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   Leading off today: Mike Libert tracks the New York City high school football scene for the New York State Sportswriters Association. Here's Mike's weekly rundown of where the top teams stand at the moment:

Class AA

1) Erasmus Hall (0-1) -- The Dutchmen went to play at St. Peter's Prep, one of New Jersey's perennial powers, and didn't disappoint. Sure they came out on the wrong end of a 20-0 defeat but they were able to hold strong defensively all night long against a potent offense loaded with future Division 1 talent, and if not for 13 penalties called on Erasmus it could have possibly been a different result. A strong core for the Dutchmen return including QB Jordan Armstead and Michigan commit William Mohan who should dazzle all season long all over the field. Next: Saturday vs. South Shore

2) Cardinal Hayes (1-0) -- Going on the road to open the CHSFL season in a non-league contest against defending A champion Kellenberg was a challenge at first but the firepower for the Cardinals proved to be too much in a 54-26 victory. Jalen Smith is one of the bigger playmakers you will find in New York City as he went off for 330 yards rushing and 4 TD's to open the season at his new RB spot after being a lights out slot WR in the past. Tafari Blackstock will be anchoring the defense this season that should be much improved with a run to the CHSFL title again possible for Hayes. Next: Saturday vs. St. Joseph's Regional (NJ) @ MetLife Stadium

3) Christ the King (1-0) -- As deep and talented a team as you will find, the Royals are led by RB Tirek Murphy, who is a Purdue commit as he and his teammates were able to run wild, especially in the second half in a 40-0 defeat of St. Peter's in a non-league CHSFL contest on Staten Island. QB Noah Bodden is among the more recruited signal callers in the area and he connected on a pair of TD passes as well in the victory for Christ the King, whose defense more than held up their end of the bargain in the shutout victory. Next: Friday @ Pottsgrove (PA)

4) Curtis (0-1) -- Starting their season at the Rumble on the Raritan event at Rutgers University against a strong Union (NJ) team meant the Warriors would have to play flawless football to win. That didn't happen as they had four turnovers, though led by RB Sam Martin (219 total yards from scrimmage and a pair of TDs) Curtis hung tough in what would be a 20-12 defeat. The defense was solid enough for most of the game and there are a lot of positives to take away for the Warriors as they begin PSAL play next week in a big showdown. Next: Friday @ #6 Abraham Lincoln

5) Tottenville (0-1) -- Led in the backfield by big RB Roland Dempster the Pirates didn't have trouble scoring early on in their non-league contest with Lenape (NJ) but the defense didn't do enough to contain their opponent's offensive attack in a 48-21 loss. A.J. Roberts, a Pittsburgh commit, was strong and solid going both ways for Tottenville, but with Lenape scoring the last 21 points of the game it wasn't meant to be. The Pirates will look to regroup and get back on the winning track in next week's PSAL opener. Next: Friday vs. Fort Hamilton

6) Abraham Lincoln (0-1) -- Getting on the board with a TD pass from Jahzair Hubbard to Israel Abanikanda, the Railsplitters led 8-7 going into halftime over one of the big New York State powers in defending CHSFL champions Archbishop Stepinac. The defense though that did such a strong job in the early going allowed 27 points in the second half as Lincoln would fall 34-14 in their opener at the Rumble on the Raritan event at Rutgers University on Saturday and will look to get in the win column with a game of the week showdown coming up on Friday. Next: Friday vs. #4 Curtis

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7) Msgr. Farrell (1-0) -- It was a strong debut under center for QB Michael Marten as he scored on a TD run in his opening drive, and with the stout Lions defense limiting Fordham Prep to just 136 yards all game long it was a dominant 24-0 victory for Farrell in a non-league CHSFL contest on Staten Island. Marten would add his second TD run in the second half as it was a strong and complete effort from a Msgr. Farrell squad that next hits the road for a big out-of-state matchup. Next: Friday @ LaSalle Academy (RI)

