Riggins became leader of Troy ‘D’
Athlete of the Year: Jaylen Riggins, Troy
Bobby Burns guided Troy to back-to-back Class AA state championships in 2016 and 2017. Both squads had potent offensive personnel and exceptional defensive units and many of the top stars on the team played both ways.
For the third time in school history, Troy finished a football season undefeated. Although this season’s squad played their 2020 fall season inside a Fall Season II format conducted during March and April without a state tournament, the Flying Horses once again fielded a squad featuring weapons on both sides of the ball. The player making the biggest strides of all was Jaylen Riggins.
A standout lead blocker as a starting fullback, Riggins also started at inside linebacker and produced one of the finest single-season defensive performances in school history in helping propel Troy to Class A title honors in the section.
“It is crazy to say with all the seniors that I had, guys
that played so many games for me on that side of the ball, Jaylen became the leader of the defense,” Burns said. “I challenged him to be that at the beginning of the year. Jaylen just had that ‘it’ thing and he motivated the others around him . ... I don’t know if I’ve had a kid make a bigger progression from one year to the next than Jaylen has. He likes to hit and is everything I wanted him to be.”
What opponents wanted Riggins to be immediately after the start of each game was a spectator on the bench. Instead, Riggins spent seven weeks wrecking running games and getting the ball back for the offense. Riggins registered 87 tackles — 44 solo stops and 43 assisted tackles. Remarkably, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound junior recorded 22 tackles for a loss.
“I didn’t think my stats were that crazy,” Riggins said. “When I realized what my role would be on this defense, I knew I had to step up and know what I had to do — not only for myself, but the D-line, the outside backers and become the defensive leader.”
“On a team with nine senior starters on defense, the leader of the group was a junior,” Burns said. “Here, that is kind of unheard of.”
What makes Riggins’ emergence even more compelling is his sophomore season in 2019 was hindered by a foot injury that caused him to miss time and play in other games at a limited capacity.
“He had some growing pains as a sophomore,” Burns said. “It is a process when you play that position to trust what we are telling you to do. It is a maturity thing of being able to observe everything on the field and understand what your key is based on formations and tendencies. He is a kid who really wants to be good, a true football player who put a lot of work into this during the summer and he really embraced the whole process of getting better.”
The extra six months from a normal fall football season start to one beginning in March afforded Riggins time to completely heal and devote even more time to preparing for his junior season.
“I am very proud of myself, but I know I still have a lot of work to do,” Riggins said.
Troy easily defeated Queensbury 48-0 in the semifinals and knocked off Burnt Hills 50-3 in the title game. Those two programs ended Troy’s playoff runs the previous two years.
“The results were what we wanted them to be,” Riggins said. “It really felt good, especially the Queensbury game because of what happened (in 2019).
First team
End
■ Ghassan Chehade, Sr., Shaker: The transformation from where Chehade was as a sophomore to what he evolved into as a senior was tremendous. One of the most feared pass rushers around, Chehade’s added strength, power and ability to get off blocks forced opponents to run to the opposite side of the field. The 6-5 senior, who is headed next to play at the University at Albany, registered 13 tackles for loss and five sacks for the Blue Bison.
■ Moses Grant, Jr., Schenectady: Although he also plays running back, the junior proved tough for opposing quarterbacks as the speedrushing end accounted for 13 sacks in just six games for the Patriots. He finished with 34 tackles.
Tackle
■ Scott Dochat, Sr., Shenendehowa: A standout performer in the weight throw and shot put for the track team, Dochat threw things around on the football field as well. Difficult to move and adept at pushing blockers backward, the University of Pennsylvania-bound star recorded 35 tackles and three sacks for the Plainsmen.
■ Paris Hart, Sr., Guilderland: Named to the Times Union Large School second team as a junior, Hart became an even more effective performer both on offense and defense for the Class AA champions. Headed to the University at Buffalo as a walk-on, Hart occupied blockers to allow Guilderland’s linebackers to make plays. Finished with 14 solo stops and three sacks. A Jason Rogers, Jr., CBA: A force in the middle at 6-4 and 325 pounds, Rogers commanded consistent double-team tactics. Even when he did not make a tackle, he often pushed blockers into the ball carrier and his teammates finished off the play. Led the Brothers’ defensive linemen with 40 tackles. Linebacker
■ Brandon Fahr, Jr., Shenendehowa: Earned selection to the Times Union Large School second-team defense as a sophomore. Fahr’s increased strength did not hinder his ability to flow to the football. He finished with 25 solo tackles (seven for loss), 32 assisted tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
■ Ed Mcdonough, Sr., La Salle: A three-year starter at center and linebacker, Mcdonough delivered 54 tackles in six games for the Cadets. Named as a Times Union Large School second-team linebacker as a junior. The two-year captain landed a Capital Division first-team selection.
