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Who's the Canarsie football coach?

Well, it depends who you ask.

Mike Camardese, the coach for the last 28 years, received an unsatisfactory "U" rating from the school May 7, and thus was told by the United Federation of Teachers he is no longer the coach. He has filed an appeal through the union, but it will take six to eight months to resolve.

Canarsie Athletic Director Dale Wilson, meanwhile, said Thursday Camardese is still the head coach, although he is looking into "rectifying" the situation. Wilson was referring to Camardese not being present at the team's spring activities.

"He was not terminated," Wilson said. "I can't answer any questions about it because he has a case pending and he has filed a grievance."

Camardese, 56, insists he has been let go, saying the athletic director is using semantics to make it seem as if he's still the coach. He owns a career 196-100 record, including a 7-3 mark last season, and led the team to four Public Schools Athletic League title games.

"He told me himself. When he gave me the U-rating, I asked if I was no longer the coach and he told me I wasn't the coach anymore," Camardese. "They wanted me to stay on until they hired a new coach and transition with the boys, which makes no sense to me."

Camardese did not want to go into specifics about what contributed to his U-rating, but mentioned showing up early to games -- yes, early, not late -- and his coaches parking in wrong spots as things used against him in his grading. He said he was the only member of the coaching staff to receive the U-rating.

"They told me about the U-rating and I said 'tell me to my face I'm not a good football coach,'" Camardese said. "I was told they think I'm a great coach between the lines, it's the other stuff I couldn’t do, which was ridiculous. Last year, they tried to take away some of my coaches and parents fought against that. They wanted me out and the bureaucrats were able to do it."

Camardese, a retired physical education teacher, is appealing the rating, but the timetable of the appeals process would keep him out until the end of the season, if he can return at all. He questioned the timing of his dismissal, as it prevented him from having his appeals process before the season began.

He said his removal is part of a school-wide effort to get rid of anyone who had ties to the old Canarsie High School. Canarsie was phased into the Canarsie Educational Campus at the end of the 2010-11 school year, and the coach said the new administration has made it almost impossible to coach. He said the boys and girls basketball coaches both left under the new leadership, and all banners of former teams' accomplishments were removed.

"They cut down on practice times, we had to go to a park to practice instead of the school. They told me we couldn't come into the school before 10 a.m. on the day of a game, which is utterly ridiculous," Camardese said. "It was just ridiculous stuff."

While he may not ever coach Canaraise again, Camardese said this would not be the end of his coaching career.

"I'll be back somewhere," Camardese said. "I have a lot of things to accomplish."

Don Bosco coach Greg Toal can't forget that strong arm of former quarterback Matt Simms.

"He had the strongest arm by far of any quarterback we've had," Toal said about Simms, who signed with the Jets over the weekend. "No one had the arm of Matt and he was so strong and just a great leader and a heck of a quarterback too. He has the best arm that I've ever seen."

While Simms will have to battle to make the Jets' roster, Toal is hoping that strong arm can help his former star secure a role for himself with a team. Simms is one of five quarterbacks on the Jets roster after he made the team following a tryout during the team's minicamp.

"Matt's worked very hard and has a good opportunity," Toal said. "Hopefully he gets a good shot and I think he's going to impress. I think he's got a lot of skills that can be used in the NFL game. Few guys have as strong an arm as his. He has the ability to be an NFL quarterback."

Simms, son of former Giants quarterback Phil Simms, started for three years at Bosco, leading the Ironmen to a State title in 2006. He played for Louisville, El Camino (Calif.) C.C. and Tennessee. He had his best season in 2010, completing 113-of-195 passes for 1,460 yards and eight touchdowns with the Volunteers.

The quarterback worked out with the Giants before the draft, and after going undrafted, earned an invite to the Jets' minicamp. He earned himself a contract at the camp, although that does not guarantee him a final roster spot with the team. The Jets will carry at least three quarterbacks, and it is not known yet if they will hold four spots.

"He's excited about this opportunity," Toal said. "I'm sure he's going to do the best he can so that he can do real well."

Toal said Simms obviously was well-coached entering high school and the team was able to revolve it's offense around his strong arm. Toal also knows Simms' brother, Chris, and said that Matt reminded him more of Phil in terms of physical build. If Simms can make the Jets' roster, he will join fellow Bosco alum and current Giants defensive end Justin Trattou in New York.

"I've always though if the right team invested in him, he could be a heck of a quarterback in the NFL," Toal said.

Tom Pugh still can't believe it.

After three of his former Holy Cross players signed contracts as undrafted free agents this past weekend, the Knights could possibly have four players in the NFL this upcoming season.

"I've never heard of it," said Pugh, who will coach his 40th year this fall. "Maybe at a place like Mater Dei in California, but not at a small high school in Queens. It's huge."

Former Holy Cross players Michael Hay, Darryl Whiting and Jaquan Bryant each signed contracts with teams in hope of making the league. Hay signed with St. Louis, Bryant with Oakland and Whiting with Tennessee. If they can make the final roster, they could join former teammate Kevin Ogletree, a Dallas receiver, in the league.

"It's a big day and it was a lot of fun," Pugh said. "It's very exciting, especially for the program."

Hay, Whiting and Bryant were all key components of Holy Cross in the 2006-07 seasons and all took different paths to signing their contracts. They're hoping they can follow Ogletree's footsteps, as he worked his way onto Dallas' roster despite being undrafted.

Hay, who attended Syracuse, nearly saw his NFL dreams get dashed a few years ago as he was stabbed in College Point. Pugh said Hay was told that he would probably not play again but the offensive lineman didn't let that hold him down. He transferred from C.W. Post to Nassau Community College and then landed with the Orange.

"Michael was the captain for us and a leader and a very physical football player," Pugh said. "He has a lot of heart. He wanted to play. He was a teammate, just a real teammate. He enjoyed everybody and he was a guy that never worried about himself. He's a leader."

Whiting, who made a name for himself locally at Fordham, was 6-3 and 170 pounds at Holy Cross and has now bulked up to 240 pounds, Pugh said. He was a quiet, rule-abiding player who played hard and won respect from the coaches. Whiting rushed for 668 yards last year.

