Iona Prep Graduate Joins Raiders

Iona Prep graduate Malkelm Morrison will join the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted rookie free agent for the upcoming rookie camp.

Morrison will be the second graduate of a CHSAA football school who will be looking to make the Raiders for the 2022 season. Malcolm Konce, a graduate of Archbishop Stepinac High School who played at Buffalo, had two tackles in his 2021 rookie season with Las Vegas.

Morrison played linebacker this past season for Army where he finished with 60 tackles, 29 being solo.

In three seasons at West Point, he finished with 137 tackles, one interception and one sack.

Morrison was an all-state defensive back at Iona Prep where he also competed in the track and field program.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANNY WILD/ARMY ATHLETICS

Tackle, Sack for Koonce

Archbishop Stepinac High School graduate Malcolm Koonce finished with a tackle and sack for a second consecutive week for the Las Vegas Raiders in a 48-9 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

The NFL rookie had a tackle and sack in 17-15 loss to Washington a week earlier.

Koonce, who led Stepinac to a Catholic high school state title in 2015 and played four seasons at the University of Buffalo, has two tackles and two sacks this season.

Koonce Records 1st NFL Tackle, Sack

Malcolm Koonce had his first NFL tackle and sack for the Las Vegas Raiders in a 17-15 loss to Washington last weekend.

Koonce, a graduate of Archbishop Stepinac High School, played his collegiate football at the University of Buffalo and was drafted by the Raiders 79th overall in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

At Buffalo, Koonce was a two-time, first-team All-Mid-American Conference selection. In six games as a  senior, the defensive end had 30 tackles and a team-high 6.5 tackles for a loss and five sacks. As a junior, he led the MAC with nine sacks.

At Archbishop Stepinac, Koonce had 58 tackles as a senior to earn second-team all-state honors and helped the Crusaders to an undefeated season and the 2015 Catholic school state championship.

Pass Reception For Manhertz

Chris Manhertz caught an 11-yard pass in helping the Jacksonville Jaguars to their first win of the season with a 23-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins in England on Sunday.

The tight end has three catches for 40 yards and a touchdown this season.

Manhertz, 29, is a graduate of Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx and played collegiate basketball at Canisius College in Buffalo before turning his focus to football after college.

Manhertz, Jaguars Drop to 0-2

Cardinal Spellman High School graduate Chris Manhertz and the Jacksonville Jaguars dropped to 0-2 with a 23-13 loss to the unbeaten Denver Broncos on Sunday.

The Jaguars lost their season opener to the Houston Texans, 37-21. In this game, Manhertz, a tight end, caught a 22-yard touchdown pass, the second touchdown reception of his career.

Jacksonville will host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Koonce, Raiders Opening on ESPN

Archbishop Stepinac High School graduate Malcolm Koonce and the Las Vegas Raiders will open the 2021 season 8 p.m. tonight in ESPN’s Monday Night Football game against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Raiders finished 2-1 in preseason.

Koonce, a defensive end, was a third-round pick, 79th overall, of the Raiders in this year’s NFL Draft out of Buffalo.

At Buffalo, Koonce was a two-time, first-team All-Mid-American Conference selection. In six games as a  senior, the defensive end had 30 tackles and a team-high 6.5 tackles for a loss and five sacks. As a junior, he led the MAC with nine sacks.

At Archbishop Stepinac, Koonce had 58 tackles as a senior to earn second-team all-state honors and helped the Crusaders to an undefeated season and the 2015 Catholic school state championship.

Stepinac Graduate Malcolm Koonce Earns Job with Las Vegas Raiders

Archbishop Stepinac High School graduate Malcolm Koonce earned a spot on the 53-man roster with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Koonce was a third-round pick, 79th overall, of the Raiders in this year’s NFL Draft out of Buffalo.

At Buffalo, Koonce was a two-time, first-team All-Mid-American Conference selection. In six games as a  senior, the defensive end had 30 tackles and a team-high 6.5 tackles for a loss and five sacks. As a junior, he led the MAC with nine sacks.

At Archbishop Stepinac, Koonce had 58 tackles as a senior to earn second-team all-state honors and helped the Crusaders to an undefeated season and the 2015 Catholic school state championship.

Spellman Graduate Chris Manhertz Set for 2021 Season with Jaguars

Cardinal Spellman High School graduate Chris Manhertz is heading further south for his seventh NFL season after signing a two-year, $7.25 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars back in March.

The Jaguars open the 2021 season against the Houston Texans in Houston Sept. 12.In five NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers, Manhertz has 12 catches for 142 yards and one touchdown in 70 games, 28 being starts. He finished with a career-high six catches and tied his career high with 52 receiving yards in 2020.

Manhertz played basketball at Canisius College in Buffalo and was offered a tryout by the Buffalo Bills following his collegiate career. After the Bills released him, he was on the practice squad for the New Orleans Saints in 2015 and was in uniform for three games in 2016 before being released.

The Panthers claimed him off waivers from the Saints. He had one reception for 10 yards in four games with the Panthers in 2016.

Stepinac Graduate Trill Williams Earns Roster Spot with Dolphins

Archbishop Stepinac High School graduate Trill Williams earned a spot out of preseason on the Miami Dolphins 53-man roster.

The Dolphins open the 2021 season with the New England Patriots in Foxboro, Mass.,  Sept. 12.

In three preseason games with the Dolphins, Williams had six total tackles.

In three seasons at Syracuse University, the defensive back had 93 total tackles, 65 being solo; four interceptions, two coming against Clemson; three forced fumbles; and one fumble recovery. He scored three touchdowns, one each coming on an interception return, a punt return, and one off a blocked punt.

Williams, who was undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft, joined the Dolphins on May 17 after being waived by the New Orleans Saints.

Breen Being Honored at Naismith Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend

Salesian High School and Fordham University graduate Mike Breen will be honored this weekend at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend.

Breen is the recipient of the 2020 Curt Gowdy Media Award for his work calling basketball games. He currently calls NBA games for ESPN, ABC and the Madison Square Garden Network. Previously, he called NBA and Olympic basketball games on NBC, NFL games NBC and FOX, and delivered sports updates on the Imus in the Morning show on WFAN (660 AM). 

Click here to read a Catholic New York story following Breen’s selection to the Hall of Fame.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FORDHAM UNIVERSITY