BB&N has been one of the most successful ISL programs over the past two decades and don’t expect much to change this fall.
The Knights return a slew of talent from a team which captured the John Papas Bowl with a wild 63-43 win over Tabor Academy. Bo MacCormack turned in a performance for the ages as he rushed for 430 yards and eight touchdowns on 41 carries, the fourth-best effort in state history.
MacCormack is back for his final season and he has plenty of guys joining him with starting experience. Nate Bodden, Tim Church, Jake McGrath, Liam Cunningham return on the offensive line, Vince Snoonian and Ethan Ortega are the top receivers and quarterback Damon Taylor is ready to emerge as evidenced by his play in the recent 7-on-7 events.
The defense should be sound at all three levels led by the impressive secondary quartet of AJ Azuakolam, Ellis Barnes, Alex Levitt and Owen DeSalvo. Leo Albee, Will Volk and Xzavier Chafin are back in the trenches, while Sam Kelley and Carter Shaw started as linebackers last year.
There is no question where the strength of the Lawrence Academy team lies and that’s on the offensive line as Derek Schlupf, Garrett Lanagan and Brady Gelineau lead an experienced unit. Jordan Johnson and Darnell Cicero-Bronson will key the running attack, while Thomas Kuefler (WR), Jayden Campbell (QB) and Cayden Blanchette (OL/DL) are expected to contribute.
Tabor established itself as a team to watch under first-year Jeff Moore, tying a school-record for most wins in an ISL season (seven). The Seawolves return All-Scholastic running back Hugo Djeumeni (2,026 yards) along with linemen Jacob Burns, Will Smith, Botond Varga and Amahn Williams. Tabor returns their entire starting line up on the perimeter including tight end Liam Hubacz, receivers Kaiden Drinkwater, Dameer Phifer and Trey Grant along with Catholic Memorial transfer Peter Bourque at quarterback.
On defense, Folu Shobowale is the focal point on the defensive line. (6’1.5 300) returns after leading the team last yThree of the four linebackers are back including Derek Moreau, Davante Goodine Rodriguez and Garrett Salit. Luke Demaso returns in the secondary joined by Trey Rezendes. The rest of the backfield will be made up of a great group of players including Jayden Walters, Chris Tardie, and Dean Gobeil.
St. Sebastian’s will be one of the more experienced teams in the ISL with Ty Ciongoli at quarterback, Justin Bourque and George Kelly at running back for the third straight year along with receivers Kaelan Chudzinski, Ace Ciongoli, Tedy Frisoli, and Crosby Thurmond. The offensive line features Jake Mulrey, Lucas Candiotto, Matthias Ogrinc and Marky Walbridge. On defense, the Arrows return Bourque at tackle. Frisoli at defensive back and Dominic Scioli and Kelly at linebacker.
Belmont Hill surprised many by winning the ISL-7 and competing in the Danny Smith Bowl. It won’t be a surprise if Anthony Fucillo’s squad is in the mix for a league title once again as they return some high level talent on both sides of the ball.
A pair of Duke-bound defensive ends, Tommy Rupley and Sampson Onuoha, will make life miserable for opposing offenses. Linebackers Dylan Doherty and Myles Beckett both started a season ago. Reis Little returns at quarterback and he will have receivers Luis Kuehberger and Jordan Summers back in the fold along with offensive linemen Harrison DeWitt, Ford Webb and Nick Fiumara and all-ISL running back Marcus Griffin.
Governor’s Academy should be solid once again, starting with running backs Dawson DuBose and Campbell Morrison to go along with wide receivers Krystian Pothel and Seven Pridgen and tight end Michael Vallarelli. Thomas Richardson is one of the top two-way lineman in the ISL with Shams Alnusyrat joining Richardon in the trenches.
Milton Academy will look to quarterback Qur’an McNeill to lead the once again and he will have plenty of weapons to throw to including Kash Kelly and Chase Judge along with transfers Zahir Mitchell and Gio Joseph as well as tight end Colin Laurence. The defense will be young as Judge (S) and Henry Fallon (DE) are the only returning starters, while transfer Avi Redman is expected to step in at linebacker.
ISL 9/EVERGREEN
Rivers is looking to qualify for a fourth straight NEPSAC Bowl and will need a variety of young players to step up. Jason Richardson-Miles and Alexander Murdough are the top returning linemen, while Charlie Holmes is back at linebacker and Jalen Morris is a promising receiver. Cole Brown, Gabe Fonte and AJ DeSantis are new additions to the line.
