2021 HERALD High School Football ball Preview
WEST HEMPSTEAD Rams want to make most of fresh start By TONY BELLISSIMO
things during 7 on 7s.” There will be no shortage of experienced ball-carriers, Carre noted. Juniors Michael AbiAoun, s the No. 6 seed in NasJonathan Balthazard and A’Lorenz sau Conference IV, West Hempstead will look to flip Chapman, as well as senior Zadrian Budhoo, will all contribute the script on a handful of narrow as returning varsity starters. “It defeats from last season and get took a while for the sophomores into the playoffs following a winwe had last season to get used less campaign. to the speed of varsity football,” “We lost three games by one Carre said. “It’s nice they’ve got a score and probably about five plays made the difference between bunch of games under their belts now. Typically, we have everyone going 0-5 instead of 4-1,” head getting between 8 and 10 carries. coach Dom Carre said. “We have It’s nothing we plan on. With a pretty tough schedule and play our offense, it just turns out that each of the top four seeds. We’ll way because we spread things try to add a week of intramurals around.” to help us get ready for the first AbiAoun is a throwback player game since we don’t have room to with a lot of energy, Carre said, scrimmage.” and loves contact. He’s a fullback The Rams, who consistently and linebacker who grinds out competed in 7 on 7s during the tough yards but also has the abilsummer and had a solid turnout ity to break long runs. On defense, in the weight room four days a week, were expected take the field he goes hard to the ball and tries for the Sept. 3 opener at Malverne to make every tackle. Balthazard is a tailback/linebacker who can with anywhere between 22 and 27 players. They’ll also face each of shed tackles and will be one of the Rams’ X-factors if he takes a the top three seeds in September, step up, the coach noted. Chaphosting top-seeded North Shore and No. 3 Clarke while traveling to man, another running back/lineNo. 2 Seaford. “I’m not really con- backer, is extremely athletic and cerned about the numbers because has breakout potential. Budhoo brings all the physical tools, Carre we’re always in that boat,” Carre said. “Our numbers weren’t down said, and showed signs of what like a lot of teams last season. We he can do last season in a 48-40 were in the usual neighborhood.” loss to Clarke with five touchWest Hempstead’s JV won five downs, including a 53-yarder, and 158 yards. He’ll play in the of six games and Carre said he’ll be counting on some first-year var- secondary on defense along with sity performers to fill starting roles, junior Jurell Hall. If the offensive front comes none bigger than at quarterback together, the Rams expect to with junior Corey Pierre. He was be much more consistent than the JV starter and an important last season when they scored reason for its success. “He’s a 13 points or fewer in three smart, hard-working kid who fits games. Senior Torry Marshal is a our offense perfectly,” Carre said. third-year, two-way lineman who “In our offense the quarterback brings a combination of size and needs to be one of four running options. Corey can run but he also experience. Senior Mariano Torres returns at center, bringing experihas a nice arm when we need to throw. He showed a good grasp of ence to a key position. Others in
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the mix to start include juniors Dan Clark and Diego Quijada, as well as sophomore Giancarlo Gomez. West Hempstead’s defense will be under the direction of former Clarke head coach Tim O’Malley.
Zadrian Budhoo
MICHAEL ABIAOUN
TORRY MARSHAL
Schedule
3 11 18 24 1 9 15 23 30 COREY PIERRE
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW
September @ Malverne 7:00 p.m. North Shore 2:00 p.m. @ Seaford 2:00 p.m. Clarke 6:30 p.m. October @ C.S. Harbor 6:30 p.m. Bye @ Locust Valley 5:00 p.m. Friends Academy 3:00 p.m Oyster Bay 2:00 p.m. Photos by Brian Ballweg
September 9, 2021 — 55
