Cape Cod Times All-Scholastic Football Team: 36 outstanding high school players

The 2023 football season across Cape Cod was filled with success.

There was the resurgence of the Barnstable Red Hawks, who bounced back from a three-win 2022 campaign to win 10 games. Martha's Vineyard won a league title as part of a six-win season.

Five teams (Barnstable, Dennis-Yarmouth, Mashpee, Sandwich and Bourne) made the playoffs this season, and individually, players from the Cape had some of the most productive seasons in the state.

There was plenty of talent to go around, but who stood out this season?

Here is the 2023 Cape Cod Times Football All-Scholastics team:

Tajardo France, Barnstable

France capped off his Barnstable career in a big way. The senior finished the season as the Cape and Island's League Co-MVP, after amassing over 1,000 all-purpose yards (772 rushing, 324 receiving), and scoring 20 total touchdowns. For his Barnstable career, France finishes with 1,680 rushing yards, 810 yards through the air and 33 total touchdowns. For as much impact as France made on offense, he was also a standout presence in the Barnstable defense.

Aiden Kundel, Barnstable

Kundel has been the Red Hawks signal caller for a couple of seasons and just completed a senior season in which he helped lead his team to ten wins, and a trip to the state semifinals. Kundel was a dual threat for the Red Hawks all season and finished the season with 1,603 passing yards, 810 rushing yards and 23 total touchdowns.

Chevy Shakespeare, Barnstable

Shakespeare was one of Kundel's main targets through the air this season and showed up time and again as an explosive threat downfield for the Red Hawks. Shakespeare had 633 receiving yards, added 105 on the ground, and scored 10 touchdowns this season. He also made key contributions to Barnstable's dominant defense.

Ty Kelley, Bourne

Few players were more instrumental to their team's success than Kelley was for the Canalmen this season. The senior signal caller had a hand in just about everything for Bourne, tallying 719 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground, while also throwing for an additional 604 yards, with seven touchdowns. Kelley also kicked extra points and played defense, literally never leaving the field in some cases. He said his favorite memory from the season was their four-game winning streak. He plans to attend a four-year university and pursue football at the next level.

Ethan Fox, Bourne

Fox was the other half of the Canalmen's dynamic offensive duo. If Kelley wasn't running the ball, chances are it was going into the hands of the sophomore, Fox. He finished the season with a team-high 895 rushing yards. He said his favorite moment of the season was the Canalmen's playoff loss to Cathedral because, "We had many opportunities to give up after bad plays, but we kept our heads up and kept the game close down until the end." Fox also plays lacrosse and basketball.

Caden Doherty, Bourne

It's hard to have a strong rushing attack without a good offensive line. For Bourne, Doherty is at the heart of their line. He's a two-year starter.

Head coach John McIntyre said, "he is our guy we run behind when we need critical yards." Doherty said his favorite moment was reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2018, and said, "I look forward to playing in more playoff games in the future."

Dominic James, Upper Cape

James was a two-way starter for the Rams this season, at both the running back and linebacker positions. Head coach Tom Pandiscio said James was awarded the team's MVP Award and was the offensive player of the season.

Jabneal Lozoda-Santana, Upper Cape

Lozoda-Santana was a Rams starter on both the offensive and defensive lines. He's a member of the National Honors Society and is also his class president.

Brodie Scott, Upper Cape

Scott was the Rams' leading receiver in the 2023 season and is also another two-way starter, who played defensive back. He's a member of the National Honors Society and also a Future Farmers of America Award Winner.

Isaiah Robinson, Nauset

Despite missing a large chunk of the season due to an injury, when he was on the field, he showed just how dangerous he can be as a receiver. He finished the season with 22 catches for 493 yards and seven touchdowns and also added a pick-six on defense. Nauset head coach Jesse Peno said Robinson, "is a true game changer and a threat to score whenever he touches the ball."

Brendan Peno, Nauset

Peno just completed his second season leading the Nauset offense and amassed just under 1,500 yards passing in his sophomore season. He threw 16 touchdown passes and ran for an additional five on the ground. Peno has already topped 3,000 career passing yards and has already claimed the No. 1 spot atop Nauset's career passing yard leaders.

Kieran Handville, Nauset

Coach Peno described Handville as a "jack of all trades" for the Warriors and it's easy to see why. Offensively, Handville lined up all over the field, playing every skill position and totaling 393 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, he started the season as a defensive back but transitioned into playing linebacker, where Peno said he excelled for the Warriors.

