A Look Back at the Postseason Awards for the 2020 Season

The 2020 season had the most uncertainty of any season we have seen. This means that players and coaches had to step up in different ways. These players and coaches were the best of the best and it showed each week. Let’s take a closer look at the postseason awards from this past year. <strong>NJ Player of the Year: [player_tooltip player_id="27865" first="Audric" last="Estime"] (2021) | St. Joe’s Montvale</strong> Estime came into the season as the best running back in the state and turned out to be the best overall player when it was all said and done. The Notre Dame signee finished with 1,838 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. He scored three or more touchdowns in six of his eight games this season. Estime was able to get comfortable against fellow powerhouses such as Bergen Catholic, St. Peter’s Prep, and Hun. He turned in his best performance against Don Bosco when he carried the ball 24 times for 309 yards and three touchdowns. The future member of the Irish will be an impact player at the next level. <strong>Offensive Player of the Year: [player_tooltip player_id="27903" first="Patrick" last="Smith"] (2021) | Holy Spirit</strong> Smith was a dominant runner as a junior and continued that during his final season. Smith was originally committed to Colorado State but is looking for a new home for next season. He rushed for 1,719 yards and 16 touchdowns in his final season. Smith turned in a career performance against Cedar Creek with 362 yards and four touchdowns. This was the first of a three game stretch where Smith scored 11 touchdowns and rushed for 330 yards twice. <strong>Defensive Players of the Year: [player_tooltip player_id="28006" first="Charlie" last="Sasso"] (2022) | Wall</strong> Sasso was the leader of a Wall defense that recorded four shutouts this season. He could be seen in the middle of the defense prior to the snap calling out plays and putting his teammates in the right position. Once the ball was snapped, he was seen making a break for the ball carrier, whether that was a running back or quarterback. Sasso wasted no time recording 10 tackles and an interception in the season opener. He outdid himself later in the season with 12 tackles and a sack against Middletown South. <b>Team of the Year: Wall Crimson Knights</b> Wall was one of the top teams all season long in New Jersey. They were dynamic on both sides of the ball. The defense recorded four shutouts in seven games and never allowed over 15 points in a single game. The offense scored 30 or more points four times including a season-high 55 in the season-opener. In seven games, Wall outscored opponents 233-38. That is an eye-popping statistic. They truly were the perfect team.