"He just did his job and worked so hard," Pugh said. "He got along with everybody. He could catch the ball and he could run the ball. I think it was the only time in my 40 years that I ever had a running back that was so tall."

Bryant, from Marist, played corner for the Red Foxes. Pugh remembers Bryant for his ability to cover any player in the Catholic High School Football League, something he brought with him to Marist. He had 47 total tackles and four interceptions last year.

"You just saw him make all these players," Bryant said. "He had a big year."

Feeling good about seeing some of his former players have a big weekend, Pugh joked that he used this historic weekend for his school as a negotiating ploy.

"I asked for a raise," Pugh said with a laugh.

As the Yale football team changed its coaching staff this offseason, former Bulldogs recruit and Stepinac senior fullback Caleb Gilligan-Evans didn't fret much about it.

"It was frustrating at first but things happen for a reason," Gilligan-Evans said. "There's no stability in coaching. I knew it opened up chances for another thing."

That other option would be Holy Cross, the school the bruising fullback is now headed to after being accepted on Friday. The Crusaders beat out Yale and Bryant for Gilligan-Evans' services.

"The atmosphere is great, everyone there is passionate about football," Gilligan-Evans said. "There are opportunities and you work together as a family and the players are great, I really enjoyed visiting them."

When Yale hired Tony Reno as its new coach, the Bulldogs still had their offer out to Gilligan-Evans, but the fullback was told that the team was going in a different direction offensively that wouldn't utilize his services like the previous staff would have. The senior decided to check out other teams who had prior interest.

Holy Cross had been trying to recruit Gilligan-Evans but stopped once he committed to Yale. The Crusaders re-entered the picture and offered Evans a spot and he said he feel in love with it. He told the coaching staff that as long as he was accepted, he would be heading there.

Gilligan-Evans, who rushed for 792 yards and nine touchdowns this season according to MaxPreps.com, will be used as an h-back/fullback at Holy Cross, a similar role to the one he played in Stepinac's offense this season.

"I'm very excited," Gilligan-Evans said. "Everything happens for a reason and the door was open for Holy Cross and it feels amazing. This is a great opportunity and I'm very excited and I can't wait for it to happen."

NAROG TO SACRED HEART: Gilligan-Evans' teammate, wide receiver Vincent Narog, recently committed to Sacred Heart, according to coach Mike O'Donnell. Narog had interest from Lafayette, Southern Connecticut and Trinity, but liked Sacred Heart's football staff and the physical therapy program at the school.

Narog took his time to make his decision, making sure he visited each school and that he felt comfortable at whatever school he ultimately decided to attend. Narog caught 24 passes for 655 yards and seven touchdowns this past season, according to MaxPreps.com.

"It's a good fit for him, a great school with a good football team and they got a good player in Vinnie," O'Donnell said. "He has a lot of potential and Vinnie got a lot better this year and I think he will continue to get better.

"He didn't want to just go somewhere because the school was interested. He really wanted to study physical therapy and that was very important to find the right fit for him."

OGUNDEKO DECOMMITS: Jefferson junior defensive lineman Ebenezer Ogundeko decommitted from UConn over the weekend. He had previously committed to the Huskies despite planning to visit other schools, and wants to keep his options open.

The 6-3 lineman has offers from Arizona State, Boise State, Boston College, Maryland, Rutgers, Syracuse and Vanderbilt, according to ESPN Recruiting Nation.

With a lack of support, Moore Catholic has suspended its football team, according to school athletic director Rich Postiglione. The Staten Island Advance first reported the news.

"We tried every which way and while our enrollment is up and there are certain things really thriving, unfortunately, the number of boys interested in playing football is really not sufficient," Postiglione said. "It's not a matter of desiring to do away with anything. It's a matter of our student base, which is about 66 percent women and 33 percent men, and we don't have enough support and the interest of what it takes to have a safe, viable program."

Moore Catholic completed its 12th season this past year and finished 9-0. It's in its third year as an independent school after it left the Catholic High School Football League. The Staten Island school played teams from New Jersey and lower level teams from New York City this past season and was coached by Greg Rocco.

Postiglione added that any football player that wanted to transfer to another school to continue his playing career would not have to sit out the season, like the usual rules stipulate. The Staten Island Advance reported that the team was in the low 30s in terms of players last season and only had 18 players scheduled to return.

Postiglione hopes at some point the school can revive the program. He told the Staten Island Advance that he believes the school will add boys soccer in place of football this upcoming fall.

"We had a wonderful year this year but unfortunately a good percentage of the kids graduate and there's not enough behind them," Postiglione said. "Is this forever? We hope not, but certainly in preparing for next year and schedule and going along, it is what it is. That was the decision of the principal."

Ebenezer Ogundeko sees himself playing for UConn two seasons from now.

Maybe.

While the Thomas Jefferson defensive lineman gave the Huskies what he called a soft verbal on Saturday, the junior still plans to visit other schools that have expressed interest in him. Ogundeko said his decision could change, but it's not a sign of him souring on the Huskies.

"I like UConn a lot, they're No. 1 on my list," Ogundeko said. "But I still want to see other schools and see if they're going to give me better opportunities."

He added: "I thought it was a good decision at the time. I really should have waited it out."

Ogundeko, a 6-3, 227-pound end, said he also has offers from Rutgers, Boston College, Arizona State and Syracuse. He said there is interest from Boise State, and Maryland has also contacted him. Ogundeko told ESPN Recruiting on Saturday that is visiting Syracuse in April and hopes to visit LSU and Penn State.

"I'm very confident staying at UConn because I like the school a lot, it's my No. 1 school," Ogundeko said. "Right now, I think it's a great decision."

Ogundeko liked UConn because he believes the Huskies are a team on the rise and liked that the school has his major, as he intends to study communications and sports management.

He said that he hopes to get other New York City players to follow him, including Tottenville running back Augustus Edwards and Xaverian junior running back Laray Smith. Ogundeko said he and Smith will attend the same school.

