Young, Cohesive Grady Falcons Football Squad Looks to Fly in 2023

After graduating 12 seniors from last year’s squad, William Grady High School (Brooklyn) football program has reloaded with several young players. But head coach Andrew Jashyn is happy to say that he has a team made of good character kids who are working hard as a cohesive unit.

“We’re young, a lot of sophomores and juniors. We have four seniors,” Jashyn said. “We have a good thing going. I’m excited, my coaching staff is excited. I can’t tell you how good we’ll be, but we are going to be competitive.”

The Falcons posted a 3-4 record and made the PSAL B Conference playoffs in 2022. Now, the PSAL has moved them up to the “AA” level, in which they will be facing some tough competition.

At quarterback is sophomore Cameron Lynch, a baseball pitcher who will behind center. Jashyn said he is showing signs of developing.

“He’s really been coming around,” he said. “He’s really doing well. He’s a work in progress, but he’s working out. He’s a good athlete. He played cornerback (last year) and had an interception for forty yards.”

Next is 5-foot-9, 180-pound senior Nasir Edwards, a hardworking, elusive running back who is not weary of contact when the need arises, the 24-year coach noted.

“He’s been working his butt off; fast and shifty,” Jashyn said. “He’s not afraid to run in between tackles.”

Sophomore Rasian Allen, a 6-foot-3 member of the track team, will be slotted in as a receiver and use his speed as a down field weapon.

Another track guy is senior Jamar Aberdeen, a defense end/running back/punter who is a four-year player.

Jashyn said the influx of student-athletes from other athletic pursuits has made the coaching staff’s job a bit easier.

“We’re lucky because we have guys who are athletes from other sports,” the Long Island resident said. “So, they know how to be coached.”

As for Aberdeen, Jashyn said, “He really came into his own last year. So, we’re hoping he can continue that.”

Senior Aneil Youmans will be used as a sniffer back/H-back and a center, the anchor of the office line and a player eyeing ways to up his game, Jashyn noted.

“He played a lot last year,” he said. “He’s always looking for ways to improve.”

On defensive, sophomore free safety Dushawn Bailey will be patrolling the backfield in hopes of racking up interceptions.

“He’s a rangy kid. Good ball hawking instincts,” assistant coach Adam Engerow said of Bailey’s ability to force turnovers and cover receivers. “I think he’ll be around the ball a lot.”

Engerow described junior outside linebacker Christopher Sykes as a “hard worker, not afraid to get down and dirty, and come up and make a big hit.”

Talent aside, Jashyn said the strength of the Falcons lies in their solid temperament and team-first mentality.

“The character of these kids are really good,” Jashyn explained. “These are the types of kids that you pull for. There’s a nice bond on the team. They’re very unselfish. I think it raises the talent level because they want to help each other out.”

Grady will open up the 2023 season against Thomas Jefferson at Thomas Jefferson HS Field (Moe Finkelstein Field) on Saturday, September 23rd at noon.

— Jerry Del Priore