It was a difficult season on the gridiron for the Blue and White, who finished 0-8, but hope springs in the abundance of youthful talent on the team. Three sophomores (Donald Liotine, Jake Harrington and Marco Masakayan) and two juniors (Jerome Washington and Wyatt Piazza) garnered All-Conference honors, and these standouts, coupled with the blossoming talent of players like sophomore Andrew White, give the Bears something to be excited about for next year.

One person who was not lauded enough this season was head coach Kris Ryan. A disappointing record is not a summation of Ryan’s first season at the helm. What does not show up in the box scores is the loyalty, respect, and belief that Ryan earned from his boys this fall. Our coach instilled faith in his players and whether we were tied 0-0 or were trailing big, his passion for them never wavered. His dynamic personality and heart for his players will continue to burgeon the program.

While the Brook was not victorious this season, they came close in their season opener vs. Wyandanch and had fourth quarter leads against Southampton and Mercy. At times it felt as though we were just one player away from victory. Our talent matched up with nearly every team we met this year, but our lack of depth proved our undoing time and again, especially with our plethora of injuries. The offense was galvanized by quarterback Masakayan, Washington, Liotine, Piazza, and White, five important cogs that will give us some exciting moments next season.

All-Conference Honors

Don Liotine	1st Team
Jerome Washington	1st Team
Marco Masakayan	2nd Team
Jake Harrington	2nd Team
Wyatt Piazza	2nd Team

Player Breakdowns

Masakayan. His vision and confidence grew with every game. He was also a great field general, shown in his fearlessness and his willingness to play through pain in nearly every game this season. His arm strength and passing accuracy were much improved by the season’s end and he will continue to grow into his role as the spearhead of our offense.

Liotine was our MVP this season. Whether it’s grinding for a crucial yard, making a tackle to prevent a first down, or turning a short catch into a big play, no one does it better than him. What I love most about him is his reckless abandon and the way he sacrifices his body for the team. If he gets rocked by a defender he’s the first one to bounce back up. If coach Ryan asked him to run through a wall he would do it with a confident smirk on his face. He is relentless, an absolute animal on the field, and one who leads by example.

Washington is a freak of an athlete. His hands, strength, and leaping ability make him a deadly downfield target for Masakayan. He had a number of big plays this season including long touchdown grabs vs. Southampton, Mercy, and Greenport and will no doubt have even more in his senior season.

Piazza‘s hands gave more depth to our offense. He scored a big touchdown seconds before the half against Wyandanch and was effective as a slot receiver. His senior leadership will be very valuable next season.

White is frenetic. Unpredictable. Tenacious. These are just a few words that describe the sophomore’s style of play. He can shatter the ankles of a defender, turn a potential loss into a big gain, or shake off a would-be tackler en route to a touchdown. His pair of touchdowns in the final game against Greenport, one for over 70 yards, are perhaps a glimpse of what is to come in the next two seasons.

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