8) Midwood (1-0) -- Losing Tyler Bartholomew to graduation and Tyrese Weeks to transfer meant both of the Hornets' 1,000-yard RBs from a year ago are gone. Add to that the graduation of QB Michael Bernard and it meant a lot of turnover for Midwood. That didn't faze them on Saturday in a non-league matchup at Susan Wagner on Staten Island as it was the defense that carried the day. Jakai McKay was strong in the middle in the LB core, while David Stephens made plays happen offensively all over the field to give the Hornets an opening week 18-0 victory. Next: Friday @ #10 Canarsie

9) JFK (1-0) -- The RB duo of Karamogo Sylla and Chris Boadi combined for four TDs in what was a great ground and pound performance for the Knights in a 26-6 win over Fort Hamilton on Friday night. JFK set the tone early and never strayed as they ran the ball time after time and were able to control the ball, while proving to be tough in the front seven as well in a great effort from start to finish for a Knights team with a lot of hope and aspirations this season. Next: Saturday @ Harry Truman

10) Canarsie (0-1) -- With Lamy Constant being one of the top recruits in the country deciding now between multiple SEC and ACC schools and the addition of transfer Jaquevious Sam from South Shore the matchup down in Pennsylvania against Philadelphia power Neumann-Goretti was an anticipated one. The Chiefs though were stymied as Constant and the offense never got going in a 44-0 defeat that sends them back to the drawing board, hoping to get back on the right note in PSAL play. Next: Friday vs. #8 Midwood

Class A

1) James Madison (1-0) -- The defending Bowl Division PSAL champions look like they are the team to beat once again this time around as Rickoy Riley threw for a TD and ran for another while a pair of RBs in Mark Shepherd and Chad McBurnie each ran for a TD as well as the Golden Knights rolled to a 34-8 victory over Eagle Academy II in a rematch of last season's title game. Next: Friday vs. #10 New Utrecht

2) Bayside (1-0) -- Entering the playoffs a year ago as the No. 1 seed it was a shocker to see Bayside fall to Eagle

  
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Academy II in the semifinals. But that loss looks as if it will just motivate this season's Commodores group as they took on DeWitt Clinton in their opener with the Governors coming down this season from the top tier City Division. It was all Bayside as Brian Nezaj threw for 3 TDs and ran for another in a 43-6 blowout victory for the Commodores. Next: Friday vs. East Harlem Pride

3) Moore Catholic (1-0) -- In his first start on the varsity level it was a four-TD day for Mavericks QB Nick Heineman, three coming in the air and one on the ground. Moore's defense did the rest as they pitched a shutout in a 41-0 home victory on opening day against Mount St. Michael. Justin Lacks ran for a TD and rushed for over 100 yards in what was a great start to the new season for a talented Mavericks group. Next: Saturday @ #9 Xavier

4) Tilden (1-0) -- With dynamic RB DoMorri West taking care of business with two TDs it was the Blue Devils showing they are going to be a team to reckon with as they knocked off Port Richmond 26-20 on Friday night. Giovanni Philippe ran for another TD for Tilden, which is big and physical up front and should be a team that continues to get better as the season progresses. Next: Saturday @ DeWitt Clinton

5) St. Peter's (0-1) -- While the final score of 40-0 in loss to Christ the King doesn't look great, it was a 7-0 game with just over a minute to go in the opening half against the AA CHSFL power before a late TD for the Royals made it 13-0 and then it just blew up from there in the second half. Injuries also hampered what is a talented St. Peter's team with Kaiwan Taylor again looking to be one of Staten Island's top offensive threats. Next: Saturday vs. #6 Fordham Prep

6) Fordham Prep (0-1) -- Going up against a team from the top AAA Division in the CHSFL is never easy but going on the road makes it that much harder. That's what Fordham Prep dealt with on Friday night when it took on Msgr. Farrell. RB Dylan Gomez was primarily held in check but the defense did do some good things including a couple INT's in a 24-0 loss that while not the result they wanted, definitely a game that the Rams can learn from. Next: Saturday @ #5 St. Peter's