On his visit, Ogundeko talked with former Boys & Girls safety Wilbert Lee and was impressed with how he had physically blossomed.

"I saw how big and better he got and I was thinking they could do the same with me," Ogundeko said. "I'm all about getting better."

The junior had 62 tackles and six sacks this season for Jefferson, according to stats on the Public Schools Athletic League website. He started as an offensive lineman but transitioned at the Brooklyn school to a defensive lineman. He played both ways at times for the Orange Wave.

"He's an ideal player," Jefferson coach Stephen Edwards said. "He plays hard and gives you everything on the field. He'll find a way to not let his team down or you down as a coach. He gives you all you can ask of him and more.

Prince Dukes didn't know who had sent this piece of mail.

When the Curtis sophomore quarterback went home Wednesday, his mother handed him a piece of mail that said "E11" on the outside. When he saw that the mail actually was inviting him to the Nike Elite 11 quarterback camp, his demeanor quickly changed.

"I was just excited," Dukes said. "I was just smiling."

Duke, one of the top underclassmen in New York City, secured an invite and will attend the Nike Elite 11 quarterback camp on April 28 at Randall's Island. The camp is one of the regional camps for top rising seniors and elite underclassmen quarterbacks. The best of the best from the different camps get the chance to participate in the prestigious Elite 11 final in California.

"I'm very excited about it," Dukes said.

The Elite 11 camp gives one-on-one instruction for quarterbacks and has been attended by NFL stars like New Orleans' Drew Brees, Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers and Detroit's Matthew Stafford. It's a two-hour event and there are six regional camps this year. Dukes said he had only previously known about it after hearing about it from Tottenville junior quarterback Brandon Barnes, who told him he should try to qualify.

"I'm going to try to take in just whatever I can learn," Dukes said.

Dukes led Curtis to a 6-4 record this year but struggled with turnovers. He had 14 interceptions, compared to eight touchdowns, in his first full season as the starting quarterback for the Warriors. Curtis lost in the first round of the playoffs to Campus Magnet.

In his freshman year, he completed 54.9 percent of passes and threw for 707 yards, according to stats on the Public Schools Athletic League website.

He said he hopes to improve on his decision making going into next season and said that he's using last season's failures as motivation for this upcoming season.

"They saw your junior year is your breakout year when you should have all your tools together," Dukes said.

Here are the playoff games to keep an eye on this week. Check back for updated scores and highlights.

Feb. 28:

Boys: Iona Prep 58, Moore Catholic 56: Iona Prep advance to the Class A final with a 58-56 win over Moore Catholic. The Gaels also prevented Moore Catholic coach Tony Rafaniello from picking up his 500th win by knocking off the Mavericks. Iona Prep will meet St. Edmund Prep in the final.--(Matt Ehalt)

Boys: St. Edmund Prep 44, Xavier 43: St. Edmund rallied from a six-point deficit in the final 90 seconds to defeat Xavier in the Class A semifinals. The Eagles went head on a 3-pointer by Chris Tsatsis with about 30 seconds left and held on, using a steal to secure the 44-43 win.

St. Edmund trailed by 12 at the half and advanced to the final for the fourth time in the 16-year history of the program. It will meet Iona Prep for the title game on Friday night.

"We did not have our best day in the first half," St. Edmund coach Dan Wiatre said. "We were able to swing the momentum to our way in the third quarter."--(Ehalt)

Boys: Wadleigh 77, Bayside 71: Wadleigh coach Mike Crump promised that Bayside and coach Corey Semper would go down in flames in the second round of the Public Schools Athletic League Class AA tournament and his prediction came true as Wadleigh won 77-71.

The Tigers (23-7) received a tremendous showing from senior Basil Harley, who scored 39 points and had 10 assists and seven rebounds. Wadleigh led 49-32 after three quarters and held off a late run by Bayside (19-7).

"He put the team on his back by himself," Crump said of Harley. "The other seniors didn't do their part. ... Basil Harley, that's the story. 39 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds. Basil Harley, aka Captain America."--(Ehalt)

Girls: No. 7 Moore Catholic 68, St. Joseph Hill 20: Moore Catholic barley broke a sweat as it advanced to the Archdiocesan final with a 68-20 win over St. Joseph Hill. Jamie O'Hare had 22 points to lead the Mavericks (19-5) while Christina Rubin contributed 16. St. Joseph Hill fell to 15-11.

Moore coach Rich Postiglione credited his team's defense, calling it outstanding, saying his team played with great energy and that allowed his team to get out in transition.

"Winning this allows our team another opportunity to play for a championship," Postiglione said. "We won the league and we're now playing for the Archdiocesan title and that's a culmination of a lot of effort. The kids are very proud to have earned this opportunity."--(Ehalt)

Girls: Cardinal Spellman 57, St. John Villa 40: Cardinal Spellman advanced to the Archdiocesan title game following a 57-40 win over St. John Villa. Onia Webb led the way with 18 points while Maria Backman had 16 points for second-seeded Spellman (21-5). Dorothy O'Neill had 11 for third-seeded St. John Villa (17-10).

Spellman got out to a strong start and never looked back, taking a 26-8 lead after the first quarter. Coach Jane Morris credited her defense. Her team will meet Moore Catholic for the Archdiocesan title.

"We're happy for another shot at Moore, we split with them," Morris said. "We're looking forward to that. It's nice to be in the Archdiocese finals and we hope we can have another good game."--(Ehalt)

Girls: No. 4 Christ the King 66, No. 6 Bishop Loughlin 39: With arguably it's top two players leaving Tuesday's game for precautionary reasons, Christ the King received big showings from two bench players as it routed Bishop Loughlin in the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens Division I quarterfinals.

Star Sierra Calhoun had nine in the first quarter but did not return for precautionary reasons after landing hard on her knee in the second quarter. Senior Rayne Connell also left for precautionary reasons after bumping her head in the third quarter.

With those two unavailable, sophomore Kollyns Scarborough led the team with 17 and Amanni Fernandez had 14 to lead CK (13-13). The fourth-seeded Lady Royals led 24-9 after one and won each quarter against fifth-seeded Bishop Loughlin (11-12). The Lady Royals will play top-seeded Nazareth in the semifinals.

