We present the 25 best football players in The Item’s coverage area: the 75th Item Football All-Star Team.
This year’s team features players from two teams that advanced to the state championship in their respective divisions: Marblehead in Division 3 and Swampscott in Division 5.
There are only two returnees from last year’s team, as both were sophomores the last time the team was picked following the 2019 season. Marblehead quarterback Joshua Robertson and Marblehead running back George Percy both made the team once again, although Percy played for St. Mary’s back in 2019.
The Item All-Stars are selected by the Item sports staff with input from coaches of teams covered by The Item.
Although COVID-19 restrictions will once again force the cancellation of the Item All-Star Dinner, the team will be honored Wednesday evening in a ceremony at the Lynn Auditorium.
The ceremony will also honor six major award winners, including the Item/Agganis Foundation Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year and the Special Teams Player of the Year.
Also honored will be the Peter Gamage Coach of the Year, named for the late publisher of The Item, the William F. Connell Student-Athlete Award, named for the late William F. Connell, a businessman who grew up in Lynn, and the Edward H. Cahill Player of the Year Award, named for the late sports editor of The Item.
Major Award Winners from the 75th Item Football All-Star Team
Edward H. Cahill Player of the Year Award
Joshua Robertson (Marblehead) — 2,577 yards, 32 TD, Rushed for 358 yards, 10 TD, NEC Dunn MVP, NEC All-Conference
Agganis/Item Offensive Player of the Year
Xaviah Bascon (Swampscott) — 1,509 rush yards, 24 TD, NEC All-Conference
Agganis/Item Defensive Player of the Year
Domenic Giordano (Lynn Tech) — 129 tot tackles 2 sacks, 3 forced Fumbles 14 TFL’s (3 Rushing TD’s)
Peter Gamage Coach of the Year
Jim Rudloff (Marblehead) — 12-0, Div. 3 Super Bowl champs, 20-game winning streak, NEC Dunn co-Coach of the Year
Special Teams Player of the Year
David Brown Jr. (St. Mary’s) — 2,051 all-purpose yards (1,297 rushing), 26 total TDs. More than 500 KR/PR yards with 3 PR TD, CCL co-MVP
William F. Connell Student-Athlete Award
Steven Woods (Bishop Fenwick) — 2,044 yds 30 TD’s 4 INT’s; Rushed for 628 yds 5 TD’s, CCL co-MVP. 4.37 GPA
75th Item Football All-Star Team
Quarterback
Joshua Robertson (Marblehead) — Passed for 2,577 yards, 32 TD…Rushed for 358 yards, 10 TD…NEC Dunn MVP…NEC All-Conference
Steven Woods (Bishop Fenwick) — Passed for 2,044 yards, 30 TD…Rushed for 628 yds, 5 TD…CCL co-MVP
Shea Lynch (Peabody) — Passed for 2,311 yards, 32 TD…Broke four program passing records…NEC Lynch MVP…NEC All-Conference
Jack Perry (St. John’s Prep) — Passed for 2,504 yards, 34 TD…Catholic Conference All-Star
Running Back
David Brown Jr. (St. Mary’s) — 2,051 all-purpose yards (1,297 rushing)…26 total TD…More than 500 KR/PR yards with 3 PR TD…CCL co-MVP
Xaviah Bascon (Swampscott) — Rushed for 1,509 rush yards, 24 TD…Had 23 receptions for 490 yards and 2 TD…Had 62 tackles, 3 tackles for loss and 4 INT on defense…NEC All-Conference
Wesley Chandler (Lynn English) — Rushed for 1,176 yards, 12 TD…6 2-point conversions…1,412 all-purpose yards…GBL All-Star
George Percy (Marblehead) — Rushed for 711 yards, 10 TD…Had 2 TD catches…On defense had 77 tackles and 1 INT…NEC All-Conference
Wide Receiver
Connor Cronin (Marblehead) — 68 receptions for 1,050 yards, 10 TD…Rushed for 533 yards, 5 TD…Had 3 INT on defense…NEC All-Conference
