Teams listed alphabetically:
Bainbridge-Guilford
Brad Hurlburt, sr., Linebacker, 5-foot-9, 170 pounds
A question mark coming into this season, Hurlburt transformed his game and made huge strides at fullback and linebacker. “He was very physical and had a breakout season for us,” said B-G coach Tim Mattingly. “He came in stronger and bigger, and met the challenges. We got everything out of him that we were hoping for.”
Dustin Ross, sr., running back, 5-foot-8, 165 pounds
Ross is one of only two B-G running backs with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, matching Eric Finch, who accomplished that feat a decade ago. Needing a big game in the finale against Seton Catholic Central to break the milestone, Ross had 136 yards to finish with 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns. “He created a lot of running lanes for himself, and any time he carried the ball, it had to scare defensive coordinators,” Mattingly said. “He had the ability to break it at any time.” Seven of Ross’ touchdowns went for 46 yards or more.
Ethan Mazzarella 5-9, sr.165 pounds
The B-G senior was considered the pound-for-pound toughest interior lineman – offensively and defensively – on the Bobcats this season. “When he blocked, he put everything he had into it,” said B-G coach Tim Mattingly. “His motor just ran, and he created havoc for other team’s offenses. He set everything up for our linebackers.”
Greene
Nate Whittaker, sr., quarterback 6-0, 180 pounds
Over the course of his four-year varsity career, Whittaker scored a touchdown in just about every way possible, and showed that this year with two games where he ran, passed, and caught a touchdown pass. Sharing the quarterback duties, he established a new completion percentage record in Coach Tim Paske’s six-year tenure at 63.2 percent throwing eight TDs against just three picks, while leading the team with 610 yards through the air. Additionally, he rushed for 438 yards and four scores, and caught 10 passes for a pair of touchdowns. “He’s that rare kid that doesn’t come around much in a program,” Paske said. “He’s a great person in and out of football, and he did a lot of things for us this year. He had the knack of coming up with a big play when we needed it. It was a pleasure to coach him.”
Dan Carlin, sr., all-purpose, 6-foot-3, 175 pounds
Carlin was a perfect accessory in Greene’s corps of versatile offensive performers. Carlin rushed for 423 yards and five touchdowns, caught 20 passes for another touchdown, passed for a touchdown, and ran in 10 two-point conversions, while also returning a fumble for a score. Defensively, he was credited with three sacks in the first half of the playoff win over Trumansburg. “He was all over the field on defense, and on offense, when we needed tough yards, we counted on him to get them,” Paske said. “He’s an unselfish kid who will do anything to help the team win.”
Nick Wilcox, jr., linebacker 5-foot-9, 140 pounds
Wilcox is a testament to the statement, “size does not matter.” The smallest player on the Trojans’ defense, he came up the biggest with 119 tackles from the middle linebacker position, 3 1/2 sacks, three fumble recoveries, and one interception. “He’s very physical and a determined player,” Paske said. “He’s a state champion wrestler, and those kids are a different bread. He was able to put his body in position to get around blocks, and he accelerated to the hole to make tackles. We gave out the smack of the week for the biggest hit, and he won that two or three times.”
Garrett Hickey, sr., running back, 5-foot-10, 180 pounds
In the Trojans’ balanced offensive attack, Hickey asserted himself as the go-to running back leading the team with 648 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. He had one of his two 100-yard rushing games scoring two touchdowns in the Trojans’ first-ever playoff victory – a 44-20 win over Trumansburg. Defensively, Hickey was part of a stellar trio that also included Nick Wilcox and Tyler Beckwith finishing with 78 tackles and one interception. “We loved to run the trap with him because he hit the hole hard, and if someone was in the hole, he was more than happy to put his shoulder down and run the kid over,” Paske said. “He definitely improved on defense and his understanding of the game evolved. When he needed to be somewhere, he was in position to make the play.”
Tyler Kehl, sr., center, 5-foot-10, 220 pounds
A three-year starter and team leader on offense and defense, Kehl was a dominant force on the offensive line at center, while also controlling the middle of the defense at nose tackle. Head coach Tim Paske charted double-digit pancake blocks for Kehl in a single game. “We talked a lot about getting to the second third level of blocking (for our running backs),” Paske said. “He believed in that and was a heck of a player and a leader. We will miss him, he was definitely someone we relied on.”
Evan Engler, jr, offensive line, 5-foot-10, 185 pounds
Engler’s execution on the offensive line was emblematic of the Trojans’ success. Not possessing great size, Engler regularly matched up against the opposing team’s biggest lineman, and typically won the battle. “He had such a great attitude, and did what it took to be successful,” Paske said. “He didn’t back down, he executed, and was third on the team in pancake blocks...he has real good feet and gets off the ball.” At defensive tackle, Engler finished with 61 tackles and three sacks. “He has such a great motor, and he ran a lot of plays down across the field,” Paske said.
Brendan Kinne, jr., receiver, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds,
After a slow start with just three catches in three games, Kinne came on over the final seven games finishing with an area-best 29 catches and 10 scores. He finished with 350 receiving yards, and caught a TD pass in six straight games at one point. “He’s a heck of a receiver, and the big thing with him was gaining confidence,” Paske said. “We knew he could make big plays, it was just making sure he had the confidence.” Kinne had eight catches and three receiving scores against Canastota, and followed that up with a season-high 101 receiving yards against Unatego.