7) St. Francis Prep (0-0) -- The opening 7-6 win for the Terriers Sunday against Holy Cross didn't come in time before we went to print, but St. Francis Prep looks ready to take on their archrivals on Sunday afternoon as new QB Matthew Gonzalez has looked solid in the preseason, with last season's QB Omarian Jones moving outside to WR. Prep's defense led by Kaleb Artis looks very good in what promises to be a strong season ahead for the Terriers. Next: Sunday vs. Kellenberg

8) McKee/Staten Island Tech (1-0) -- Going into Manhattan on Saturday afternoon for their matchup with East Harlem Pride no one really knew what to expect from the Seagulls, but what happened was an impressive offensive display. On the ground MSIT proved to be near impossible to stop as RBs Charles Metayer and Ryan Hourican each rushed for a TD, while QB Thomas Doyle ran for two more as the Seagulls dominated from start to finish in a 38-6 win. Next: Saturday @ Eagle Academy III

9) Xavier (0-1) -- Another team from the lower level of the CHSFL that took on one from the top tier in the opening week, the Knights clashed with Iona Prep on Saturday night. There were too many weapons for Xavier to contain as the Knights fell 35-6 but the positives were that Matthew Geruso ran for the lone Xavier score and they did hold Iona Prep scoreless in the second half. Next: Saturday vs. #3 Moore Catholic

10) New Utrecht (1-0) -- Trailing 14-2 against an Eagle Academy III team that returned all of their offensive weapons from a year ago, New Utrecht came alive when the game mattered most as they scored 14 unanswered in the fourth to come away with a 16-14 road victory in their first Bowl Division game after spending years in the top tier City Division. Isaiah Wright threw for one TD and ran for another to help lead the Utes to the win. Next: Friday @ #1 James Madison

Class B

1) Stuyvesant (1-0) -- Picking up where he left off a year ago was QB Lucas Dingman as the signal caller threw for four TDs and rushed for another in a game where he had exactly 250 yards from scrimmage in a tight 28-22 victory on the road at Long Island City. Franklin Lou ran for another TD as Stuyvesant looks to be the favorite early on in the PSAL Cup Division. Next: Friday vs. #4 Benjamin Cardozo

2) Petrides (1-0) -- Getting two TDs in the air from QB Mike DiForte and two on the ground from RB Thomas Bruns meant a come- from-behind victory for the Panthers as Petrides went into Queens on Friday night and took a 28-26 win vs. John Adams. It was a strong way to start the season for Petrides as its back to Queens again this coming week with the Panthers going on the road yet again. Next: Saturday @ Far Rockaway

3) Riverdale (1-0) -- Behind the arm of QB Harry Landis it was Riverdale taking down their rivals from Horace Mann in their opener 27-0. Landis would throw three TDs, two of which went to WR Jonah Feinberg. The Falcons defense also rose to the occasion in a game where they showed their size and speed advantage on both sides of the ball to come away with the victory. Next: Saturday vs. #5 Dalton

4) Benjamin Cardozo (1-0) -- The Judges got a challenge against Beach Channel, a team coming down from the Bowl Division that is just also just a couple years removed from the top tier City Division. It wasn't easy for Cardozo but the tandem of RB Tyler Ragler and QB Wendell Sealy combined to rush for 245 yards, while the Judges also had two defensive TDs to take down Beach Channel and earn a spot in our rankings, 21-18. Next: Friday @ #1 Stuyvesant

5) Dalton (1-0) -- After the transfer of QB Dylan Hale to Poly Prep the expectation was a lot of ground and pound using RB Will Spector and at least in Week 1 that's exactly what the Tigers brought. Spector ran for two TDs in what was a great effort for the junior as he helped lead Dalton past Fieldston in their opener on the road 28-19. Things won't get easier for the Tigers but it's a good start to the new campaign. Next: Saturday @ #3 Riverdale


  
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