2021 HERALD High School Football Preview
V.S. SOUTH Falcons flying high after strong finish By TONY BELLISSIMO
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hough it didn’t garner enough power points to finish in the top four of the Nassau Conference III standings to reach the playoffs last season, Valley Stream South has plenty to feel good about. The Falcons closed on a threegame winning streak for a 4-2 mark. Head coach Joe Guastafeste believes the offseason work ethic carried onto the field and was a major reason for their success. “The offseason dedication was the best I’ve ever seen at South,” Guastafeste said. “We followed up with another great summer and we’ll see how the season goes. We have to continue to work as hard as we can. Good things come to hard-working teams.” South is ranked No. 11 in the 14-team conference and faces three similar seeds in the opening half of the schedule with No. 12 Lynbrook, No. 14 Kennedy, and No. 10 Hewlett on the early docket along with third-seeded South Side. “Conference III has quality from top to bottom,” Guastafeste said. “We can’t take any opponent lightly.” Guastafeste had to shift gears about a month before last season kicked off when starting quarterback Cle-Andre Stewart suffered a torn ACL and underwent surgery. Since-graduated Yasir Shabbaz-Allah stepped up to lead the offense and had three games with three rushing touchdowns. Stewart, now a senior, is doing everything he can to get back on the field. “Cle-Andre started every game for us in 2019 and he’s a dual threat,” Guastafeste said. “He’s a strong runner who can also make teams pay when he has to throw.” Coming off a solid campaign as the JV starting quarterback, 52 — September 9, 2021
sophomore Michael Hernandez possesses a strong arm and quickness, and can make things happen with his legs. He’s likely to get some snaps and can also contribute as a receiver. Four spots on the offensive line appear locked, according to Guastafeste with junior guard Michael Brooks up from the JV to join junior center Jonathan Diaz, senior guard Sebastian Arenas and senior tackle Ahmad Akhtar, who is expected to make a smooth transition from tight end since the blocking scheme is no different. The coach said Diaz, who plays nose guard on defense, was at the top of the team’s biggest surprises. “We went to 95 percent shotgun snaps and he didn’t have a bad one all season,” Guastafeste said of Diaz, who put in as much offseason work as anyone since the pandemic. Arenas is an athletic pulling guard with strong footwork. The backfield features seniors Xavier Augustin and Brandon Pierre. Augustin closed last season with a bang, rushing for 231 yards and three touchdowns to lead a victory over Glen Cove. He averaged about five carries per game previously and helped lead the secondary at cornerback. Augustin’s touches could increase and he’s also expected to return punts and kicks. Pierre, who enjoyed a breakout season on defense at linebacker, is tough to bring down and will be an asset in short-yardage situations. He scored a late touchdown to help beat Division, 28-26. “Brandon was our most pleasant surprise on defense,” Guastafeste said. “He’s always around the ball.” Topping the depth chart at receiver is 6-foot-4 junior Nicholas Parisi, who provides Stewart with a large target out of the slot. Parisi also brings great anticipation skills
and positioning to the safety spot. Junior Daiyann Mir is a physical linebacker who ranked among the JV’s leading tacklers, and sophomore Prince Meeks is a versatile defender Guastafeste plans to use at linebacker or cornerback. “There’s a positive vibe around here and we’re looking to keep it going,” Guastafeste said.
Cle-Andre Stewart
XAVIER AUGUSTIN
AHMAD AKHTAR
Schedule 11 18 25 2 9 16 23 29 BRANDON PIERRE
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW
September @ Lynbrook 2:00 p.m. South Side 2:00 p.m. @ Kennedy 2:30 p.m. October Hewlett 3:00 p.m. @ Floral Park 2:00 p.m. Roosevelt 2:00 p.m. Mineola 2:00 p.m. @ Division 7:00 p.m. Photos by Donovan Berthoud
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