Peglegs Season Preview: High Hopes After Last Season’s Semi-Final Exit

Last November on a blustery, cold day in Staten Island, the Peglegs took on the Petrides High School Panthers in the semi-finals of the Cup Conference playoffs. In a high scoring, back and forth affair, the Peglegs ultimately fell to the Panthers at 52-40. The close defeat was a bitter end to a rather successful season. By finishing with an 8-1 record and being serious contenders for the championship, the Peglegs changed the narrative linked to the Stuyvesant football program in past seasons and provided optimism for the future.

Fast forward to this summer, and the Peglegs have made their way back to Pier 40, where preseason practices are underway. They are practicing with urgency, knowing they must replicate last season’s performances to establish themselves as staples in the Cup Conference. That does not mean, however, that the Peglegs will be satisfied with a consecutive semi-final exit. The Peglegs know they are a championship-caliber team that can go toe to toe with any given opponent in their conference. Greater pressure comes from the fact that the Peglegs are playing in the aforementioned Cup Conference, the lowest of the three PSAL football conferences—a strong 2019 season may be what the Peglegs need to get bumped back up into the City Conference.

However, a run at the championship will not be easy with the departure of last year’s strong senior core. For example, the team’s two leading receivers from 2018, Ariel Melendez and Tim Marder, along with their leading tackler Ian Sulley, have graduated, leaving significant holes in the roster. The team will look to fill in these spots with a new group of seniors led by quarterback and captain Lucas Dingman. Dingman’s 2018 season was stellar, as he finished top two in every major passing category in the Cup Conference, capped by an unprecedented 135.20 QBR. Dingman proved himself to be a multifaceted quarterback as well, adding seven touchdowns on the ground.

The offense is rounded out with its receiving corps led by seniors Clement Chan and Owen Potter and a backfield manned by senior Franklin Liou. Both Chan and Potter were behind seniors in the depth chart last season, which resulted in minimal reps at the position. Nonetheless, the two were able to produce when it mattered the most: the playoffs. Chan finished the playoffs with 37 yards on four receptions and one touchdown, while Potter recorded a stunning 78 yards on nine receptions with two touchdowns. Liou proved in the regular season to be a pass-catching back, accumulating 151 yards on the ground and 126 yards in the air. Sadly, his season was cut short due to an ACL injury. Senior linebacker Patrick Fennessey, in line to fill the void left by Sulley’s departure, showed his ability this past season as he collected 33 tackles.

The Peglegs will also look to utilize rising juniors who have proven their abilities while on the JV team. The JV Peglegs’ 6-2 finish shows the football program’s dedication toward developing underclassmen. The returning seniors and new additions from the JV level will all suit up for their first game on September 7, when they will travel to Long Island City High School to face the Bulldogs. From the senior captains to the junior rookies, every member of the Peglegs will be eyeing the same goal when the season kicks off: the Cup Conference Championship.