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There are All-Star games… and then there’s the Rising Stars Bowl.
This wasn’t some lazy “everybody gets a participation trophy and orange slices” event where kids jog around like they’re at a Sunday family barbecue waiting for Uncle Tony to burn the burgers.
No.
This was Long Island vs. New York City. Pride on the line. Bragging rights on the line. Coaches screaming like they were trying to direct traffic on the Belt Parkway. Scouts lined up everywhere. Packed stadium. Big hits. Bigger plays. And enough testosterone in the air to power Nassau County for a week.
Year three of the Rising Stars Bowl delivered absolute chaos in the best possible way as the series entered tied 1-1, and both sides walked into this game acting like Rocky Balboa entering the final round.
Me and Speedy got invited to cover the event at LIU Football Field, and from the second we walked in, you could feel the energy. The atmosphere was electric. The crowd was loud. Parents were yelling. Scouts were scribbling notes. Kids were trying to become legends.
And honestly? Coach Mac and Coach Wilson deserve massive credit for building this thing into a monster.
NYC Head Coach Roodley Lherisson — and Long Island Head Coach Coach Moose — Muhammad Mahmood — put together a showcase that felt more like a heavyweight title fight than a high school all-star game.
Every player on that field looked like they drank six energy drinks and got told somebody disrespected their family before kickoff.
Long Island Came Out Throwing Haymakers
Long Island wasted absolutely no time.
Quarterback Mikey Russo came out slinging footballs like he was late for work. Early in the first drive, he uncorked a bomb to Horace Smith that pushed Long Island past midfield and immediately got the crowd buzzing.
Then came AJ Magaraci.
TOUCHDOWN.
Long Island punched first and suddenly the LI sideline looked like they just discovered gold under Jones Beach.
Meanwhile NYC looked annoyed. Dangerous annoyed.
Which is usually when football games become fun.
NYC Answered Like A Team That Took It Personally
NYC responded immediately with a touchdown run from Tyler Grayson out of Eagle Academy, and suddenly the game turned into a back-and-forth heavyweight slugfest.
And let me tell you something about Eagle Academy…
Those dudes were EVERYWHERE.
Coach Leon Williams had his players flying around the field like somebody promised them free chopped cheese sandwiches for every tackle.
Then NYC quarterback Madden Martinez delivered one of the biggest plays of the game early in the second quarter — a 31-yard touchdown strike to Juvens Lindor.
First play of the quarter.
BOOM.
Just like that NYC grabbed momentum and the Long Island crowd got real quiet real fast.
The kind of quiet where you can hear one dad muttering:
“Why are we in Cover 2 right now?!”
Then Russo Said “Nah, Not Today”
With just 1:32 left before halftime, Long Island answered with the play of the game.
Russo launched an absolute missile to Jovan Greenhill for an 84-yard touchdown that nearly blew the roof off the place.
EIGHTY-FOUR YARDS.
That ball traveled so far it probably had its own MetroCard.
The crowd exploded. Coaches lost their minds. Defensive coordinators everywhere suddenly developed migraines.
At halftime, you knew this game was turning into a classic.
Second Half? Pure Violence.
The second half turned into a straight-up defensive war.
No more pretty football.
No more “look at this route combination.”
This became:
“Can your running back survive contact with three linebackers and a defensive end that looks 28 years old?”
Every yard looked painful.
Every tackle sounded like somebody dropping a refrigerator down a staircase.
And the defenses absolutely took over.
Long Island’s Jason Clarke was an animal up front, wrecking plays and making life miserable for NYC’s offense. Christian Jean-Francois dominated in the trenches protecting the LI offense, while Justin DePietro was flying around the field making plays everywhere defensively.
But NYC answered with monsters of their own.
Roland Froehlich was causing havoc up front, Puka Aleaga controlled the offensive line, and Juvens Lindor looked like he had a personal vendetta against every receiver on Long Island.
Then came the dagger.
With just 3:38 left, Isaiah Smith punched in a rushing touchdown to put NYC up 21-13 and send the NYC sideline into absolute madness.
Helmets flying.
Coaches screaming.
Players dancing.
Parents recording videos like they just witnessed the Super Bowl.
That was the moment.
This Event Is Becoming Appointment Viewing
The Rising Stars Bowl isn’t just becoming a good event.
It’s becoming THE event.
Long Island and NYC football culture is alive and thriving, and this showcase proved it again. Scouts got to see elite talent. Players got to perform on a huge stage. Fans got entertainment. And everybody walked out talking about next year already.
That’s how you know something is real.
Coach Mac and Coach Moose deserve flowers for continuing to build this thing into one of the coolest football showcases in the area.
And honestly, if you love football and missed this game…
I don’t know what to tell you.
You probably spent your Saturday arguing on Facebook about Aaron Rodgers conspiracy theories instead of watching future stars throw hands in shoulder pads.
Rising Stars Bowl Award Winners
Long Island
- Defensive Lineman of the Game — Jason Clarke (#0)
- Offensive Lineman of the Game — Christian Jean-Francois (#54)
- Defensive MVP — Justin DePietro (#6)
NYC
- Defensive Lineman of the Game — Roland Froehlich (#11)
- Offensive Lineman of the Game — Puka Aleaga (#74)
- Defensive MVP — Juvens Lindor (#1)
- Offensive MVP — Isaiah Smith (#23)
The series now has real blood rivalry energy.
Long Island.
New York City.
One field.
Nothing friendly about it.
And after this performance?
Year 4 might need security guards, fireworks, and a pay-per-view deal.
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My name is Errol Marks and I’d like to tell you why I believe I can be a major asset to your station. I’m from a small town in Long Island, NY and from a very young age I’ve always had a love for sports talk radio. Growing up, I would listen religiously to shows like Mike and the Mad Dog, Mike and Mike, and Imus in the Morning and studied what made those shows so great. I’ve made it my goal to be as influential as the hosts I grew up listening to, and with my knowledge of all major sports, enthusiastic and fearless personality, and my preparation skills, I know I can get to that level. This is an art and a medium that I’m passionate about and one that I feel can never be replaced.
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