Brooks is optimistic thanks to the return of quarterback Shane Maguire who missed all but one quarter last year due to injury. He will benefit from a receiving corps led by Jagger Carreiro, Jackson Sumner and Tristan Yepdo. The offensive line has plenty of experience with Sam Lubick, Caleb Hatch and Colin Howard back, while the defense has five starters back.
All-ISL quarterback Arnaud Dugas is back for Thayer Academy and will have some quality receivers to throw to including Tyler Miller, Brady Hall Drew Snyder, Neil MacKinnon and Joey Fisher. Defensive back Drew St. Pierre, defensive end CJ Talabi-Oates and linebacker Will Bewley anchor the defense.
Mike Curran takes over at Noble and Greenough and has some talent back on defense led by Ryan Murphy, Shane Gallan and Sean Watts at linebacker as well as Zach O’Connell, Mac Bianchi, Jordan Hayden, Braylen Jenkins and sophomore Nate Pichardo in the secondary. Ben Walsh is a two-way starter on the line and should be joined by Axel Fernando and junior Leo Meuse.
Defense was the calling card for Roxbury Latin as it held opponents to single digits on three occasions. Noah Rahim, Taylor Cotton and Johnny Price will lead the defensive backfield, while linebacker Michael Strojny keys an inside eight which also features Tucker Rose and Ryan Conneely. Michael Rimas and Shane Bernazzani are back on the offensive line, while skill position players include Tommy Weber, Auden Duda and Rahim in the backfield along with receivers Liam Russell, Dante LaMonica, Cotton, Price and Conneely.
All-ISL quarterback/defensive back Salim Hill is back for Groton along with Newton South transfer Charlie Vyadro. They will throw to a receiving corps led by co-captain JP Charpentier and Freddy Dent.
Scott Woodward takes over Middlesex and will look to skill position players such as running back Frankie Forrest, tight end Alex Clapp and wide receivers Xavier Hazard, Orion Saunders and Brendan McCullen. Guards Josh Richards and Aidan Canty-Whitt are the most experienced returnees in the trenches. Forrest, Hazard and Saunders are in the secondary, T.J. Kane is back at linebacker and Josh Richards and Ray Yu started at defensive end last year.
St. George’s will be strong defensively as the linebacking group of Will Longfield, William Goedkoop and Heuer Erdle are back again. Bubba Shelton, Samuel Klass and Jack Austin return in the secondary. Felix-Antoione Dionne should be one of the better linemen in the ISL and will team with Stearns and Longfield.
St. Mark’s will be led by Cornell-bound lineman Jared Vilcina Brown, two-way lineman Seedi Sheriff, along with talented wide receiver Chevy Shakespeare.
Dexter Southfield should be among the top prep school teams in the area as Casey Day returns plenty of solid players looking to get back to a NEPSAC Bowl. Rory Funke steps in at quarterback, while running backs Tyson Thomas and Chase Halfkenny as well as wide receivers Dom Wadland, Charlie Hanafin and Santanna Cardoso are explosive. The line is stacked with Hardy Watts, Tommy Mahoney, Antwaine Mills, Lenneil Hall, Matt Harsfield and Bryan Joseph.
Pat Downey takes over for Mike Flynn at Pingree. The offensive line should be a strong suit as tackles Jon Panagou and Jake Medeiros both are over 280 pounds. Swampscott transfer Jack Spear will play quarterback and he has a talented receiver corps led by Cole Piaseczynski, Jonah Richardson and Rex Braillard. A pair of captains, Brady Daniels and Joey Lussier, will lead the defense from their linebacker positions.
Austin Prep will look to spread the ball via its Air Raid offense keyed by quarterback Drew Tisbert and wide receivers Noah Florence and Landon Bentley. Cam Thompson and Sal Prezioso are back on the line and Matt O’Malley is the top returning linebacker.
