Football: Kingston makes the most of his moment as John Jay-East Fishkill wins big

WICCOPEE - After the spectators and his teammates had left, and after the cameras stopped recording and the buzz around him settled, Will Kingston still was on the football field.

The senior ducked away from the spotlight that sought him to quietly retrieve equipment left on the sideline and help to clear the refuse strewn during the John Jay-East Fishkill game.

"This is what he always does," coach Jim Cancellari said. "He'll grab a broom and sweep the locker room, and he's not looking for recognition. He's that kid, and we love him."

Behind a cluster of standouts and on a team that has blossomed into a title contender, playing time is sparse and Kingston does most of his work in practice, helping run the scout team. Again, behind the scenes, making the unheralded contributions.

So, seeing that kid take center stage for a few seconds, teammate Finn VanDerStuyf said, "was the most exciting thing" on a Friday evening full of excitement for the Patriots.

Kingston only needed a few seconds anyway. The running back broke a dazzling 56-yard run, eluding defenders along the sideline before cutting back across the field and outrunning the pursuit to the end zone, creating the margin and "The Moment" in John Jay's 42-0 win over Ossining that closed their regular season.

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"That meant a whole lot to me," said Kingston, who scored for the first time in two varsity seasons. "I'm happy I got the chance at it, and I'm proud of my teammates for helping me get there."

Those teammates cheered him with a celebratory ice bucket dump afterwards, implored him to give a post-game speech, and assured him he was deserving of this attention.

"He does all the little things to help us and he's the heart of this team," VanDerStuyf said of Kingston. "Seeing him get a chance to carry the ball and make the absolute most of it is everything you want."

Before that spectacular run with 3:21 remaining, the highlight had been Brady Feliciotto slipping three defenders with a jump cut during a 24-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

"Brady's been up for (Poughkeepsie Journal) 'Athlete of the Week' enough times," Kingston said with a grin. "I had to take something from him."

What it means

The Patriots carry a five-game win streak into the playoffs and likely will be the No. 2 seed on its side of the Section 1 Class AA bracket. It's quite the turnaround for a team that struggled last season and finished below .500 for the first time since 2004.

"We played a lot of sophomores, some kids who were (junior varsity) age, and we knew we might take our lumps, but the experience would be worth it," Cancellari said of last fall. "Now, a lot of those kids are thriving as juniors, and that's a big part of our success."

The Patriots have done it with a fast, play-making defense and an offense with explosive athletes behind a talented line. The combination of VanDerStuyf, Patrick Rahilly, Joe Torres, Robert Mascia, Eugene Yazzetti, Chase Anjos and Arthur Micelli has consistently cleared paths for a dominant running game.

The quick resurgence now has John Jay in a group of contenders that includes Carmel, Mamaroneck, Arlington and New Rochelle.

Player of the Game

VanDerStuyf starred on both sides, anchoring an offensive line that produced five rushing touchdowns, and leading a defensive shutout. The linebacker had a sack and three tackles for loss, helping to stifle Ossining.

"We're not the biggest line, but we bring technique and physicality," the 215-pound junior said.

By the numbers

Ossining (3-5) ― The Pride was shut out for the second time this season. Nickilas Gallery rushed for 27 yards and Robert Bynoe ran for 16 yards.

John Jay (6-1) ― Noah Croutch rushed for two touchdowns and Kyle Winters had one. Feliciotto rushed for a score and threw a 26-yard touchdown to Nick Baez. Feliciotto also had two tackles for loss and Connor Finn had two pass deflections.

Up next

The teams await the official announcement of the Section 1 playoff brackets next week to determine upcoming matchups.

They said it

"Last year was frustrating and we didn't uphold Jay culture," VanDerStuyf said of them going 4-5. "That motivated everyone here to have a turnaround season."

"It was my favorite game as a kid; me and a buddy used to stay up trying to play whole seasons in one night and I got good at it over time," said Cancellari, who is competing this weekend in a Tecmo Super Bowl tournament in The Bronx. He'll be among about 30 avid gamers squaring off in the 1991 classic on the original Nintendo. "It's gonna be fun. I might win a game or two."

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Section 1 football: VanDerStuyf stars as John Jay dominates Ossining