Babylon's Aidan Winter, Floyd's Ja'Quan Thomas share Joe Cipp Award
Aidan Winter of Babylon. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
Floyd senior Ja’Quan Thomas and Babylon senior Aidan Winter have been two of Suffolk’s most dominant running backs over the last few years.
Winter just finished his fifth varsity season, in which he ran for 2,043 yards and 27 touchdowns on 149 carries and caught nine passes for 251 yards and three scores.
Thomas notched his second straight season with more than 2,000 rushing yards, totaling 2,082 yards and 31 scores on 187 attempts.
Winter and Thomas were named co-recipients of the Joe Cipp Award, annually given to the county’s top running back, Monday night during the Suffolk County Football Coaches Association awards dinner at the Hyatt Regency in Hauppauge.
Thomas shared last year’s Cipp Award with Sayville’s Kyle Messina. He also won the Carl A. Hansen Award as Suffolk’s most outstanding player on Monday.
“There were times when we would take a knee before halftime in a close game and I thought, ‘You know what? Why not hand off to Ja’Quan?’” Floyd coach Paul Longo said.
Winter is Babylon’s all-time leading rusher with 6,793 yards. He broke his own school record for most rushing yards in a single game with 345 in a 27-6 win over Bayport-Blue Point on Oct. 17.
“His talent speaks for itself, but his work ethic, his whole demeanor has meant way more than his talent,” Babylon coach Rick Punzone said. “He went to a JV game this year on a Monday night and was handing out waters to our players. What kid does that?”
Awards wrap-up
Brentwood senior Cris Peralta, who had 75 tackles and two fumble recoveries, received the Bob Collotta Award, given to the most outstanding linebacker . . . Ward Melville senior Joey Karpowicz, who had 37 catches for 763 yards and nine touchdowns, won the NFF Receiver Award as the county’s most outstanding receiver . . . Smithtown West senior Michael Cascione, who had five interceptions, earned the Tom Cassese Award as the top defensive back . . . Central Islip senior running back Jimmy Gaston Jr. won the Tom Cutinella Memorial Leadership Award . . . Floyd junior Jake Rivera earned the Bryan Collins Award as the most outstanding defensive lineman . . . Miller Place senior running back/linebacker Camryn Hardy won the 12th Man Award, given to players that overcame great adversity to play football . . . Northport senior Daniel Miller won the LaBue Award as the most outstanding scholar athlete . . . Bayport-Blue Point junior Tommy Steyert won the Paul Longo Award as the most outstanding kicker.
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
