RSS Feed
 |
|
|||||
Warriors recognized at annual dinner This year's Amityville football roster was packed with top-notch talent, so it's no wonder they took home the Class IV Long Island Championship after beating Oceanside at Hofstra's James M. Shuart Stadium in November. "This season meant a lot to us," said Amityville head coach Chris Taylor. "With the number of seniors we had that were with us since they were sophomores, it was the year we were waiting for." It was worth the wait." Seniors like Reggie Robinson, Marcus Gardner and Rockens Dieujuste helped guide a team that implemented the spread offense this season. It took the team some time to get used to, but Taylor said once the players mastered it, they were having fun and the winning came after. "We were good, but we weren't an overall dominant team," Taylor said. "If we didn't prepare, and we didn't play every game, chances are we might not win." Robinson, a three-year captain who may play football at Hobart College in Geneva, New York this fall, was named linebacker of the year, team MVP and won the Warrior Award, as the player that shows overall commitment to the program through academics and athletics, at the annual Amityville football dinner that was held on Feb. 28. Robinson had 84 tackles this season and a leader on both sides of the ball. "He was the face of our program this year," Taylor said. "He's definitely going to be missed." Gardner, the starting quarterback and a stud at defensive back as well, stepped his game up in the playoffs. He rushed for 136 yards against Babylon in the Division IV Suffolk County title game and 216 yards and two touchdowns against Oceanside in the Long Island Championship. He was named to Newsday's All-Long Island team and won the player of the year and defensive back of the year awards for Amityville at their dinner. Gardner ran for over 1,400 yards and threw for 700 with 18 touchdown passes. He'll play at Nassau County Community College next season. Dieujuste anchored a line that supported two 1,000 yard rushers and was named offensive lineman of the year. Junior running back Cornell Warrick was named running back of the year. At 5-8, 160 pounds, he's small and lightening fast. He ran for over 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns this season. Warrick also won the Wayne Whitten Memorial Award for outstanding leadership. "He's a special kid and a special player," Taylor said. "And, he was only a junior this year so that says something." Junior Steven Medard was named receiver of the year. He was mainly slotted as a tight end and was equally as impressive with his blocking abilities. He had three catches for 92 yards against Mount Sinai in the playoffs and caught a touchdown in both the county finals against Babylon and the Class IV title game against Oceanside. Senior Norgel Palmer, who had 12 tackles in the county final, four for a loss and two sacks, was named defensive lineman of the year. Lamar Thompson won the Ironman Award as the most improved player. He didn't play at all as a junior, but worked extremely hard before this season and battled every game. "He's a great kid that made himself into a football player," Taylor said. The Hammer Award, given to the hardest hitter, was won by senior inside linebacker Kevin Roberson. Prior to their homecoming game against Mount Sinai in the regular season, former Amityville coach Lou Howard, who led dynasty-like Warrior teams in the 1950s and 1960s, gave a speech filled with traditional lineage and talk. He spoke about how the program got started and what it means to play Amityville football. He also said that he would buy the team mini gold football necklaces with an A for Amityville etched on the side in red if they won the Long Island Championship. His coaches gave the same memorable artifact to him when he won the Suffolk County title as a player for Amityville.
The team received those necklaces, along with championship rings at the dinner.
|
for larger version       |
||||
