Attention all football fans and enthusiasts! We have an exciting opportunity to recognize and celebrate the incredible talent on the field. The Poughkeepsie Journal is calling on you to vote for the Dutchess County football players who have truly made a difference in their teams' success.
The online poll is now live, and it's your chance to have a say in who gets the well-deserved recognition. But here's where it gets controversial... each week's winner will be ineligible for the next two weeks, so choose wisely!
For the weeks of October 9-11 and October 16-18, we have an impressive lineup of candidates. These athletes have not only showcased their skills but also contributed significantly to their teams' victories.
Let's dive into the details and explore the exceptional performances that deserve your attention:
Dutchess County Football Player of the Week (Oct. 9-11):
- Robert Bajardi, Red Hook: 13 tackles in a dominant 38-0 win over Monticello on Oct. 11.
- Jacob Brandenburg, Spackenkill: Scored a pair of rushing touchdowns, but the Spartans fell to O'Neill 28-21 on Oct. 10.
- Dane Bryan, Our Lady of Lourdes: Carried the ball 18 times for an impressive 181 yards and three touchdowns in a 50-30 victory over Wallkill on Oct. 11.
- Conor Drnek, Dover: Completed 6 out of 8 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown, and also rushed for 166 yards and two scores in a 45-26 win over Burke Catholic on Oct. 11.
- Marc Kuhlmann, Pawling: Rushed for a touchdown and returned a punt for another in a 35-0 shutout win over Ellenville on Oct. 10.
- Kole Mullins, John Jay: Caught an 8-yard touchdown pass as the Patriots defeated North Rockland 20-7 on Oct. 10.
- David Powlis, Haldane: Completed 10 out of 13 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown, and also rushed for 57 yards and two scores in a 40-6 win over Rye Neck on Oct. 11.
- Ryan Rancourt, Arlington: Threw for 238 yards and two touchdowns, completing 12 out of 23 passes, and added 11 carries for 20 yards in a 28-16 victory over Suffern on Oct. 10.
Dutchess County Football Player of the Week (Oct. 16-18):
- Cruz Calcagni, John Jay: Rushed for 80 yards and scored three times, and also had three receptions for 34 yards in a thrilling overtime win over Mamaroneck 20-14 on Oct. 17.
- Andrew Caprioli, F.D. Roosevelt: Recorded 18 tackles, but the Presidents fell to Wallkill 30-22 on Oct. 17.
- Nate Clum, Red Hook: Completed 8 out of 11 passes for an impressive 213 yards and four touchdowns in a 54-0 win over Liberty on Oct. 18.
- Cyrus Cowings, Arlington: Caught five passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, but the Admirals suffered an overtime loss to Scarsdale 34-28 on Oct. 17.
- Anthony Daniels, Our Lady of Lourdes: Rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns in a 32-14 victory over Beacon on Oct. 17.
- Matt Ogana, Dover: Carried the ball 16 times for 126 yards and a touchdown, and also had seven tackles in a 32-0 win over O'Neill on Oct. 17.
- Delano Rigby Jr., Beacon: Completed 18 out of 37 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 47 yards and a score in a tough loss to Lourdes 32-14 on Oct. 17.
Remember, your votes matter! Head over to PoughkeepsieJournal.com/sports/high-school and cast your votes as often as you like until Sunday, October 26, at 11 p.m. The winners will be announced each week on the @Varsity845 account on X/Twitter.
And this is the part most people miss... it's not just about the individual accolades. These players represent the hard work, dedication, and teamwork that make high school football so captivating. So, let's celebrate these athletes and their contributions to the sport we love.
Who do you think deserves the title of Dutchess County Football Player of the Week? Vote now and join the discussion! #FootballPlayersOfTheWeek #DutchessCountyFootball
