The J. Taylor Finley Middle School football team overwhelmed every opponent to post a perfect 6-0 record this fall.
Finley was coached by Ron Wilson, William Harris, Kevin Thorbourne and Jordan Ioviero and captained by eighth graders Jahmar Francis, Joey Zink, Ramon Lyons, Damien Santos and Jayden Taylor.
Finley outscored its opponents by a lopsided 217-32 points. “This team performed well in every aspect of the game,” said Wilson, who served as head coach. “Throughout the course of the season, they developed and matured into outstanding athletes and great young men,” Wilson said. “They went through some tough practices and some tough constructive criticism and were willing to go through it for the benefit of the team.”
Huntington captured convincing victories over Oldfield (49-6), Candlewood (31-6), East Northport (21-0), Northport (46-6), West Hollow (31-6) and Kings Park (39-8).
“Our team achieved success only by the extra achievements of each individual,” Wilson said. “We conquered because we all were able to play and enjoy this great game called football The great thing about football is that after a while you become more than teammates; you become brothers. These young men banded together to become those brothers.”
Finley’s top players included:
Jahmar Francis: Played running back and free safety. “He has unmatched speed and agility,” Wilson said. “Jahmar scored multiple touchdowns at every game. He intercepted passes from the safety position and made tackles when running backs broke to the second level of the defense. He is an awesome athlete to see on the field. Unfortunately, he sustained an injury midway through the season and missed three games. His stats were still remarkable. He’s going to do some great things at the next level.”
Rushing: 18 carries for 257 yards, five touchdowns and one extra point run
Receiving: 3 receptions for 81 yards, one touchdown and one extra point
Defensively: 12 solo tackles, five pass deflections, one interception and one fumble recovery for a touchdown
Tim McDonald: Played running back and linebacker. “Tim punished you on both sides of the ball,” Wilson said. “He has speed and is fierce when running the ball. Defensively, he was hardest hitting player on our team, especially on game day. It was a pleasure to coach him. He’s another athlete that is going to do well at the next level in a few more years.”
Rushing: 13 carries for 113 yards, four touchdowns and one extra point run
Receiving: 1 reception for 47 yards, one touchdown and one extra point
Defensively: 34 solo tackles, including five tackles for loss
Christian St. John: Played running back and linebacker. “‘The Saint’ as I called him, was no ‘saint’ on the field,” Wilson said. “He punished teams with his natural strength and talent. He’s one tough kid that is afraid of nothing. He’s a hardworking young man. He had some blocks and runs that you don’t normally see at this level. I can’t wait to see him at the next level.”
Rushing: 9 carries for 206 yards and three touchdowns
Receiving: 5 receptions for 160 yards, three touchdowns and one extra point run
Defensively: 16 tackles, including three for a loss and two quarterback sacks
Jayden Taylor: Played quarterback and linebacker. “He has an arm like a cannon,” Wilson said. “Jayden has the potential to be a premier quarterback. He has learned quite quickly to read defenses and make the pass to his receivers. His speed is still coming around, but he makes up for it with his size and strength. He’s very talented.”
Passing: Completed 17 of 27 passes for 484 yards, six touchdowns and two extra points
Rushing: 12 carries for 137 yards, two touchdowns and one extra point run
Ramon Lyons: Played wide receiver, running back and corner back. “He has speed and is shifty with sure hands,” Wilson said. “Ramon has evolved into a phenomenal receiver. He tells us that his hands are ‘certified!’ He does catch just about everything that comes his way. Defensively, teams found themselves in trouble running to his side and throwing passes to his side of the field.”
Rushing: 10 carries for 154 yards, one touchdown and one extra point
Receiving: 4 receptions for 85 yards and one touchdown
Defensively: 8 tackles and five pass deflections
Damien Santos and Carmine Carusone: Played offensive and defensive line. “They biggest and toughest linemen on our team,” Wilson said. “Our ground attack was led by the awesome blocking of these two young men. Their strength and size was unmatched. They were just as dominant on the defensive side as well. I’m glad that they wear blue and white with the name Huntington written across their chest.”
