Ja'Quan Thomas of William Floyd and Julian Guzman of Iona Prep are the co-players of the year in Class AA football, the New York State Sportswriters announced Wednesday as it completed its lineup of all-state teams for the fall season.
Rye quarterback Carson Miller earned the player of the year recognition in Class A after a record-setting season that concluded with the Garnets winning a NYSPHSAA championship.
Guzman quarterbacked Iona Prep to the CHSFL state championship. Thomas played running back and linebacker for William Floyd, which the Section 11 large-school final.
2025 EIGHT-MAN ALL-STATE TEAM
As always, a huge thank you goes out to Steve Grandin and a lineup of helpers from across the state who help compile the all-state team from a list of more than 1,200 nominations.
Speaking of all-state selections ...
Will this be the offseason in which Anthony Weaver makes the leap to a very exclusive club of 32?
Weaver was a first-team all-state selection as a Saratoga Springs senior in 1997 and went on to a career at Notre Dame. That was followed by four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and then three with the Houston Texans, after which he returned to graduate school and launched a coaching career.
So far, that's taken him to the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Brown, the Texans, the Ravens and the Miami Dolphins. He's been a defensive coordinator since 2020, including the past two seasons with the Dolphins.
The resume has gotten him on the radar of NFL teams looking for head coaches the past two offseasons, and the Times Union reports Weaver has already interviewed this month with the Atlanta Falcons. He'd also been listed in recent days as a potential candidate for openings with the Ravens and the Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens.
Now, his profile has jumped another notch with the news that the Pittsburgh Steelers have submitted a request to interview Weaver.
A runaway winner (so to speak) for performance of the week
Middle-distance runner Jane Hickey posted the eye-popping performance of the New York indoor track season at the Stanner Games.
The Ursuline senior, who won the outdoor 800 meters last spring at the NYSPHSAA championships, moved to No. 2 performer on the all-time state list and No. 6 in U.S. scholastic history with a win in 1:28.68 in the 600 meters on Sunday.
Hickey, who has committed to the University of North Carolina, won by an astounding 10.65 seconds over St. Anthony's sophomore Fallon Siriban. She's now stalking the state record of 1:27.13 by Rush-Henrietta's Sammy Watson in 2017 as she looks to improve on her second-place showing in 1:31.43 in last winter' state meet.
Hickey has been clicking off PRs from 400 to 1,600 meters this season, including a 2:50.93 in he 1,000 meters.
Rye wins Section 1 hockey showdown
We're likely looking at a new No. 1 team in the state Division II boys hockey rankings next week following No. 4 Rye's 4-1 victory over top-ranked Pelham on Tuesday.
The Garnets peppered the net with 22 shots in the second period, connecting three times. Rye goaltender Fernando Mosquera stopped 36 of 37 shots, and his teammates capitalized on a pair of power plays.
Jamie Morris scored what proved to be the winning goal. Ryan Draddy, Connor Dehmer, and Cody Greenhaw also scored in the victory.
The Section 1 rivals played to a 2-2 tie six days earlier.
"I think the last time we played we got off to a little bit of a slow start and spent too much time trying to feel them out. We were a little too tentative," Rye coach Peter Thomas said.
Extra points
Cardinal O'Hara girls basketball coach Nick O'Neil is stepping down at season's end after 12 season leading the Monsignor Martin Association powerhouse.
