Thorp Award watch

At the halfway point of the regular season, statistical projections are easy. Just take everything and double it.

So let's start with MSG Varsity's Tri-State Offensive Player of the Week, Tyler Heuer. Oceanside's senior QB is on pace for 1,780 passing yards with 30 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He'd also have over 600 yards rushing and 10 more touchdowns.

Heuer, whose 2009 season was fourth best yardage-wise in Nassau history, will threaten the top spot, which is currently held by Jeff Doolittle of Hicksville, who threw for 1,786 yards in 1966, this season.

Thirty touchdowns would tie the Nassau record set by Randy Mills of Freeport in 2003. And that would be before a playoff run.  

So what does this all mean? Does it make Heuer the favorite for the Thorp Award? No, it's still too early to make those proclamations. Especially with Farmingdale and Freeport still on Oceanside's schedule.

But it does firmly entrench Heuer on our Thorp Award watch for the fourth straight week.

Here are the rest of candidates (players are listed in alphabetical order)...

(To see Bob Herzog's Hansen Award watch, click here.)

Justin Buckley, Seaford: The Vikings senior running back rushed for 162 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries in his squad's 29-0 win over Malverne. He has rushed for 100+ yards in all four games this season. On the season, he has rushed for 667 yards and eight touchdowns on 98 carries (6.8 yards per carry). The workhorse is averaging nearly 25 carries per game.  

Donte Colter, Roosevelt: Coach Joe Vito rode his senior running back in the Rough Riders' 28-20 overtime win over Floral Park to the tune of 30 carries for 184 yards and three scores. He also had a seven-yard reception. The 30 carries were more than double any of his previous totals in the first three games. Colter has rushed for 527 yards and nine TDs on 67 carries (7.8 per carry). To see two of his scores from Saturday, click here, and to hear his postgame comments, click here.

Gene Garay, Oceanside: The Sailors senior wide receiver was the beneficiary of another big day from Heuer. The QB's favorite target had five catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns in their 48-7 drubbing of East Meadow. He has a Long Island high 20 receptions for 377 yards and five scores. He also has an interception on defense. To see highlights of Garay and hear his postgame comments, click here.

Tyler Heuer, Oceanside: The Sailors QB has been nothing short of spectacular, as we highlighted before. He has completed 52 of his 82 passes (63.4 completion percentage) and leads the Island in passing yardage (890) and touchdowns (15). He's also rushed for 300+ yards and another five scores. On Saturday, he broke Jay Fiedler's school record with six touchdown passes in a 48-7 win over East Meadow. To see the record-breaking performance, click here.  

Alex Kahn, Hewlett: The Bulldogs senior QB was a model of efficiency in a 46-7 win over Division on Friday night. He completed just 3 of his 6 passes, but threw for 72 yards and two touchdowns. He ran the ball only five times, but amassed 41 yards and another touchdown. Kahn has nine touchdowns on the season (six passing, three rushing). He and our next player on this list will face off Saturday night.

Paul Magloire, Lynbrook: The Owls senior QB continued running roughshod over the rest of Conference III with 156 yards on 16 carries in a 35-0 blanking of Manhasset. He also was 8-for-10 with 79 yards and a touchdown through the air. On the season, Magloire has 439 rushing yards and 236 rushing yards with five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing).

Dan Olivier, Freeport: The Red Devil running back is the key cog to Freeport's high-flying offense, and that continued with a 14-carry, 174-yard rushing performance in a 41-14 win over Massapequa. Oliver scored a rushing touchdown and also had a 31-yard TD reception. On the season, he has seven touchdowns (five rushing, two receiving).

Jaquan Smith, Elmont: The Spartans senior running back had an astonishing 236 yards and three touchdowns on only seven carries in a 35-7 win over Calhoun. That's 33.7 yards per carry. His three touchdowns went for 65, 64 and 65 yards. In his last two games, he has 409 rushing yards on 18 carries with seven touchdowns (six rushing, one receiving). He has 11 touchdowns on the year, and he also has two sacks and a fumble recovery on the season.

Kevin Wahl, Farmingdale: The Dalers senior running back ran for 159 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries in a 36-22 win over Uniondale. He also had three catches for 71 yards, including a 55-yard TD catch. He has nine touchdowns on the season (seven rushing, two receiving).

Kyle Zahradka, Carey: The Seahawks senior QB was 12-for-21 for 267 yards, four touchdowns and an interception in a 45-27 win over Bellmore JFK. He also had 93 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. He now has eight passing touchdowns on the season.

Honorable mention: Isaiah Barnes, Freeport; Juliano Bove, Carey; Mike Castellano, East Rockaway; Ryan Fredericks, Lawrence; Tyler Fredericks, Lawrence; Stephen Jahelka, Garden City; Ronell Jones, Floral Park; Joe Karo, Bellmore JFK; Travis Lock, Lynbrook; John Reicherter, Wantagh; William Stanback, Uniondale; Niv Sultan, Hewlett, Sal Tuttle, Farmingdale; Evan Vandoros, North Shore; Kevin Wahl, Farmingdale, Brian Wint, Sewanhaka.