The NYCFootball.com team compiled this Pre-Season Top 10 Teams List. As always, members can comment on the list, suggest other teams we should be watching, and create your own lists in the Comments section.
1- Erasmus
2 - Canarsie
3 - Curtis
4 - New Dorp
5 - Midwood
6 - Clinton
7 - Madison
8 - Pt. Richmond
9 - Tottenville
10 - Lincoln
Post your Pre Season Top 10 in the Comments section below.
Today it was announced that global independent hip hop artist and producer Kota the Friend, from Brooklyn, and his Flight Boys Network have invested in NYC Sports Network (NYCSN). Kota is considered to be one of the top independent hip hop artists in the industry.
“This is a full circle moment for me. Most people don't know that years ago when I was a teenager I used to film and edit highlights for the NYCFootball.com and NYCBasketball.com games of the week. Those websites covered high school football and basketball in New York City. I remember filming and editing high school highlights of players who are now pro athletes in the NBA and NFL. This industry goes hand in hand with the hip hop culture so this investment makes sense on so many levels. I created highlights of Curtis Samuel, Gus Edwards and others who are now in the NFL”, stated Kota the Friend.
NYC Sports Network combined all sports onto one platform 5 years ago, but they recently decided to relaunch NYCFootball.com as a separate digital platform, once again.
Vernon Jones, founder of NYCSN, stated, “The investment by Kota the Friend and his Flight Boys Network allows us to relaunch NYCFootball.com. The site will include weekly lists of game results and top performers, game of the week coverage, MADMAN predictions, top 10 teams, top 100 players and overall exposure for players and teams. We’re also talking about bringing a podcast to the Flight Boys Network, focusing on high school football and basketball.”
The Flight Boys Network produces Kota the Friend’s upcoming Flight Boys Podcast, as well as the upcoming Simple Talk podcast, which the host will be interviewing professional athletes and sports influencers. The Flight Boys Network will also be launching a podcast that focuses on up-and-coming hip hop artists and producers. The lineup of the podcasts will be announced on or before September 15, 2023.
Kota added, “we want to see how this season goes. If it goes as expected, then we will expand to high school basketball with a relaunch of NYCBasketball.com. I know how excited the players and fans were when I was filming those games years ago. It was insane. Especially with the MADMAN and his predictions. Everyone loved the predictions and the breakdown of the games. At that time Instagram wasn’t around so I can imagine the insanity this time around. One of the stipulations for us to get involved was bringing back the MADMAN. I saw the excitement firsthand.
The amount of the investment hasn’t been disclosed, but it includes the use of the Flight Boys Network studio in DUMBO, Brooklyn, as well as a possible podcast focusing on NYC high school football and basketball and the use of Kota’s music in the highlight videos.
Jones added, "we have a list of over 35,000 high school sports fans that we will be inviting to become members of NYCFootball.com. The list includes college coaches throughout the United States, which will open the door to more scholarships for players. Now that students can earn income through sponsorships, this takes things to an entirely different level in terms of exposure".
The first week for the NYC high school football season begins Thursday September 14, 2023. Players, fans and coaches can become members of NYCFootball.com. It's free to join and players can create profile pages that can include their stats, highlights, articles, photos, music and other details.
Become a Member of NYCFootball.com
About Kota the Friend: IG | FB | YouTube | Spotify
Kota the Friend is a kid from Brooklyn that loves art. He burst onto the music scene in 2016, helmed by his well-received debut EP, Palm Tree Liquor, which garnered praise from industry staples such as Billboard, XXL, RESPECT. Mag, and many others. This was around the same time that the multihyphenate started to see success with his “Lyrics to GO” series, securing a fervent fanbase for his subtitled rap videos. But before Kota became the enigma that he is today, he was finding his way through Clinton Hill, consuming art on different levels. His gift is that he knows how to execute a vision, backed by a worldview that sees the bigger picture in all things. His seminal debut album, FOTO, has a soulful texture and was anointed as “one of the best hip-hop albums of 2019” by Rolling Stone. In 2020, the Brooklyn MC was riding high from the momentum of his critically acclaimed sophomore LP, EVERYTHING, which arrived during the isolating lockdown of the pandemic. The album went on to debut at No. 1 on the iTunes Hip-hop Chart, peaked at No. 4 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Albums Chart, and earned Kota his first entry on the Billboard 200. The following year was no different, with a presidential cosign leading Kota’s campaign for greatness. His track, “Lupita’s Interlude,” was the first song on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ inauguration playlist, which was curated by Emmy Award-winning actress Issa Rae. Further, UPROXX crowned Kota “one of the most commercially viable indie artists since Chance The Rapper,” which signaled a breakthrough 2021 for the lauded scribe. Last year was highlighted by his third studio album, MEMO; followed by 2023’s Lyrics to GO, Vol. 4, and his 18-track opus To See a Sunset (Deluxe) with Statik Selektah. On top of all this, as an independent artist, Kota has amassed over 700M+ streams to date.
Dewitt Clinton vs Benjamin N. Cardozo @Dewitt Clinton HS Field 04:00 PM
Christopher Columbus Campus vs Brooklyn Technical @Christopher Columbus 04:00 PM
Boys and Girls High School vs Harry S. Truman @TBA 04:00 PM
High school football is back in New York City, with 12 games scheduled for Thursday September 14, 2023 for week 1. NYCFootball.com will be announcing the Game of the Week by September 11. The MADMAN will also be making his predictions on each game.