"Those girls stepped up and played really well," CK coach Bob Mackey said. "The team is growing up. They were motivated since they knew they didn't play well last time against them and they came out to prove they could play better than they did."--(Ehalt)

Girls: No. 3 Molloy 57, Mary Louis Academy 48: Molloy won its third straight game as it defeated Mary Louis, 57-48, in Brooklyn/Queens Division I quarterfinals. The Lady Stanners (18-8) opened up an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter and held off Mary Louis (10-15) to advance to the semifinals.

Molloy, seeded third, was led by 28 points from Amani Tatum and 16 points and 15 rebounds from Carolyn Gallagher. After losing back-to-back games two weeks ago, Molloy is rolling at the right time and coach Scott Lagas believes his team turned the corner against Christ the King last week.

"I think being down by 11 to Christ the King last week and coming back to win, it sparked us in the right direction," Lagas said. "We're doing everything the right way and the way we want to do thing and we're really gelling well as a team right now."--(Ehalt)

Feb. 29

Boys: Curtis 79, Campus Magnet 52: Curtis dominated Campus Magnet from start to finish and the sixth-seeded Warriors bested 11th-seeded Campus Magnet 79-52. Dontay Jackson led Curtis with 21 points, Kevin Mcintosh added 20, Dashawn Richmond had 17 and Debonair Edwards had 10.

"Curtis a tough place to play," Curtis coach Rich Buckheit said. "We utilized our home-court advantage. We were fortunate to get the higher seed and play those guys."

Curtis will now meet Lincoln in the quarterfinals on Sunday.

"They've been very successful over the years and have an abundance of talent," Buckheit said. "We're starting to even the gap on Staten Island and we're getting the talent to compete with these schools. We're looking forward to the challenge."--(Ehalt)

Boys: No. 10 South Shore 63, JFK 50: In the most intriguing second round game, South Shore took down JFK 63-60 in Brooklyn on Wednesday. The Vikings were led by 16 points from Shamiek Sheppard, Wayne Martin had 15 points and 15 rebounds and Terrence Samuel had 10 points.

Seventh-seeded South Shore used a 16-6 run in the second quarter to take the lead and was able to create some separation in the fourth quarter against 10th-seeded JFK. It now will face Brooklyn rival Boys & Girls, who the Vikings split the season series with.

"It will be a good challenge for us," South Shore coach Mike Beckles said. "They are the defending champions. We have to play smart and execute to close the game out."--(Ehalt)

Boys: No. 8 Wings Academy 45, Eagle Academy 44: Wings Academy won a thriller to advance to the quarterfinals as it beat Eagle Academy for the third time this season in a 45-44 win. Wings led 45-41 late but Eagle hit a free throw and then scored off a miss to cut it to one. Wings missed two free throws on the other end with a second left but Eagle could not get a shot off.

Wings, seeded third, trailed until there was about 5:30 left in the game and now advances to the quarterfinals where it will face fifth-seeded Cardozo.

"This was our worst offensive display all year long," Wings coach Billy Turnage said. "It shows a lot of heart, determination, grit, any of those words. Only Justin Jenkins and Stephen Gomez had played a minute of basketball on the varsity level so I thought we might come out like that."

He added: "At this time of year it's survive and advance. We get a few more days of practice and we go from there. We'll show up Sunday and play the game."--(Ehalt)

Boys: Molloy 65, St. Peter's 59: Molloy pulled the upset in the second round of the CHSAA Tournament as it took down St. Peter's. Molloy had been seeded as the No. 5 seed out of Brooklyn and defeated the Archdiocesan's No. 4 seed in the game. Molloy now advances to take on Holy Cross in the quarterfinals.--(Ehalt)

Girls: Midwood 45, Benjamin Banneker 41: Midwood upset Benjamin Banneker, 45-41, in the first round of the Girls Public Schools Athletic League AA tournament. Amina Markovic led the way with 17 points while Camera Miley had 12 points. Midwood takes on top-seeded South Shore in the quarterfinals.--(Ehalt)

March 1

Boys: No. 2 Christ the King 77, Stepinac 53: Christ the King rebounded from a loss last time out against Bishop Loughlin with a through beating of Stepinac. The Royals controlled the game from start to finish, with Omar Calhoun leading the way with 29 points, despite not playing in the fourth quarter.

"We came out with the intensity I wanted to see," CK coach Joe Arbitello said.

The Royals won without junior guard Isaiah Lewis, who did not play due to a coach's decision and will not play in the quarterfinals against Mount St. Michael. Arbitello would not elaborate on Lewis not playing.

"He'll play when I want to play him," Arbitello said.

CK and Mount will be meeting for the first time on Sunday in the quarterfinals.

"They're well coached and I think Malik Gill is a tough guard," Arbitello said. "They got guys that can shoot, they got a big guy inside that wants to rebound. It should be a good game. They're tough to beat."--(Ehalt)

Boys: All Hallows 52, Xaverian 49: In what most would consider an upset, All Hallows took down Xaverian in the second round of the Intersectional tournament. Xaverian missed a 3-point shot at the end to try and tie it in what was one-possession game for most of the contest.

All Hallows now advances to the quarterfinals to take on St. Raymond, who has bested the Gaels three times this year.

"All year long, we've been competitive most of the time but came up on the short end," All Hallows coach John Carey said. "I htink the level of competition has been tough for us all year. Tonight we were able to come up on the positive end."--(Ehalt)


Girls: No. 4 Christ the King 54, No. 1 Nazareth 53: The first time Christ the King faced Nazareth, it lost in a blowout. The second time, it inched closer by still lost by double digits. In the third game on Thursday, the Lady Royals finally got over the hump in a 54-53 win in the Brooklyn/Queens semifinals.

CK led 52-51 when Sierra Calhoun missed two free throws, but Kristen Drogsler tapped the miss back to Calhoun, who was fouled and sunk both free throws to give the Lady Royals the 54-51 lead. Nazareth hit a layup at the other end at the buzzer for the final score. Calhoun had 19 points to lead Christ the King while Kollyns Scarborough had 16 points and Taylor Butigen added eight points and 17 rebounds.