Arann Hanlon, Nantucket

Nantucket head coach Tim Psaradelis said that Hanlon, "was a leader through action this season. He never gives up and is consistently pushing himself to do better. He is usually the smallest on the field but gives the most effort and energy." The sophomore stood out on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

Owen Sullivan, Nantucket

Sullivan stepped up this season to fill an inside linebacker role on the Whalers defense.

"Owen made considerable strides in growth this season," Psaradelis said. "He grew into the ILB (inside linebacker) position and has found a home there with his physical play."

As the season progressed, Sullivan emerged as a threat in the Nantucket rushing offense as well.

Sean Needham, Monomoy

Perhaps the best way that Monomoy head coach Rob Sliney described Needham is by saying, "Trying to get him off the field was impossible."

In his sophomore season, Needham anchored the Sharks' defense from his middle linebacker position and finished the year averaging seven tackles per game, had six forced fumbles, 11 tackles for loss and six fumble recoveries. Needham's favorite moment of the season was the Sharks' 42-0 Thanksgiving Day victory.

Dillon Chapman, Monomoy

Chapman was the Sharks' leading rusher in 2023. The junior finished the season with 12 rushing touchdowns and averaged 78 yards per game this season. Sliney said, "he was a catalyst for us all season." Chapman also made his presence felt on the defensive side of the ball, and Sliney made sure to highlight that he "had a good season at DB and used his athleticism to get 6 TFL (tackles for loss) on the season."

Chapman also said his favorite moment of the season was the Sharks' Thanksgiving Day victory.

Makai Hue, Mashpee

Mashpee head coach Matt Triveri said that Hue "is the perfect role model for what a captain should be and as great of a player that he is, he is even a better person."

Hue excelled for the Falcons on both sides of the ball. He finished with 620 total yards of offense, with ten total touchdowns on offense, and had a team-high 104 tackles, had two interceptions and made ten tackles for loss on defense. Hue is a member of the Superintendent Student Advisory Council, plays basketball and plans to study sports management and physical therapy in college.

Mason Zylinski, Mashpee

Zylinski may take the crown as the most physically dominant one-on-one lineman in the area.

Listed at 6-foot-2, 260 pounds, Zylinksi amassed 68 tackles, 12.5 sacks, and 15 tackles for a loss. Triveri said, "his quick twitch ability allowed him to constantly play on the other side of the line of scrimmage."

He said his favorite moment of the season was the win over Sandwich on Thanksgiving, and he plans to attend a four-year university and try and continue playing football.

Ethan Costa, Mashpee

Defensively, Costa was another one of the key reasons the Falcons had such a dominant defense. From his defensive back spot, Costa only gave up four completions all season, had seven pass breakups, and made 46 tackles in nine games. Triveri said Costa "was terrific all season as a run support corner and in coverage (and was) an outstanding leader and captain."

On offense, Costa had 277 yards receiving and a touchdown, despite the Falcons facing multiple quarterback injuries throughout the season. Costa said his favorite moment of the season, was scoring his first career touchdown in the Falcons Thanksgiving Day win.

Jayden Barber, Dennis-Yarmouth

Barber was the most prolific passer on Cape this season, as the junior amassed 2,823 yards passing while throwing for 32 touchdowns. Where Barber took a step forward in his development in 2023 was in his playmaking abilities as a runner. This new dimension to Barber's game enabled him to rush for an additional 610 yards and six touchdowns.

Peyton Kellett, Dennis-Yarmouth

Kellett was Barber's No. 1 target all season and eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark in 2023. His 1,086 receiving yards were the second-highest total in the entire state, and his ten touchdowns led the Dolphins this season.

"Peyton can run the entire route tree at a high level and is always a threat for a big play," Marsh said.

Kellett said his favorite moment of the season was the Dolphins' week one shootout victory over the Mashpee Falcons. He also runs track for the Dolphins.

AJ Gillespie, Dennis-Yarmouth

Gillespie said his favorite moment of the season came when "I got my first really good tackle for loss against Monomoy at our home opener and got super hype and felt the whole stadium behind me."

The junior lineman was a stalwart on both the offensive and defensive lines for the Dolphins, and Marsh said he "is our unquestioned leader up front."

Aidan Choukri, Cape Tech

Though injuries cut his senior season short, Choukri still left his mark on the 2023 season for the Crusaders. The senior quarterback finished the season with 953 total yards of offense (592 rushing/361 passing), to go along with eight total touchdowns. Choukri also made an impact on the defensive side of the ball, snagging three interceptions and also recovering a fumble.

