Half Hollow Hills West's Luke Taff ready to fill big shoes at quarterback

One of Long Island’s big arms will get the chance to take center stage this fall, out of the shadow of Hansen Award winner Joe Filardi.

It’s time for Half Hollow Hills West senior Luke Taff to shine. The 6-0, 180-pound quarterback is ready for the spotlight.

“I’m very excited about the season and the challenge in front of our team,” Taff said. “It’s really hard to replace a guy like Joe Filardi. But I got to learn a lot from him and so did a lot of the other guys. He was a great role model and leader.”

Taff started at wide receiver last year and finished with two rushing and two receiving touchdowns .

“I gained valuable experience last season,” Taff said. “And I’m grateful for the time I got to play last year as a defensive back and quarterback.”

Replacing Filardi, who threw for 3,102 yards and 43 touchdowns and ran for 1,204 yards with 12 scores, is extremely difficult. But Colts coach Gerald Filardi sees a lot of upside in Taff.

“We've had our eye on Luke since his sophomore season,” the coach said. “He’s an athlete and was outstanding on the junior varsity for two years before he came to the varsity as a junior. He had a really good quarterback in front of him, and I told him he wouldn’t be standing on the sideline holding a clipboard – he’d be playing somewhere. He’ll lead the team this year.”

Hills West opens the season  6 p.m. Sept. 12 at Sayville.

Taff will target talented receivers Myles Redd and Kade Diaz.

“Luke can pass and sees the field well and he can run,” Gerald Filardi said. “Our offense will be different this year - we had a once-in-a-generation type of offense the past few years. We might have to compensate for the offensive line, which is inexperienced overall - they're good, they just don't have the playing time yet.”

MILLER PLACE

As the first week of training camp continued Wednesday morning, Miller Place — led by seventh-year coach Adam St. Nicholas — focused mainly on defense, with the end of practice concentrating on defending the pass. Even with the offense not playing at 100%, for the sake of the drill, senior quarterback Shane Kiernan showed that a well-thrown ball is simply indefensible.

Last year, Kiernan was the maestro of the greatest offense in Miller Place history and ran its spread attack with a mix of efficiency and explosiveness. He completed 68.4% of his passes for 2,885 yards, 29 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Most notably, he threw for a Long Island record 550 yards in a game against Babylon. He led the program to an 8-3 record and the Suffolk IV title game, where it fell to Bayport-Blue Point.

“We have a lot of good athletes on the perimeter, so we’re just trying to build that chemistry and make sure that we’re able to adjust on the fly,” Kiernan said. “The goal is always to win the championship, so we’re just trying to get back to where we were and finish the job.”

Seeded fifth in Suffolk IV, Miller Place is hoping to ride Kiernan’s arm to another good year. The offense graduated its top two receivers, DJ Williamson and Dane Lagrasta, but St. Nicholas and Kiernan expect seniors AJ Rudolph and Jack Abbott to slide in well. Rudolph figures to be the primary option and will also return kicks and punts.

“AJ is an extremely talented perimeter player,” St. Nicholas said. “He’s very good at making contested catches. He’s fast. He could play outside or the slot. He’s just dynamic. When you see kids who can separate from man coverage and find zones, he catches your eye, and that’s who he is.”

Abbott already has a strong connection with Kiernan, having played with him since first grade.

“He’s got a great IQ,” Kiernan said. “He’s great at just finding open zones in the defense. Him and I sometimes do our own thing out there.”

Rudolph and Abbott will start at cornerback on a defense that features 11 new starters. St. Nicholas mentioned junior defensive lineman Bradyn Ellis as a player to watch. 

CAREY

Justin DePietro is ready to get back on the field, step into his new role as a leader and bring that championship experience to Carey .

"Football means everything to me and this team," the junior said. "We had some great leaders last year and I'm just trying to do what they did for us."

"When your best player works as hard as he does, everybody else just falls in line," coach Mike Stanley said. "So far, he's looked great. He's an extension of the coaching staff every time he steps on the field."

DePietro was pivotal for the Seahawks last year during a 12-0 campaign that saw them capture their third Long Island championship in program history. He rushed for 1,109 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also led the team with 95 tackles and six sacks, earning him Newsday's Flatley Award, presented to Nassau's most outstanding defensive player, and Nassau's Piner Award as the most outstanding linebacker.  He was the first sophomore to win the Piner in 15 years.

This year, he is looking to match that level of production.

"It was a blessing to receive that award, but I'm trying to do the same thing this year," DePietro said. "I'm going to take it each week and get better every day."

Stanley noticed the 6-0 middle linebacker/running back's work ethic throughout the offseason and is confident he'll lead the Seahawks back to the Long Island Championship.

"People know who he is now; there's definitely more of a bullseye on him," Stanley said. "But he's ready for that, he loves the challenge and loves to compete every day."

GARDEN CITY

Standing at 6-5, 290 pounds, senior Zach Olson combines size, strength, and smarts, giving Garden City the muscle and mindset it needs to extend its historic run.

The 2024 Martone Award winner (given to Nassau's top lineman), captain, and Harvard commit anchored both sides of the ball, recording 45 tackles (eight for loss), two fumble recoveries, and two forced fumbles as a defensive tackle, while helping the Trojans’ offensive line score a program-record 502 points.

“His size is what sets him apart, but he obviously has a high-functioning brain as well,” coach Dave Ettinger said. “He moves really well for a kid that size. He’s got good feet, good speed, and he’s really worked at getting in great shape.”

Not only is he a force on the line, but he’s become a leader in the huddle.

“My job is to bring everyone together,” Olson said. “I’m an offensive/defensive lineman, so my priority is to consolidate those units. But as a senior captain, I’m really focused on bringing this team together.”

The Trojans return to Nassau II after a perfect 12-0 run in Nassau III that delivered their fourth straight Long Island title.

“We played in Conference II my freshman and sophomore year, so the competition is something a lot of us have seen before,” Olson said. “But these teams have definitely developed over the last year, so that will be a challenge.”

With standouts  Michael Berkery and Blake Cascadden graduated, Olson believes this team will be able to carry the legacy forward.

“We’ve been working really hard these last few days to have discipline and work as a team,” Olson said. “We don’t think losing two big guys is such a huge thing because we’re all ready to step up. Why our team has been so successful isn’t as much about the individual people, but the way we’re able to work as a unit.”

They will open at Long Beach on Sept. 13.

“It’s a tough welcome back to Conference II,” Ettinger said. “I know they have a ton of talent, but the kids are excited to get out there.”

“They wanted to see us Week 1, and we’re ready for it,” Olson said. “But for now, we’re just looking to the next day of camp. We’re not looking that far in advance just yet.”