"I think we're growing up," CK coach Bob Mackey said. "We have young kids stepping up and I think that's a key difference. We have a sophomore point guard (Alyssa Gatti) and shooting guard (Calhoun). Some of these young kids are stepping up and buying into what we are doing.

"Also, it's the strength of our schedule. I don't think we win this game without going through a whole bunch of tough games earlier this year."

Christ the King will now meet Bishop Ford in the final. The two teams split the meetings this season.--(Ehalt)

Girls: No. 2 Bishop Ford 55, No. 3 Molloy 53: A layup with .04 seconds left by Aaliyah Lewis gave Bishop Ford the exciting 55-53 win over Molloy in the Brooklyn/Queens semifinals. A close game saw the Lady Falcons get the last basket to beat Molloy for the second time in three games.

Lewis had 12 points while Brittany Lewis and Aaliyah Jones each had 10. Brittany Martin had seven points and 16 rebounds as well. Molloy was led by 22 points from Amani Tatum.

Bishop Ford meets Christ the King in the final on Saturday.

"It means alot," coach Mike Toro said. "We haven't had a girls team here that has ever won Brooklyn/Queens in the school's history so to be the first team to get there means a lot."--(Ehalt)

March 2
Boys: Iona Prep vs. St. Edmund Prep
Boys: Nazareth vs. St. Agnes
Girls: No. 7 Moore Catholic vs. Cardinal Spellman

March 3
Girls: PSAL Class AA Quarterfinals
Girls: No. 2 Bishop Ford vs. No. 4 Christ the King
Girls: Brooklyn/Queens Division II final

March 4
Boys: CHSAA intersection quarterfinals
Boys: PSAL Class AA quarterfinals

Don Bosco running back/cornerback Jabrill Peppers transferred last week to Paramus Catholic, a move that Don Bosco head coach Greg Toal sees as a page out the playbook from another sport.

"AAU basketball, that is what this has become," Toal said last week about Peppers transferring. "Figure it out. You have street agents. Like (St. Anthony (N.J.) basketball coach) Bobby Hurley said, you have so many street agents and that problem is becoming a high school problem. That's what it becomes. It's becoming just like AAU basketball."

Toal is referencing the documented culture of AAU basketball, where street agents are known to act as advisors for recruits, helping them choose their future schools and sometimes holding more clout than the players' actual high school coach. Players will also go to certain schools or play for certain AAU basketball teams to be linked up with specific individuals.

A New York Times article from March of 2011 talked to college and high school coaches who mentioned the changing culture of high school football recruiting, talking about street agents and the AAU basketball culture's effect on that aspect of their sport.

Peppers, who helped Bosco win the mythical national title this past season, was selected as a third-team ESPNHS All-American and an ESPNHS Underclass All-American. Peppers rushed for 912 yards and 20 touchdowns this season while also hauling in three touchdowns, according to stats available on maxpreps.com.

He is one the premier talents in the country and figured to be one of Bosco's key players moving forward as it tried to defend its national title. The Ironmen never lost a game while Peppers was on the roster and currently have a 46-game win streak.

Don Bosco athletic director Bryan McAleer said that Peppers officially withdrew from the Ramsey school on Feb. 9. He said that Bosco is making sure that there was no illegal recruiting when it came to Peppers' decision to transfer.

"We're going to due our due diligence to make sure that everything is done correctly and make sure moving forward that people do things the right way," McAleer said. "We want to make sure that this was handled the right way."

Paramus Catholic would not comment about Bosco looking into any potential illegal recruiting.

"Because they're looking into it and because we don't want to draw any specific attention to one individual in the school, we really don't have any comment on the matter," Paramus Catholic Athletic Director Scott Langan said.

Peppers, who did not return multiple calls seeking comment, told The Record (N.J.) that his move had nothing to do with athletics and comfort level played a big role in his decision to leave Don Bosco. He told the paper that he felt uncomfortable at Don Bosco and his mother backed up those statements to the paper.

"A lot has been going on, now that the news has been out there, people had been acting strangely toward me, a lot of comments made," Peppers told the paper. "The longer I prolonged the decision, the worse it would get."

He also said to The Record: "I just kept thinking I have to get out of here soon. It was bad. I didn't want to eat. I didn't want to do anything."

The sophomore started classes at Paramus Catholic on Feb. 9, according to school president James Vail. According to Big North rules, Peppers would have to sit out for 30 days next season as a transfer student, but Vail said that Peppers' mother told him that she is looking to move her residence so she can be closer to her employment, which could potentially waive the missed games.

Peppers is the second high-profile prospect that helped Bosco win its national title leave the school. Colorado-bound defensive back Yuri Wright was kicked out of the school for explicit twitter messages shortly before National Signing Day.

The Public Schools Athletic League released its Class B seeds on Sunday.

Here are the seeds for the tournament, which begins Feb. 15.

1. Pathways Prep (15-1 Queens B East)
2. Elanor Roosevelt (15-1 Manhattan B-1)
3. Newcomers (14-0 Queens B West)
4. Teachers Prep (18-0 Brooklyn B East)
5. Health Professions (13-1 Manhattan B-2)
6. Fannie Lou Hamer (17-1 Bronx B East)
7. Washington Heights (13-1 Manhattan B-3)
8. School of the Future (13-1 Manhattan B-2)
9. Renaissance (13-3 Queens B East)
10. August Martin (12-4 Queens B East)
11. Goldstein (15-3 Brooklyn B West)
12. Sports Professions
13. Manhattan Village (10-4 Manhattan B-3)
14. Wingate (14-4 Brooklyn B West)
15. Bathgate (13-5 Bronx B East)
16. Tilden (14-4 Brooklyn B West)
17. Collaborative (12-3 Manhattan B-1)
18. Medgar Evers (13-5 Brooklyn B West)
19. Metropolitan (13-5 Bronx B East)
20. Brooklyn Community (12-6 Brooklyn B West)
21. Law Enforcement (11-5 Queens B East)
22. Queens HS Complex (11-3 Queens B West)
23. EBC/Bushwick (15-3 Brooklyn B East)
24. American Studies (13-5 Bronx B West)
25. Frederick Douglass (10-8 Bronx B East)
26. Leadership Academy (12-6 Brooklyn B East)
27. New Explorations (10-4 Manhattan B-2)
28. Information Tech (10-4 Queens B West)
29. JKO (11-5 Manhattan B-1)
30. Morrisania (13-5 Bronx B West)
31. Holcombe L. Rucker (9-9 Bronx B East)
32. South Bronx (9-9 Bronx B East)
33. Chelsea (9-5 Manhattan B-3)
34. Townsend Harris (8-8 Queens B East)
35. East Side Community (9-6 Manhattan B-1)
36. South Bronx Prep (9-9 Bronx B East)
37. Henry Street (8-8 Manhattan B-1)
38. InTech (9-9 Bronx B West)
39. Robert Wagner (7-7 Queens B west)

