CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - John Jay Football has entered a new era that actually goes way back.
“I’ve been watching John Jay from afar,” said Coach Brendan Connolly. “I’ve known Coach Clack since I was in diapers. So it’s almost a full circle moment.”
He does admit that the team’s orbit is a long one, though. “I have a lot of work to do. But we’ve been working pretty hard and trying to take it in the right direction,” said the coach.
That said, Connolly has a good starting point with Jonluke Arefieg at quarterback. “He’s been here all spring and summer and has come a long way. He knows how to operate the offense. He knows when to be in motion, what the shifts are, what the checks are and who’s supposed to get the ball,” asserted Connolly.
The sophomore is also naturally open-ended. “He’s a very cerebral football player. He asks really great questions when he doesn’t know something and is not afraid to ask,” said Connolly. “That’s a trait that not a lot of kids have.”
Flying high, he’ll be throwing to James Tesi, Jeremy Walerys, Steven Almstead, Colby Crystal and Austin Schneider.
“We have a lot of skill at the position. Very good receivers, they run good routes, got good hands and then it’s going to be figuring out how to shift the ball around,” he said. “My biggest problem, it’s a good one to have.”
On the ground, Chase Carvajal will be the primary running back, and he’ll be spelled by Ryan Ramirez and Schneider. So far, Connolly likes the learning curve. “Having patience at hitting the hole is a hard thing to do but they are doing a good job,” he assured.
Setting the table, his line is being schooled, too. “It’s a work in progress,” he said. “We’re a little young up there.”
Kyle Halsey is the first name on the line, and his dual threat goes beyond the X’s and O’s. Leading by example and very vocal, said Connolly, “It’s a rare thing to find.”
Mikey Chiappa and Cody Jones are alongside him, but nothing is nailed down. “We’re going to see who gives us the best chance to win every week, and who’s going to be physical enough to drag people off the ball,” said Connolly.
On the other side, Connolly says the April OTAs have helped the defense come a long way. Halsey, Chiappa, Carvajal, Walerys, Crystal, Schneider, Tesi and Ramirez, he said, “They’re flying around, they’re having fun, communicating and playing fast. We’re making mistakes, too, but that’s why we’re here.”
The kicking game is in pretty good hands, too. “Jeremy Walerys, a soccer player, he’s very good,” said Connolly.
As for goals, keeping them simple should go the distance, according to the coach.
“Working on the fundamentals, if we can get better at those everyday, we’ll have a very good football team,” Connolly concluded.
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