Before High School South combines with High School North for the 2018 football season, there is one more chance for a trio of its recently graduated players to represent the Pirates program.
Anthony Taylor was selected to play in the state’s North-South All-Star game on June 25, and later that week Max Bruno and Xavier Smith were to represent South in the Sunshine Football Classic XXI.
“It’s a big honor to me,” said Taylor, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound receiver. “And you get to meet new people. Just knowing you’re one of the best in New Jersey is a good feeling.”
Bruno, a quarterback who also played outside linebacker for the Pirates, said he’d miss throwing to Taylor, who was a safety blanket for him last fall, but that he was happy to team up one last time with Smith on the West all-star team that has won the last three Sunshine games.
“That means a lot,” Bruno said. “I’ve played with Xavier all four years. He has a whole ton of talent and huge potential for track and field also. It’ll be cool to see how he can translate that into football one last time. He was a huge factor for us. Coach called him the X factor. It’ll be nice to have him out there with me.”
‘I think having the whole community together will be beneficial. There’s a lot of talent.’
Smith has been focused on track and field since football season concluded. He was third in the 55-meter hurdles at the Indoor Meet of Champions and fought back from injury to reach the Outdoor Meet of Champions as well. He’ll show his speed as a running back in the West backfield with Bruno.
During the season, Smith ran for 952 yards and scored seven touchdowns and Bruno threw for over 1,000 yards on a team that wasn’t geared to pass.
Taylor accounted for half those yards. He caught 43 passes for 597 yards and seven touchdowns, including a program single-game record three in a win over Princeton High. That game was a career highlight for Taylor, who made a name for himself this year.
Taylor opened enough eyes to be chosen for the North-South game, a rare feat for anyone in Mercer County. The game gave him one more high school game and a chance to taste victory again.
“I’m looking forward to having a competitive game and trying to get a W,” Taylor said. “I’ve been looking for one.”
He was thrilled at the selection meeting to hear that his team would be using a wide open pass-happy offense for the all-star game. Though South didn’t throw the ball as much as it did run it, Taylor was still able to develop steadily while there.
Taylor still is looking for where he can best use his talent in college. He’s been working out with the New Jersey Warriors Junior College team that allows post-graduates to play while attending any New Jersey community college, but he also is exploring options with Monmouth University and Kean University, and hopes the North-South selection could open some more pathways to the next level.
The North-South game selection gives him an opportunity to showcase himself among some of the top talent in the state and impress anyone in attendance.
Closer to home, Bruno and Smith were excited to try to keep the West’s recent win streak alive in the Sunshine Classic. It’s become a staple for seniors in the area, and Bruno is thrilled to a part of it.
“It seems like a really good opportunity,” he said. “You’re playing with kids you always compete against from the CVC and around the county.”
Bruno comes off a breakout lacrosse season in which he started for the first time after taking up the game a year ago. His football future isn’t quite clear. He’s going to the University of Miami and considering walking on, but the Sunshine game could be his final organized football game.
“I’ve been playing football for 13 years,” Bruno said. “It’s finally coming to an end. It’s nice to have the last game on this stage and be with the best players in the county.”
A number of Pirates have played good games in past Sunshine Classics. David Twamley was MVP in 2009 and Jack Dennehey was MVP in 2010. More recently, Diego Cuitino scored a touchdown in a 14-7 win, and last year Bruno’s predecessor, Scott Cochrane, threw a touchdown pass to contribute to the 24-7 win.
Next year, players from North and South will combine to play as a single team. It’s a move some resisted, but Bruno thinks it will help.
“I remember I was really upset when we had to leave that Pop Warner team to split into high school teams,” Bruno said. “I think having the whole community together will be beneficial. There’s a lot of talent. Separating the two schools splits the talent up and ruins the chemistry we had in Pop Warner. Combining them will be the best situation for them.”
There is one more chance for a trio of its recently graduated players to represent the Pirates program.,