Here's the schedule for first round games:

No. 26 Leadership Academy vs. No. 39 Robert Wagner (Feb. 16)
No. 27 New Explorations vs. No. 38 InTech (Feb. 16)
No. 28 InTech vs. No. 37 Henry Street (Feb. 16)
No. 29 JKO vs. No. 36 South Bronx Prep (Feb. 16)
No. 30 Morrisania vs. No. 35 East Side Community (Feb. 16)
No. 31 Holcombe L. Rucker vs. No. 34 Townsend Harris (Feb. 15)
No. 32 South Bronx vs. No. 33 Chelsea (Feb. 17)

The Eagle Academy boys basketball team had to forfeit 12 league games for using an ineligible player this season, according to head coach Rodney Plummer.

However, Plummer said he was told that his athletic director was notified by the Public Schools Athletic League that the player, Gerard Carty, was eligible.

"According to my athletic director, prior to the season we received authorization from the eligibility person at the PSAL," Plummer said. "The student's father, to my understanding, contracted the PSAL and explained his situation and the PSAL said he was good. In turn, the eligibility person called my athletic director and conveyed that he was eligible and then I was told that I could play him."

According to New York City Department of Education spokesperson Margie Feinberg, the league never cleared Carty before the season. He is ineligible because he is a fifth-year high school student.

Plummer, whose team lost in the Bronx borough semifinals Thursday night, said that after his team defeated Wadleigh on Jan. 13, the PSAL called and said that after further investigation the player was made ineligible. The team had to forfeit every league game up to that point and even the next game against Lehman. Carty, who averaged a modest 7.9 points and 5.8 assists per game, hasn't played since.

The eligibility issues arose from Carty's transcripts. Plummer said that Carty brought transcripts showing two years at Mount St. Michael, which would have made him a junior last season. It was discovered, though, that prior to Mount, Carty had attended All Hallows but did not finish out the year, which made him a fifth-year senior. Plummer said the school was never told about Carty's year at All Hallows. Eagle Academy athletic director Steven Leonard could not comment on the issue.

When asked if he believed that Carty and his family were not truthful with the school in presenting their transcripts, Plummer did not want to comment but said that one could make his or her own inferences about the situation.

"I think the PSAL played a part in this but I think others did as well, and again, you can draw the inference there," Plummer said. "Certainly not the school. As the coach, I don't determine eligibility. I choose kids to make the team, my athletic director tells me who is eligible and then those that are not are put on the inactive list."

Plummer said he was surprised when he found out that Carty was ineligible but denied his school knowingly playing an ineligible player.

"Eagle Academy is not a basketball factory. It's an academic institution," Plummer said. "I have another kid, a 6-6 lefty, who is inactive. If I was going to play an ineligible player, it would be him. I have 10 guards on my team and Carty is a part of this team but I have five other guards like him. It wasn't a matter of we need this guy. We're the same with him or without him."

Eagle Academy is eligible for the postseason, although its seed will be much lower for the Class AA Tournament now that it has gone from a 14-2 league record to 3-13. Eagle Academy would be 25-3 overall on the season but now is 14-14 on the year.

Plummer said his team was heartbroken over the news.

"I'm never one to make excuses for team performance, make no mistake JFK is a strong team, but I think my team was affected by this Thursday night," Plummer said about his team's borough playoffs loss. "I have tried to encourage them that everyone's record in the tournament is 0-0 and we need to continue performing. It will be OK."

Next season should be a more competitive football season for Don Bosco and Bergen Catholic.

The two New Jersey powerhouses have been allowed to play five out-of-state games, being granted special permission by the NJSIAA to forgo the 70 percent rule that used to dictate the teams schedules. Both schools are pleased about the scheduling changes that should allow them to replace two weaker public school teams on their schedule. The teams previously were allowed three out-of-state contests.

"It's a good rule and I think it makes sense," Don Bosco coach Greg Toal said. "It gives us an opportunity to play more teams and frees us up to not have to play as many public schools. We can challenge our kids. No one likes huge mismatches and I think this has started to eliminate some of that and evens up the playing field."

Don Bosco and Bergen Catholic, who played for the NJSIAA Non-Public Group 4 title this past season, asked their conference, the Big North, if they could be granted a waiver to allow them to forgo the 70 percent rule. That rule made sure that New Jersey teams had to play 70 percent of their games against New Jersey foes.

The two schools were allowed to play three non-state games this past season, taking advantage of it to play schools from California and Florida, among other states. The schools will be allowed a two-year period to test it out and then it will be revisited.

"I think it's great and in the best interest of all teams involved," Bergen Catholic coach Nunzio Campanile said. "When we can make rules that benefit everybody, it's a situation where people are working together and I just think it's a great thing for every school and just not for our two schools."

The root of the additional games is to allow for more competitive games in New Jersey, by possibly eliminating games between the two schools and public schools. When Bosco and Bergen Catholic played public schools teams last season, the games weren't close.

Bosco beat three New Jersey public schools teams last season by a combined score of 154-23. Bergen Catholic beat its two New Jersey public school foes by a combined score of 116-12.

