Mineola's Napolitano and Clarkin Named All-County

Steve Napolitano and Rob Clarkin, key members of a Mineola Mustang football team that went 5-3 during the 2010 season, , but , received post-season accolades at the Nassau County Football Dinner on Dec. 8.

Napolitano, a junior running back, was named to the All-County team while Clarkin, a junior quarterback, was honored as an All-Conference selection. The awards were given by the Nassau County football coaches. Mineola coach Dan Guido presented the award to his two juniors, who played pivotal roles in helping the Mustangs to a winning season and an appearance in the county playoffs.

Both players said they were honored by the selection and are already looking forward to next season.

"Although I appreciate the individual recognition, there were other teammates just as deserving," Clarkin said. "I worked out hard in the offseason because I knew the step up to varsity would be challenging and the teams we play would be much bigger, faster and stronger. Also, there was a lot to learn in running our spread offense, so it feels good knowing that the hard work paid off."

Clarkin said he was proud of the entire team for exceeding expectations. "We had exciting late fourth-quarter comeback wins at home against Valley Stream North and North Shore. We never gave up and played hard in each game," he said. "Although the final score didn't reflect it, we played Seaford tougher than they probably expected in the first playoff round."

As for next season, Clarkin said, "We will need to work even harder since we will no longer surprise anyone. There will be bigger expectations since we return all of our skill players. We will need to have new players step up. If we stay motivated and prepared we can go far."

Clarkin's goal is to make it to Hofstra next season, which would mean advancing to the semifinals of the county playoffs. "I believe if we play together and stay committed we can bring home a championship," he said.

For Napolitano, the award is a reflection of his hard work and that of the team. "There is no 'I' in 'Team.' I certainly could not have done it without the rest of the guys," he said. "The offensive line played great all season and blocked up front which gave me room to run. I did the easy work. This award isn't just an honor for me but for the entire team."

Napolitano said he believes the Mustangs proved many of the naysayers wrong this past season because they overlooked the team's youth. "What I am most proud of is the hard work that our team put in, and the heart we showed in all of our games," he said. "We put all we had into everything we did this season, and it paid off with a playoff appearance."

Napolitano said next year will be big for Mineola as the team returns the majority of its starters. "I am looking forward to coming back as a veteran team with the experience we have and proving more doubters wrong," he said. "I believe we have a legitimate chance of making our home town very proud."