SCHEDULED GAMES
Erasmus Hall Campus vs New Dorp @ TBA 04:00 PM
Transit Tech CTE High School vs Long Island City @ Brooklyn Tech Field: 04:00 PM
Lafayette vs South Shore @ Lafayette Field 04:00 PM
Midwood vs Canarsie @ MIDWOOD Field 04:00 PM
Bayside High School vs John F. Kennedy Campus @Bayside HS Field 04:00 PM
John Adams vs Flushing Campus @John Adams HS 04:00 PM
Franklin K. Lane Campus vs Stuyvesant High School @Franklin K Lane HS Field 04:00 PM
Port Richmond vs New Utrecht @Port Richmond HS: Field 04:00 PM
Susan Wagner vs Eagle Academy For Young Men II @Susan E. Wagner 04:00 PM
Petrides vs Evander Childs Campus @Petrides HS Field 04:30 PM
Curtis vs James Madison @CURTIS HS FIELD 06:00 PM
Tottenville vs Abraham Lincoln High School @Tottenville HS 06:00 PM
August Martin High School vs Mott Haven @Mott Haven 07:00 PM
Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas has taken significant steps towards fulfilling her promise of securing a brand-new football field for the Thomas Jefferson High School Campus as part of her comprehensive 21st Century Rescue Plan for East Brooklyn.
Recognizing the long-standing neglect of the Thomas Jefferson football field, Assemblywoman Lucas emphasized the importance of providing a safe space for student-athletes in the district and served as the catalyst to make things happen for Thomas Jefferson High School. The field has suffered from years of disrepair and has been condemned for the past four years, depriving both the Thomas Jefferson football team and local youth football teams of a proper playing field.
Upon assuming her role as Assemblymember, Lucas conducted a walk-through of the district alongside Mayor Eric Adams, where they observed the neglected parts of the community, including the Thomas Jefferson sports complex. This firsthand experience reinforced the urgent need for revitalization.
More recently, Lucas organized a walk-through of the Thomas Jefferson field with NYC DOE Chancellor David Banks and representatives from the School Construction Authority (SCA). This collaborative effort has resulted in a firm commitment to commence construction on the Thomas Jefferson athletic complex without delay.
During the walkthroughs, the presence of coaches from the Thomas Jefferson football team and Dr. Reid, Principal of Civil Rights HS located within the Thomas Jefferson Campus, further underscored the significance of this revitalization effort. Stakeholder input will play a vital role in shaping the phased approach to fully restore the field and track, benefitting students, families, and the greater East New York Community.
Chancellor David Banks expressed gratitude to Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas and the School Construction Authority for their commitment to revitalizing the site. “For years the Thomas Jefferson HS field and track have fallen deeper into disrepair. We are committed to fully revitalizing this important space for students, families and the greater East New York Community with a phased approach shaped by stakeholder input. Thanks to Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas and the School Construction Authority for touring the site with me.”
Assemblywoman Lucas stated, “my office suggested, and it was agreed, that members of the Thomas Jefferson Campus, including students, teachers, coaches, and parents must be included in the process. Too often fields and arts spaces are constructed without involvement of key community members, which sometimes results in new spaces that are not completely useable. Involvement of those who will use the space is vital to this project, and any project within the district, going forward.”
With a sense of urgency, construction work will commence immediately, focusing on the section of the complex that includes the track and baseball field. According to the Department of Education (DOE), this initial phase is expected to be completed within six months. This will allow a portion of the athletic complex to be upgraded and made usable prior to the larger renovation project, which will encompass the football field, bleachers, field house, and handball and tennis courts. The second phase of upgrades will be carried out by the School Construction Authority (SCA).
The DOE has already initiated the scoping process for this phase and anticipates its completion in the fall, with construction to follow soon after.
Assemblywoman Lucas and the DOE are committed to a phased approach that prioritizes timely upgrades to the Thomas Jefferson athletic complex, ensuring that the community can begin benefitting from the improved facilities as soon as possible.
The MADMAN will be back with us making his weekly predictions and breaking down the Game of the Week.
This is where you post the Players to Watch in New York City. Coaches, fans and players can submit names here. Be sure to include player's name, position, graduating year, school and why we should be watching the player. If you have video highlights and photos then you should post those as well.
The list of Top 100 Football Players in NYC will be posted after week 3 and the list will be updated weekly, but it all begins with Players to Watch.
Let's go!
Former PSAL player from Lincoln HS, Israel Abanikanda officially singed a rookie contract with the NY Jets. Before taking his talents to Pitt for college, Abanikanda was the 2019 New York State Gatorade Player of the Year as a RB, and a Mayor’s Cup 100-meter dash champion on the track, when he was at Lincoln.
Abanikanda was selected in the fifth round by the Jets in the 2023 draft.
Abanikanda led the nation in touchdowns (21) during the 2022 NCAA FBS season. Gaining 1,431 yards on the ground, the Bedford-Stuyvesant native won the Atlantic Coast Conference rushing title despite missing 1.5 games due to injury.
The other end of this call - The moment Lincoln HS and #H2P #PITT alum Israel Abanikanda @IAbanikanda got the call from the #Jets - then friends and family, including @oc_lincoln and @agent__OG watched him hear his named called in the #NFLDraft https://t.co/0oPOAg5Ia4 pic.twitter.com/xDyohiT21X
— Greg Thompson (@gregthompson27) April 29, 2023