By potentially eliminating the public schools games and replacing them with tough competition from around the country, Bosco and Bergen Catholic raise their national profile and get better competition. The public schools teams will be able make teams that are closer to their level. In order for the games to be dropped, it must be a mutual agreement between both sides.

"It provides equal opportunity for our young men to seek competition that equals the playing field across the board and that's what high school sports is all about," Bosco Athletic Director Bryan McAleer said. "You want to make sure you have an equal chance of winning."

Bosco has out-of-state games scheduled against Alta (Utah), Gilman (Md.) at the Naval Academy and a game against St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) is pending a contractual agreement. The Ironmen would like to add two more games, but would have to host those final two games.

Bergen Catholic will take on New York powerhouse St. Anthony's in Long Island, face Bishop Gorman (Nev.), play Cocoa (Fla.) and added on Thursday Friendship Academy (D.C.) to its schedule. The Cocoa game replaced a previously scheduled game against Ridgewood and the game against Passaic County Tech may get replaced.

"I think everybody feels that the true lessons are learned when teams are challenge and faced adversity," Campanile said. "Blowout games do not benefit anybody and we all recognize that and want a chance to compete and to be successful."

Justin Combs is officially Hollywood bound.

The Iona Prep cornerback signed and faxed his National Letter of Intent to UCLA on Wednesday at a ceremony at the school. Friends and family, including his father, rap mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, were in attendance as Combs finalized his decision.

"It was like a dream come true, I can't even believe it, I am really signed to a major school that is going in the right direction," Combs said. "I'm really a Bruin."

Combs committed to the school just days after it had fired its previous coach, Rick Neuheisel. The school eventually hired Jim Mora, who Combs said was his favorite coach from his days coaching Michael Vick with the Falcons. He called it surreal to talk with him face-to-face.

"He's been recruiting very hard and our recruiting class is very good," said Combs, the No. 7 recruit in New York according to ESPNU.

Combs is one of two major gets from the Tri-State Area for UCLA, as the school will also get New Jersey's top recruit, quarterback Devin Fuller from Old Tappan. Combs said that the two are friends and he talked to him right after he committed, welcoming him to the UCLA family and saying "let's take this thing all the way."

"It's exciting," Combs said. "It's real. Everything else is just verbal, nothing is real until you sign that paper and you put your name on the X. I'm ready and I'm excited."

THE LINCOLN SIX: The reigning PSAL champions had six players sign and fax their letters, the most in the history of the program, according to head coach Shawn O' Connor.

Linebacker/receiver Tarik Pusey (Rhode Island), lineman Robert Kitching (UMass), running back Kareem Fokes (CW Post), running back Denzel Duchenne (Virginia Union), lineman Keyon Barnwell (CW Post) and lineman Armani Gordon (Southern Connecticut) made up the historic group.

"It was exciting to see all of my teammates signing and our teammates were there supporting us," Pusey said. "It was the result of hard work in the ofsseason that all of us put in and we bought into the Lincoln system and we did what our coaches said."

THE ARMY'S KING: Flushing running back Andrew King signed and faxed his letter to Army as his school celebrated with a small ceremony with former players, family, teachers, the school's principal and his coaches in attendance.

"It was one of my greatest life experiences. I got through it and got over it and now I can train my body and mind on what college has prepared for me," King said. "It was a relief because I have it over with and don’t have to stress anymore if I'm going to college or how I'm going to have to pay for it, and all of that."

CORNELIUS TO SYRACUSE: Tottenville wide receiver Alvin Cornelius III did not know that Wayne Morgan was headed to Syracuse when he signed and faxed his letter to the Orange this morning. Later on, he found out the good news that he would joined at Syracuse by Erasmus Hall's star cornerback.

"He's another kid from New York City and me and him have talked and know each other well and are going to go out there and handle business," Cornelius said.

STEPINAC TRIO: Stepinac had three of its players sign and fax their letters on Wednesday as tight end Austin Taps signed with UPenn, kicker Prezemyslaw Popek signed with Stony brook and offensive lineman Jesse Gwin signed on with CW Post. Fullback Caleb Gilligan-Evans, who is committed to Yale, did not sign on Wednesday.

"It was a great feeling great to wrap it up and finish up the process, I know my coaches and my family are proud. I wouldn't be in the position I am without them," Taps said. "It was cool signing with my teammates. I'm real proud of those guys and they worked hard and it was great to see them signing with schools."

POLY PREP HAS THREE: Poly Prep had three players sign on Wednesday. Wide receiver Malik Rodriguez signed with Ohio, quarterback Kevin Gebon is headed to Bryant and cornerback Dylin Lewis signed with CW Post.

"It was somewhat saddening because it's the finalization of my high school career and the dudes I was signing with are my friends and it was like leaving my colleagues behind since they're no longer my teammates," Gebon said. "They're not going to be teammates anymore but we'll still be in contact."

MOUNT'S ACQUAH TO HC: Mount St. Michael fullback Kenny Acquah signed and faxed his letter to Holy Cross. His older brother, Gary Acquah, is a sophomore for the Crusaders and Kenny said he is going to be a middle linebacker there.

"It was definitely very exciting to be signing with a Division I college," Acquah said. "I always wanted to do that since I was a little kid and to put the pen to paper was extremely exciting."

LIDDY TO THE HOYAS: Kellenberg offensive lineman Kevin Liddy signed and faxed his letter to Georgetown on Wednesday.

"It's a great school and it's a good football school," Liddy said. "I'm very excited to go down there. I've been there a couple of times and it's a great place to go."

ADEGUNLE TO NEW HAVEN: Beach Channel/Channel View wide receiver Henry Adegunle almost didn't get to sign because of a clerical error, but the paperwork came in time and he signed and faxed his letter to New Haven.

"It's excitement and relief," Adegunle said. "At first I thought I wasn't going to get signed and then when I went there I was interested in them."

BINCKES TO CW POST: Xaverian tight end Sean Binckes signed and faxed his letter to CW Post on Wednesday.