ISL/PREP SCHOOL PLAYERS TO WATCH
Anochie Azuakolam, Sr. DB/WR (BB&N); Dante Berger, So., RB (Milton Academy); Nate Bodden, Sr. OL (BB&N); Peter Bourque, So. QB (Tabor Academy); Justin Bourque, Sr., RB (St. Sebastian’s); Tom Breeze, Sr., K (Milton Academy); Jared Vilcina Brown, Sr., OL/DL (St. Mark’s); Jacob Burns, So. OL (Tabor Academy); Jayden Campbell, Fr. QB (Lawrence Academy); Lucas Candiotto, Sr., OL (St. Sebastian’s); Jagger Carreiro, Jr. DB/RB (Brooks); Xzavier Chafin, Sr., DL (BB&N); Kaelan Chudzinski, Sr., WR (St. Sebastian’s); Tim Church, Sr., OL (BB&N); Darnell Cicero-Bronson, Jr. DB (Lawrence Academy); Ty Ciongoli, Sr., QB (St. Sebastian’s); Taylor Cotton, Sr., WR/DB (Roxbury Latin); Owen DeSalvo, Fr. FB/LB (BB&N); Felix-Antoine Dionne, Sr., OL (St. George’s); Hugo Djeumeni, Sr. RB (Tabor Academy); Kaiden Drinkwater, So. WR (Tabor Academy); Dawson DuBose, Sr., RB (Governor’s Academy); Arnaud Dugas, Sr., QB (Thayer Academy); Nick Fiumara, Jr., OL/DL (Belmont Hill); Noah Florence, Jr., WR/DB (Austin Prep); Teddy Frisoli, Jr., WR (St. Sebastian’s); Marcus Griffin, Jr., DB/RB (Belmont Hill); Chase Halfkenny, Sr., LB/RB (Dexter Southfield); Lenniel Hall, Jr. OL (Dexter Southfield); Charlie Hanafin, Jr., WR/DB (Dexter Southfield); Luke Harrington, So., QB (Lawrence Academy); Matthew Harsfield, Sr., OL/DL (Dexter Southfield); Xavier Hazard, Sr., WR/DB (Middlesex); Salim Hill, Sr., RB/DB (Groton); Liam Hubacz, Sr. TE (Tabor Academy); Jordan Johnson, Sr., LB/RB (Lawrence Academy); Giovanni Joseph, Jr., CB (Milton Academy); Chase Judge, Sr. DB (Milton Academy); Sam Kelley, Jr., FB/LB (BB&N); George Kelly, Jr., RB/DB (St. Sebastian’s); Kash Kelly, Jr., WR (Milton Academy); Thomas Kuefler, Sr., WR (Lawrence Academy); Reis Little, Jr., QB (Belmont Hill); William Longfield, Sr., LB/OL (St. George’s); Sam Lubick, Sr. OL/DL (Brooks); Joey Lussier, Sr., OL/DL (Pingree); Bo MacCormack, Sr., RB (BB&N); Shane Maguire, Jr., QB (Brooks); Leo Meuse, Jr. OL/DL (Noble and Greenough); Qur’an McNeil, Jr., QB (Milton Academy); Antwane Mills, Jr., DL/OL (Dexter Southfield); Jalen Morris, So., WR (Rivers); Jake Mulrey, Sr., OL (St. Sebastian’s); Alexander Murdough, Jr. OL (Rivers); Ryan Murphy, Jr., LB (Noble and Greenough); Lucas Numa, Sr., PK (Roxbury Latin); Zach O’Connell, Sr., WR (Noble and Greenough); Matthias Ogring, Sr., OL (St. Sebastian’s); Sampson Onuoha, Sr., DE (Belmont Hill); Ethan Ortega, Sr., DB (BB&N); Cole Piaseczynski, Sr., WR (Pingree); Dameer Phifer, Sr., WR (Tabor Academy); Krystian Pothel, Sr., WR/DB (Governor’s Academy); Jason Richardson, Sr., DL (Rivers); Thomas Richardson, Sr., OL (Governor’s Academy); Tommy Rupley, Sr., OL/DL (Belmont Hill); Drew St. Pierre, Jr., RB/LB (Thayer Academy); Orion Saunders, Jr., WR (Middlesex); Chevy Shakespeare, Jr. WR (St. Mark’s); Nasaiah Shelton, Sr., DB (St. George’s); Seedi Sheriff, Jr., OL/DL (St. Mark’s); Folu Shobowale, Sr., DL (Tabor Academy); Isaiah Simmons, Jr., DB (St. Sebastian’s); Will Smith, Sr. OL (Tabor Academy); Vince Snoonian, Jr., WR/S (BB&N); Michael Strojny, Sr., LB (Roxbury Latin); Jackson Sumner, Sr., WR/DB (Brooks); Damon Taylor, Jr. QB (BB&N); Botond Varga, So. OL (Tabor Academy); Charlie Vyadro, Jr., QB (Groton); Dominic Wadland, Sr., WR/DB (Dexter Southfield); Marky Walbridge, Jr. OL (St. Sebastian’s); Hardy Watts, Sr., OL/DL (Dexter Southfield); Tristan Yepdo, Jr. WR/DB (Brooks)