PRZNY Team Previews: St Anthony's Friars

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Last Season (9-4)</h2>   <p>After starting off 3-3, St Anthony's won six straight games and put together an incredible playoff run. They defeated Cardinal Hayes in the semi-finals and made an appearance in the AAA title game before falling to eventual state champs Iona Prep. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Prospect</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">It's been a special offseason for Bala. He has blown up and received national attention, with his latest offers coming from Alabama and Ohio State. After the breakout sophomore year he was primed for, Bala looked great and will be leaned on as “the guy” for St. Anthony's this upcoming season. The talented running back weighs 210 pounds and has improved his speed. He's crushed the camp circuit and is expected to be one of the top players in the state this year.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">X Factors</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">After the 2024–2025 school year, [player_tooltip player_id='1208765' first='Kevin' last='Moore'] solidified himself as one of the best pure athletes in the state. He made major contributions in all three phases of the game on the gridiron, then led the Friars to a basketball state championship before committing to Delaware for football. This upcoming season, he'll anchor the Friars' defense at strong safety. I expect St. Anthony's to spot-play him on offense, and he'll continue to be a major threat in the return game as usual.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Bryce is the final Ciancuielli brother to come through the St. Anthony's program—and just like his two older brothers, he has been a phenomenal lineman for the Friars over the past few years. He brings toughness, grit, and experience to the trenches. Ciancuielli is a versatile lineman who can play both guard and tackle. He'll be pivotal to the Friars' success in both run and pass blocking.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Prokop had a solid sophomore year and has proven himself as one of the top 2027 prospects in the state. He has excellent size at 6'4” and 220 pounds, with a high ceiling. Whether lined up at tight end or in the slot, Prokop delivered for the Friars. As a receiver, he has strong hands and consistently makes plays through contact over the middle. He also showcased his blocking ability in the run game. His size and versatility are exciting, and he'll be one of the top tight ends in the state.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Sanchez is a great 2027 prospect for the Friars. He made some impressive flashes as a sophomore, making an impact in the secondary and now stepping into an even bigger role for his junior year. He recorded some strong open-field tackles during his sophomore campaign and was tested against elite upperclassmen receivers—responding impressively. He made some great plays on the ball and will be an exciting player to watch this season.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">The senior will be one of the leaders of this St. Anthony's defense. He made some noise during his junior season, starting on the defensive line and delivering standout performances in games against Long Island schools like Kellenberg and St. John the Baptist. Garcia has the ability to be extremely disruptive—getting after the quarterback and making numerous plays against the run. He was named All League last season.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Breakout Player</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Russo has been impressive over the last two years on varsity, but I think he'll gain a ton of recognition during his final season. He's had a solid offseason and could end up being the top receiver for the Friars. Last year, he hauled in five touchdowns and made numerous big plays. Don't be surprised if that trend continues—and even increases. Russo has the ability to be a dangerous deep threat and will be a key player this season.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Names To Know</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Position</td><td>Player</td><td>Class</td><td>Notes</td></tr><tr><td>LB</td><td>Ethan Bramoff</td><td>2026</td><td>Virginia Lacrosse commit, excellent athlete </td></tr><tr><td>DB</td><td>Danny Rooney</td><td>2026</td><td>Maryland Lacrosse Commit, started last year at safety, playmaker</td></tr><tr><td>LB</td><td>John Drew</td><td>2026</td><td>Good junior season, will be taking the next step this season</td></tr><tr><td>QB</td><td>Brody Richert</td><td>2026</td><td>Towson Lacrosse commit, terrific athlete, could be the QB or contribute in another spot in the offense</td></tr><tr><td>WR</td><td>George Skendaris</td><td>2027</td><td>Played on JV last year, smooth route runner, good hands</td></tr><tr><td>OL</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='589111' first='Jack' last='Ortiz']</td><td>2027</td><td>Played as a sophomore, will make a big impact on OL this year</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   <p><strong>Young Bucks</strong>: St. Anthony's has a strong Class of 2028. QB [player_tooltip player_id='1630235' first='Anthony' last='Diieso'] has had a great offseason and could contribute at the position this season. WR [player_tooltip player_id='1355470' first='Rory' last='McDermott'] has excellent size, hands, and athleticism—he had a monster season on the freshman and JV teams last year. RB/DB [player_tooltip player_id='1274643' first='Christian' last='Bordeaux'] is another standout athlete who showed a knack for making big plays on junior varsity.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Losses (All League Recipients)</h2>   <p>QB- Gary Merrill</p>   <p>OL- Billy Dowling</p>   <p>WR- Will Hart</p>   <p>WR- James Taylor Jr</p>   <p>OL- Ryan McNaughton</p>   <p>DL- Dixon Charzuk</p>   <p>LB- Julian Coscia</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2025 Schedule </h2>   <p><a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/ny/melville/st-anthonys-friars/football/schedule">https://www.maxpreps.com/ny/melville/st-anthonys-friars/football/schedule</a></p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Season Outlook</h2>   <p>Head Coach: Joe Minucci </p>   <p>The Friars have put together a gauntlet of a schedule. They start off with a bang, taking on Maryland powerhouse McDonogh and hosting New Jersey powerhouse Don Bosco within the first three weeks. Then, the usual suspects appear on their schedule. From 9/26 to 10/25, they face the other five AAA teams in consecutive weeks. Plenty of fans will circle their championship rematch with Iona Prep on 10/3, which will be hosted by St. Anthony's.</p>   <p></p>