Another high school football season is upon us, and like so many others, it is expected to be wildly unpredictable.
The PSAL is a free-for-all now that the schedules are balances and the elite programs face each other. The CHSFL should be just as entertaining as Xaverian, Holy Cross and Fordham Prep look to make deep playoff runs. And then we have Poly Prep, the high-powered private school that takes a backseat to nobody in the five boroughs.
Buckle up. The next few months figure to be exciting.
1. Tottenville
This won’t make Jim Munson happy. The fiery Tottenville head coach prefers his team fly under the radar, but with the return of dynamic Syracuse-bound running back Augustus Edwards, a Player of the Year candidate, quarterback Brandon Barnes healthy and a slew of playmakers on both sides of the ball, the Pirates are favored to get over the semifinals hump that has haunted them the last two years
2. Xaverian
The Clippers fell a yard shy of reaching their first ever CHSFL Class AAA title game last November and senior stars Laray Smith, Zach Kearney and Jonathan Badyna have every intention of making program history this season.
3. Erasmus Hall
There may not be a more exciting playmaking duo in the city than juniors Curtis Samuel and Kahlil Lewis, game-breaking threats on each side of the ball.
4. Holy Cross
The Knights are filled with returning talent, including running back/linebackers Jordan Francklin and Brandon Pelzer, as the athletic group tries to put last year’s poor finish behind them and return to the CHSFL’s upper echelon.
5. Poly Prep
The Blue Devils went through growing pains with a young squad last fall and should be back to their usual winning ways with UConn-bound tight end/defensive end Cameron Stapleton and highly recruited lineman Jay Hayes leading the way.
6. Fort Hamilton
The torn ACL in Travon Reid Segure’s knee is healed and with help from dominant two-way lineman Armani Garrick and middle linebacker Khalif Tulloch, the senior is determined to lead Fort Hamilton back to the PSAL City Championship division final after a one-year absence.
7. Lincoln
Only five starters return from last year’s undefeated PSAL champion, but high hopes remain in Coney Island behind a dynamic junior class, which includes highly recruited, big-play receiver Jamiek Davis and quarterback Javon Moore.
8. Fordham Prep
The Rams aren’t deep, but the offense has the potential to be potent thanks to the emergence of junior quarterback James McHale and running back Malik Crossdale. The CHSFL ‘AA’ champs last season want back in the ‘AAA.’
9. Brooklyn Tech
The Engineers 25-man senior class, led by Villanova-bound defensive end Thomas Plonski, running back/defensive back James Gales and wide receiver Kyvaune Brammer, is committed to going out with a bang, ready to use the lessons it learned the last three years and leave a memorable legacy at the top academic school.
10. Monsignor Farrell
The Lions returned to the CHSFL ‘AAA’ playoffs last fall and plan on making that a tradition again with cornerback Mark Delprete and defensive end Mike Dittamasso leading a stout defense for second-year coach Jim Bradley.
On the bubble: St. Joseph by the Sea, Xavier, Curtis, Thomas Jefferson, Canarsie and Sheepshead Bay