW, West Babylon, Senior

An extremely athletic talent who compiled 2,115 all-purpose yards and 33 touchdowns as a junior leading the Eagles to a 7-3 record. Outlaw led an Eagles offense that set the school record for most points scored in a season with 346.

AARON SMITH, Deer Park, Senior

Smith guided the Falcons to the playoffs for the third straight year and passed for 1,843 yards and 16 touchdowns. In a playoff defeat to North Babylon, the eventual county champion, Smith passed for a school-record 415 yards and five scores.

A.J. VURCHIO, Sachem East, Senior

Vurchio completed 81 passes for 1,294 yards, a 16-yard per completion rate and fired 18 touchdowns. He led Sachem East to a 5-3 record and the playoffs.

AIDAN WINTER, Babylon, Junior

He’ll be the focal point of a Panthers offense that expects to be creative moving Winter around the field to get him the ball in space. He had 185 carries for 1,882 yards and 15 touchdowns and added 462 yards passing and 9 more scores as a sophomore.

Next on our list

• Maxwell Bowers of St. John the Baptist
• Matt DeCicco of Hewlett
• Cooper Fuller, Bayport-Blue Point
• Brady Nash of Islip
• Shane Kiernan of Miller Place

By Gregg Sarra

gregg.sarra@newsday.com@Gregg_Sarra

Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.