Jackson Delaney (St. John’s Prep) — 51 receptions for 978 yards…13 TD…Catholic Conference All-Star
Jason Romans (Bishop Fenwick) — 66 receptions for 1,028 yards.. Program record 18 TD receptions…CCL All-Star
Jaythean Im (KIPP) — 1,032 receiving yards…18 TD…CAC All-Star
Offensive Line
Nolan Mulcahy (Lynn English) — QB/RB went for over 1,000 yards passing and rushing during the season…GBL All-Star…Defensively had 41 tackles and five sacks
Peter Jurovich (Winthrop) — 59 tackles…8 tackles for loss…4 sacks…2 forced fumbles…2 passes broken up… NEC All-Conference
Joe Mignone (Swampscott) — Led offensive line that broke program records on offense…Made 52 tackles with 4 tackles for loss and 2 sacks on defense…NEC All-Conference
Defensive Line
Chris Faraca (Bishop Fenwick) — Led team with 98 tackles…Program record 10 sacks…3 fumble recoveries…Also caught 50 passes for 651 yards, 9 TD
Tommy Falasca (St. Mary’s) — 78 tackles…20 tackles for loss, 3 sacks…CCL Defensive Lineman of the Year…2x CCL All-Star
Linebacker
Domenic Giordano (Lynn Tech) — 129 tot tackles…2 sacks…3 forced Fumbles…14 tackles for loss…Also rushed for 3 touchdowns on offense…CAC All-Star
Nick Costa (Lynn Classical) — Led team with 97 tackles…16 tackles for loss…6 sacks
Cam O’Brien (Swampscott) — Had 37 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 INT in just 7 games on defense…Started at QB and threw for 1,775 yards with 21 TD…Rushed for 386 yards and 9 TD…NEC All-Conference
Spencer Riley (Lynnfield) — 59 tackles…9 tackles for loss…3 forced fumbles… CAL co-Defensive Player of the Year…CAL Baker First Team All-Star…Also had 427 rushing yards and 9 rushing TD
Defensive Back
Brian Vaughan Jr. (Lynn Classical) — In 4 games at FS he recorded 33 tackles…1 INT…5 Pass breakups…On offense he threw for 1,572 yards and 16 TD…Rushed for 959 yards and 6 TDs…GBL All-Star
Juan Setalsingh (KIPP) — Had 6 INT as a defensive back…On offense threw for 1819 yards and 25 TD…Rushed for 540 yards and 7 TD…CAC co-MVP
Mark MacEachern (Saugus) — Led team with 87 tackles…Played SS and LB…Rushed for two touchdowns on offense…NEC All-Conference
Eli Batista (Peabody) — 28 solo tackles and 5 INT at FS…655 receiving yards…Program record 10 TD receptions…15.2 yards per reception…1,079 all-purpose yards…NEC All-Conference
Honorable Mention
LYNN CLASSICAL: Kyle Durant, Sr., Marquese Avery, So., Derek Omoregie, Sr.; LYNN ENGLISH: Jesse Maggs, Sr., Joshua McDonald, Sr., Shea Palmer, Sr.; LYNN TECH: Alejandro Gonzalez, Sr., Regner Nival, Sr., Tyler David, Jr.; ST. MARY’S: Ali Barry, Sr., Derick Coulanges, Jr.; KIPP: Hakim Badmus, Sr., Piero Canales, Sr., Vic Mafo, Jr., Jovan Machado, So.; BISHOP FENWICK: Costa Beechin, Sr., Jacob Vargus, Sr.; LYNNFIELD: Jack Phelps, Sr., Michael O’Brien, Sr., Steven Dreher, Jr.; MARBLEHEAD: James Doody, Sr., Drew Annese, Sr., Craig Michalowski, Sr.; PEABODY: Danny Barrett, Jr.. Michael Perez, Sr., Jovante Dailey, Sr., Peter Gardikas, Sr.; REVERE: Augusto Goncalves, Sr., Max Doucette, Jr.; SALEM: Michael Ready, Sr., Jariel Del Valle, Sr., Corey Grimes, So., Dante Roper, Sr., Jeandavis Cardenas, Sr.; SAUGUS: Drew Gardiner, Sr., Braden Faiella, So.; St. JOHN’S PREP: James Guy, Sr., Stephon Patrick, Jr., Caron Browne, Jr., Jesse Ofurie, Jr.; SWAMPSCOTT: Cole Hamernick, Sr., Jake Papazoglou, Sr., Jason Codispoti, Jr., Elijah Burns, Jr., Dylan Dubiel, Sr. ; WINTHROP: Ian Harris, Sr., Mikey Chaves, Sr., Cam Martin, Sr.
