Huntington High School’s junior varsity football team put together a great fall season, compiling a 6-1-1 mark and showcasing what many believe will be future Blue Devil stars.
Coached by Jim Byrnes and James Byrnes, the Huntington JV was captained by Kevin Drake, John Marziliano, Ryan Porzio, Jahiem Hawkins, Jayden Cyrise and Lucas Petrizzi.
The Blue Devils topped West Islip (16-6), Copiague (48-17), Half Hollow Hills East (42-21), Smithtown East (36-12), Deer Park (39-21) and Lindenhurst (22-16). Huntington battled Centereach to a 14-14 and lost its only game of the season to Northport, 42-7.
As the team’s quarterback, Drake passed for 925 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also ran for 300 yards and scored seven touchdowns rushing. “He’s a student of the game with a tremendous arm,” Jim Byrnes said.
Hawkins tallied 33 receptions, 680 receiving yards, 230 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns. The teenager also had 37 tackles, including five for a loss, forced a fumble and recorded two sacks and an interception. “He’s sure-handed and a smart route runner,” James Byrnes said. “He was the go-to receiver for us.”
Porzio rushed for 825 yards, caught eight passes for another 125 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. He made 20 tackles defensively. “Ryan ran bigger than he is,” Jim Byrnes said. “He’s a team-first guy.”
Petrizzi rushed for 175 yards, caught passes totaling 50 yards and scored three touchdowns. He also made 40 tackles, including seven for a loss, forced two fumbles and had two quarterback sacks. “Lucas was a defensive leader,” James Byrnes said.
Marziliano recorded 45 tackles, including five for a loss, forced a pair of fumbles and made two sacks. He also shined on the offensive line. “He was like having another coach on the field,” Jim Byrnes said.
Joe Algieri made 49 tackles, including six for a loss, intercepted a pass, had two sacks and forced a fumble. He also rushed for a touchdown. “He was a two-way starter as a freshman and a constant force on defense,” James Byrnes said. “He solidified the line. He’s everything you want in a kid. A leader on and off the field.”
Cyrise made 19 tackles from his defensive end position. “No one got around him to the outside,” Jim Byrnes said.
Anthony Annuniziata also enjoyed a great season. He recorded 26 tackles and two interceptions on defense and had 75 receiving yards and two touchdowns offensively. “He’s a great route runner and a hard hitting safety,” James Byrnes said. “He didn’t let injuries stop him from playing.”
Freshman Aidan Carrello was still another standout. “He played over seven different positions, always putting the team first,” Jim Byrnes said. “He was willing to do whatever was required to win. A selfless player.”
The Blue Devils were a gritty, determined group. “They were very businesslike and never concerned with stats,” Jim Byrnes said. “They just wanted to do what was necessary to win, day in and day out. They never gave up and even pulled out a win against Deer Park after being down in the second quarter, 21-8. We had two great wins against divisional powerhouses Lindenhurst and West Islip. They were all students of the game, always wanting to know the ‘why’ despite being such a young group. They understood how preparation and execution are the difference between winning and losing and the record reflected that.”
Looking ahead to next fall, Annunziata, Carrello and Algieri are expected to lead the team along with Michael Kline, Chris Acompora-Miller and Isaiah Thomas. “There’s a great group of eighth graders coming up the pipeline,” Jim Byrnes said. “We are looking forward to continuing the tradition of success that is Blue Devil football.”
