Hills East Football Program Continues To Rise

Coaches, players, parents and everyone associated with Thunderbirds football at Half Hollow Hills High School East in Dix Hills gathered this past Sunday for an awards luncheon and celebration of a successful season. Though the team didn’t win the Suffolk County Division II championship game, significant accomplishments on offense and defense throughout the season forecast future success for the Hills East football program.

The championship game on Saturday, November 14, will be recorded in Thunderbirds’ history as the tornado game. The gridiron battle with Bellport High School was played on the day that at least four funnel clouds touched down on Long Island. Suspended with only minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the closely played contest was completed the next day. The final score of 34-28 just did not twist in favor of Hills East.

During each game of the season, however, the Thunderbirds featured a tornado warning of its own on the field. Senior running back Dakim Griffin broke a 44-year school touchdown record that had been set by James C. Metzger during the 1977 season. Griffin scored 35 touchdowns.

“He was dominating as a running back in a way that I was not familiar,” remarked Metzger, who saw most of the Hills East games this season, including the game against Selden’s Newfield High School when Griffin broke his record of 27 touchdowns.

“I also had the privilege to see Dakim in Hills’ opening game this year,” added Metzger. “He played only in the first half that day, but he scored three touchdowns and rushed for a ton of yardage. I told Coach Alex Marcelin that Dakim will break my career record in one season. Coach Alex laughed and said Dakim won’t score 27 touchdowns in one season. We were both right! Dakim broke my record in one season. Dakim didn’t score 27 touchdowns. He scored 35!”

Metzger is the founder and CEO of The Whitmore Agency, a leading insurance and financial services firm headquartered in Garden City. He is a longtime benefactor of youth, high school and college athletics and education on Long Island. A three-sport (football, lacrosse and basketball) athlete at Hills East whose number 21 jerseys for football and lacrosse have been retired by the school, Metzger has provided significant endowments to the school’s football and lacrosse programs.

2021 Football Awards

Metzger’s support of the football program provided him with the unique opportunity to name 12 of the 13 new team awards that honor former Hills East players who were outstanding on and off the field. The school chose to name the remaining award, its offensive player award, to honor Metzger’s contributions as a player and benefactor. Several student-athlete scholarship awards presented by the school’s booster club this year were enhanced significantly by Metzger’s endowment.

2021 Hills East Football Awards

Scott McLam Team MVP Award -- Dakim Griffin

James C. Metzger Offensive MVP Award -- Louis Mathurin

Fred O’Meally Defensive MVP Award -- Elias Barret

Joel Hammond Lineman of the Year Award -- Loucas Charalambous

Ed Howard, DMD Scholar Athlete Award -- Jordan Heyman

Joe Marotta Coaches Award -- Teddy Theodore

Jim Miller Coaches Award -- Gianni D’Agnese

Morton Simeon Bouchard III Coaches Award -- Nicholas Garrone

Matt Dunigan Coaches Award -- Davian Johnson

Joe Maehr Coaches Award -- Jacob Robinson

Sal Naro Coaches Award -- Konadu Boadu

Thomas Teresky Coaches Award -- Shane Patterson

Mike Everret Coaches Award -- Joshua Isaacs

2021 Hills East Football Scholarship Awards

Jordon Anderson

Konadu Boadu

Teddy Couluris

Future Is Bright

The achievements by Thunderbirds varsity and junior varsity teams on and off the field this season under first-year head coach Marcelin will provide the program with a solid foundation. Marcelin already is preparing for the 2022 season with his committed coaching staff of Brian Hanover (offensive coordinator) and John Ruggerio (defensive coordinator) along with Braddon Brightman, Ryan G., Brad Mckoy, Adrian Montalvo and Joseph Rickerson.

More success also awaits Griffin, who Metzger repeatedly states is “the best high school football player I’ve ever seen.” Griffin recently received the Joe Cipp Award as Suffolk County’s top running back.

People often ask Metzger about Dakim and he always responds the same way: “There is only one player who runs with the football like Dakim Griffin. That’s Dakim Griffin. I’ve watched high school football for 50 years. Dakim is the best runner from scrimmage I’ve ever seen. His style is his own.”