The Empire Challenge comes six months after the high school football season. The annual all-star game, pitting the top players from New York City against their Long Island counterparts is traditionally the high school swan song for the area’s top standouts.
It has more meaning for John Courcelle. In fact, it may be make-or-break for the Boys & Girls defensive end, who just finished his junior year at the High but ages out and is looking for a prep school to hone his talents.
“It will be a big opportunity for me,” he said. “It’s big for me. I heard a lot of coaches and scouts come to this game.”
Courcelle added: “I’ve been dreaming about this game since junior high school. I’m really motivated, excited.”
Courcelle, an agile and speedy 6-foot-3, 198-pounder who also played on the Boys High’s PSAL Class AA and New York State Federation Class AA championship basketball team, was a major part of the Kangaroos success last winter. The dynamic defensive end/tight end was selected as an All-Brooklyn honorable mention selection and amassed 45 tackles, seven sacks and an interception and also hauled in nine catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns.
“I think he’s a Division I player,” Boys & Girls coach Clive Harding said. “He’s relentless. He’s quick off the ball. … We had some Division I schools looking at him, but they didn’t know his situation.”
Courcelle, 19, began school late after coming to Brooklyn from Haiti at the age of five and was also held back in the third grade, he said. There have also been academic issues from time to time, though Harding said he is set to qualify after a year of prep school.
His skills have been on display during practices this week, NYC defensive coordinator and Erasmus Hall coach Danny Landberg said. On Saturday, Courcelle had two sacks, racing around Campus Magnet left tackle James Driver like he wasn’t there.
“He’s probably been the best defensive lineman in practice,” Landberg said. “I’m very happy not to see him again [during the season].”
Just being part of the game is a big deal to Courcelle. He’s watched it for years and attended last year’s showcase to support teammate Wilbert Lee, who just finished up his freshman year at Connecticut.
Now Courcelle will be a part of it, hoping to get the city revenge against Long Island after last year’s 17-14 defeat. Of all the players in the game, few will have more motivation.
“He’s gonna make some big plays, crucial plays,” Harding predicted.
Courcelle is playing for his future. He’s sent his film out to prep schools, but hasn’t heard back from many. Several schools are expected to be in attendance on Tuesday night at Hofstra.
“I have to perform,” he said. “I don’t have anywhere to go.”