Crusaders head coach Calvin Castillas said Choukri "showed great leadership as a captain and was able to put together a solid senior season to wrap up his football playing career."

Choukri's favorite moment of the year came when he led the Crusaders to a win over Atlantis Charter in the Crusaders' first-ever night game.

Rovens Jean-Baptiste, Cape Tech

Jean-Baptiste finished his senior season with a team-high 721 rushing yards and had eight rushing touchdowns. Castillas said the senior "worked really hard at his craft in the off-season and it paid off big having a breakout senior year."

Peyton Morris, Cape Tech

Morris was the third of Cape Tech's three-headed rushing attack this season. Morris finished the year with 535 yards rushing and had four touchdowns out of the Crusaders' backfield. He was also a threat in the receiving game, where he had 114 yards this year. Morris said his favorite moment of the season was the Crusaders' win over Monomoy to begin their season.

Daniel Cordeiro, St. John Paul II

Cordeiro claimed the Cape and Island's League Small Division MVP this season, after being the focal point of the Lions' offense all season. He finished the season with 15 total touchdowns, which led the team, and even had a game this year where he ran the ball 30 times, for 236 yards, added 48 yards receiving and had four total touchdowns. Lions head coach Chris Barabe Jr. said Cordeiro is an "unquestioned team leader on and off the field."

Owen Enright, St. John Paul II

Enright was a two-way standout for the Lions this season. On offense, he finished the season with six touchdowns while playing running back and wide receiver. On defense, he was a ball hawk. Enright finished the year with a team-high five interceptions. Barabe Jr. called Enright an "electric player on both sides of the ball."

Enright is also the senior class president.

Jack Kalkus, St. John Paul II

Kalkus was the Lions' starting quarterback and a starting linebacker. Under center, Kalkus kept the Lions' offense organized and finished the season with 14 total touchdowns. Despite being the quarterback, Kalkus wasn't afraid to mix it up on defense this year and finished 2023 as the Lions' leading tackler.

Aiden Conley, Martha's Vineyard

Conley wrapped up his senior season for the Vineyarders as the team's leader in both receptions and receiving yards. Conley provided a unique threat that not many players in the area can say they matched, which was his threat in the return game. Conley had two kickoff return touchdowns for the Vineyarders, and also ran a punt back for a score, showcasing just how much of a home run threat he is. Defensively, Conley also had five interceptions.

Guilherme Oliveira, Martha's Vineyard

Oliveira was the primary running back for the Vineyarders this year and answered the call in his senior year by leading his team in touchdowns and having multiple games of over 200 yards rushing. The Vineyarders claimed a Cape and Island's League title behind the efforts of Oliveira, and he even threw the game-winning touchdown on a trick play in the title-clinching win over Nantucket.

William Nicholson, Martha's Vineyard

Nicholson took over the starting job for the Vineyarders down the stretch, and all he did was go 4-1 to lead the team to a league title. The sophomore stepped up and ran the Martha's Vineyard offense well, spreading the ball between his receivers, including his older brother Wyatt Nicholson. The sophomore capped his season by leading the Vineyarders to the win in the Island Cup victory over Nantucket.

Adam Ferreira, Sandwich

Ferreira was one of the area's best dual-threat quarterbacks this season. Whether with his arms or his legs, Ferreira led the Sandwich offense as the team reached the playoffs. Ferreira topped 1,000 yards passing and 300 yards rushing this season and accounted for 15 total touchdowns.

Nolan Cochran, Sandwich

The offensive and defensive lines rarely get attention, but Cochran had a standout season in the trenches for the Blue Knights. Despite only being a junior, Cochran just completed his third season as a varsity starter. Cochran had three sacks from the defensive line and also made 30 tackles.

Jack O'Brien, Sandwich

O'Brien stood out on Sandwich's defense this season from his safety spot. The junior just wrapped up his second season manning the Blue Knights back end. O'Brien had both an interception and a fumble recovery and even blocked two field goals this season.

Collin Govoni, Falmouth

Govoni was the heart and soul of the Clippers this season. The senior running back did all he could to lead the Falmouth offense this year, before having his season ended by injury.

Tre'Chaun Days, Falmouth

At several points this season, Days popped up with moments of individual athleticism that showed just how dangerous he can be. He's only a sophomore, but Days made an impact several different ways in 2023.

André Simms covers high school sports for the Times. Contact him at asimms@capecodonline.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @that1guyandre.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape Cod high school football: Who made the 2023 All-Scholastic Team?