"It was awesome. it was a great day to commit to a school and know where I am going," Binckes said. "It was a pretty long process. There were so many people to talk to. At the end you get the offers. It was a long process but it taught me a lot. ... I'm pumped, I can't wait to go there and play, I've been out of it for too long."

IVY BOUND: St. Anthony's offensive lineman Pat McHugh and defensive lineman JD Hurt are both headed to the Ivy League as McHugh signed with Yale and Hurt signed with Columbia.

PAIR OF TIGERS: Fort Hamilton had a pair of recruits sign as defensive end Toba Akinleye signed with Columbia and lineman Mensur Ibric is headed to Sacred Heart.

Erasmus Hall defensive back Wayne Morgan signed with Syracuse over Connecticut at a press conference at the Brooklyn school Wednesday.

“They were the school that was showing me the most interest when it was time,” Morgan said. “For the last three months, I’ve been hearing from them almost everyday and they’ve been talking to my coach. They’ve been calling me like once a week. They’ve just been the most consistent.”

Morgan saw the same consistency from the UConn. Both schools had been courting Morgan, who also played quarterback while leading the Dutchmen to their first PSAL city championship final last season. Morgan notified UConn on Sunday and faxed his letter of intent Wednesday.

The 5-11, 190-pound senior counted 15 total scholarship offers, including offers from Boston College, Maryland, Michigan, Rutgers, Alabama and Miami. Wisconsin and West Virginia also made late runs at signing Morgan and Penn State even got involved last week. But choosing between two schools was already stressful enough without adding more into the mix.

“It was a hassle,” Morgan said. “It was a headache just trying to make the decision between two teams. I didn’t want to bring another school in and then it would be (giving myself) a migraine now.”

Morgan admitted he was torn after visiting the campus in Storrs, Conn., but as the day approached when he would have to make a choice, Erasmus coach Danny Landberg gave Morgan a list of about 14 questions about each school. The list included topics that included the length of the head coach’s contract, what majors the university offered and Morgan’s rapport with defensive coordinator and positions coach.

Syracuse had nine New York City football players on the team last season, including Fort Hamilton stars Ivan Foy and Morgan’s close friend Brandon Reddish, who hosted his recruit visit. Tottenville wide receiver Alvin Cornelius also signed with the Orange on Wednesday.

Still, Morgan said he seriously considered taking the Huskies’ offer.

“There was a ‘but’,” he said. “You know when you’re doing something and there’s always a ‘but’? There was a point involved. When I was thinking about Syracuse there weren’t really any ‘buts.’”

Syracuse also gives Morgan the opportunity to play immediately. Morgan said he expects to be used in nickel packages and on special teams, along with Reddish. Head coach Doug Marrone is also a graduate of Lehman High in the Bronx.

In the end, Syracuse provided everything Morgan needed and the built-in support system that gave Landberg confidence in his star player’s decision.

More than anything, they are both just happy that it’s over and he can stop fielding questions about where he plans to go to school. Morgan said that he probably got about 20 inquiries a day. His mother, Sharon Ellis, said the phone rang non-stop with recruiters pitching their programs. She said she even fell asleep during one home visit.

“At the end of the day, this is just a feeling. It’s just a feeling of comfortability," Landberg said. "They both have everything to offer. You lay those 14 questions for Wayne and it could have been maybe one or two more than tilt it to Syracuse. But at the end of the day, Wayne just felt comfortable.”

Signing day is always a busy day at Don Bosco and this year was no different as the New Jersey football powerhouse had seven seniors signing in its auditorium on Wednesday morning. All seven players have faxed in their commitments as well.

“Great class, great bunch of kids,” said proud head coach Greg Toal. “Obviously they exerted great leadership throughout the year. It's a special group that I'm sure are going to make a lot of people proud in college. Coaches are going to be happy to get these guys.”

The biggest name to sign Wednesday was five-star recruit and defensive end Darius Hamilton, who is headed to Rutgers University along with his four-star teammate, wide receiver Leonte Carroo.

Hamilton, the No. 3 prospect in New Jersey according to ESPNU, committed to the Scarlet Knights on Tuesday night and is the son of former Giants defensive tackle, Keith Hamilton.

The pair are headed there despite the fact that Rutgers just recently had to replace head coach Greg Schiano with incoming coach Kyle Flood. Carroo had been committed to Rutgers before Schiano left but kept his word and stayed with the team.

“You don't go to school because of one coach,” Hamilton explained. “At that time, it became real evident that this could happen anywhere. So you have to find a school where you want to be in case something like that did happen.”

Added Carroo: "I can't wait, me and Darius are already talking about our room situation and starting football together. We can't wait to be in college."

Four-star recruit Elijah Shumate signed with Notre Dame, where he expects to play strong safety and will be involved in offense as part of the wildcat formation. The safety said he picked Notre Dame because it provided the best of both worlds, football and academics, but he is also excited about possibly getting the chance to play at Yankee Stadium if the Fighting Irish play in the Pinstripe Bowl.

“That's a big thing because not a lot of people get to play at Yankee Stadium,” Shumate said.

Defensive lineman Mike Strizak signed with Boston College, where he expects to be moved to outside linebacker. Offensive lineman Tyler Samra signed with the University of Connecticut, where he will play either center or guard. Another lineman, Mike Casimos, signed with the University of Akron. Finally, safety Kyle Sakowski signed with Lafayette College.

Toal said there isn’t a more proud day for a high school football coach than signing day.

“It's a special time,” Toal said. “For these kids to get these type of opportunities is pretty special. It really makes all of our coaches feel special that we could help these kids get the opportunity that they have. It's just amazing getting a D-I scholarship, it's pretty exciting.

“This really is a culmination of everything we've done and one of the best days of the year.”

Across the board, every player said that Wednesday was an exciting day and pointed to this as the reason they came to Don Bosco. The seniors leave the school with a 46-game win streak and as the mythical national champions after going wire to wire as the top team in the country.

“This is why we come here and it's amazing,” Strizak said. “Coming in as freshmen, nobody knew where they were going to go. Everybody's aspirations are to go to a big college and now look, four years later there are seven guys up here.”

Added Samra: "This is just the beginning of it, that's the great feeling about it."