■ Jaylen Riggins, Jr., Troy: Before the sevenweek season started, Riggins set a goal of recording five sacks. He fell short of the objective with the team’s second-highest total of four yet that is about the only measurement where Riggins failed to surpass expectations. The inside linebacker tallied 44 solo stops (22 for loss) and 43 assisted tackles in helping Troy outscore foes 347-48.
■ Will Vivian, Sr., CBA: captain and two-way starter at tight end for the Brothers, Vivian’s biggest impact this season came as a ball-hawking middle linebacker. The senior, who coach Joe Burke deemed “as good as I’ve had” topped the team in tackles with 55.
Cornerback
■ Daniel Iyok, Sr., Shaker: What do you get in a player who excels as a corner and hits like a linebacker? Iyok is the correct response. The powerfully built senior produced 34 tackles, nine passes broken up, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. Headed to play at Hudson Valley Community College.
■ Dyvante Terrelonge, Sr., Shenendehowa: Named to the Large
School All-area first team three straight years, Terrelonge has a well-earned
reputation as an exceptional cover corner. Although most teams stayed away from the senior, Terrelonge still managed to record 25 tackles and three interceptions, helping the Plainsmen advance to the Class AA semifinals. Safety
■ John Graney, Jr., Shaker: His grandfather shares the same first name and enjoyed a lengthy career in local sports media as a successful talk show host and sports director at WRGB. His namesake made himself heard on the field through heavy hits and gamealtering plays. In the season-opening 20-0 win at Shenendehowa, Graney intercepted two passes and recovered two fumbles (the second for a fourth-quarter touchdown). He contributed 41 tackles and three interceptions for the season.
■ Vincent Venditti, Sr., Burnt Hills: Headed to play his college baseball at the College of Saint Rose, Venditti decided to play football his last year and what a successful season he put together: 45 tackles, including four tackles for loss, three interceptions and three forced fumbles. Venditti recovered a pair of onside kicks and returned a punt for a touchdown.
Kick returner
■ Ben Ferlito, Sr., Averill Park: The senior showed himself to be potent both as a punt and kick returner, fearlessly taking chances. Ferlito averaged 20 yards per punt return and 36 yards on kickoff returns. His biggest effort of the season came in a 41-40 triumph over Amsterdam when he put his team ahead with 1:14 remaining with a 70-yard touchdown on a kickoff return.
Punter
■ Kyle Schendler, Sr., Mohonasen: Successfully juggled the duties as the Mighty Warriors’ punter while also competing for the school’s varsity soccer team. The senior averaged 37 yards per kick and earned selection to the Class A Grasso Division first team on a vote of the league’s coaches.
Coach of the Year
■ Dan Penna, Guilderland: The veteran mentor has turned the Dutchmen into a perennial playoff threat and the Dutchmen broke through this season in procuring the program’s first postseason title, edging Shenendehowa 17-14 in the semifinals and rallying late to defeat Shaker 21-20 for the Class AA championship.
Second team
■ DE: Dan Amasha, Jr., La Salle; Jaeshaun Brown, Sr., Troy
■ DT: David Clement, So., CBA; Jack Veirs, Sr., Ballston Spa; Mike Wiltshire, So., Troy
■ LB: Norman Booth, Sr., Schenectady; Cole Holestein, Sr., Scotia; Ryan Mazzariello, Jr., Shaker; Tyrell Penalba, Sr., Troy
■ CB: Caleb Jacobson, Sr., Guilderland; Nassir
Young, Sr., La Salle
■ S: Patrick Bruno, Sr., Guilderland; Alex Gannon, Sr., Mohonasen
■ KR: Decillius Blankenship Jr., Sr., Scotia
■ P: Aiden Laurange, So., Columbia