Half Hollow Hills flag football QB Samantha Heyman named NFF's James Conrad Metzger Top Scholar-Athlete
James C. Metzger poses with Samantha Heyman of Half Hollow Hills at the National Football Foundation's annual flag football scholar athlete awards brunch in Melville on Sunday. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Samantha Heyman had a special flag football career.
The Half Hollow Hills quarterback ended her historic high school run with 12,898 passing yards and 197 touchdowns. She also rushed for 4,192 yards and 52 touchdowns.
She may be brilliant on the field, but her impact in the community and performance in the classroom earned her another honor.
Heyman was named the James Conrad Metzger Top Scholar-Athlete at the National Football Foundation Suffolk County Chapter Flag Football Scholar-Athlete and All-County Awards Brunch at the Melville Marriott on Sunday.
It’s a big honor to get,” Heyman said. “I’m really grateful for it. I love being here with my teammates. I have four of them here today, all of whom are getting incredible awards. To share that moment with them is very meaningful to me.”
Heyman carries a 98 unweighted GPA and achieved a perfect 36 on the ACT. She serves as president of the National Honor Society and will attend the University of Texas at Austin this fall.
She is involved in a large number of extracurricular activities and also volunteers with the Limb Kind Foundation as a student ambassador.
“One of the most meaningful things to me is my work with Limb Kind,” Heyman said. “It’s a foundation that works with kids with prosthetics. I got involved because my grandfather actually had his leg amputated from COVID-19. After that, I got involved with it. What we do is fundraise to go on mission trips and provide prosthetics for kids in third-world countries that otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to get them.”
Heyman was a four-year starter and earned first-team All-Long Island honors every season of her career. Along with her ability on the field, it was her leadership that guided Hills to a perfect season and state title.
“It was obviously a team effort, but having her as the leader that everybody could look to really set the tone,” Hills coach Mike Lupa said. “She’s our leader on and off the field. She’s always helping out other kids. She’s just an amazing person, an amazing player, and I’m so lucky and grateful that I got to coach her.”
When Heyman was selected as the winner, Metzger himself, a former star athlete and Hills East alumnus, made sure he would be in attendance.
“I couldn’t make it because of a family commitment and a business commitment, a major regional meeting,” Metzger said. “Then I was told the winner was a Hills East graduate. I had to do it. I rearranged everything to be here for all the honorees, but especially for Samantha.
“We’re almost 50 years apart. We’re both alumni. I’m ’77, she’s ’26, so 50 years later, who would have ever thought that I would be giving an award to a superstar girls flag football player? I just couldn’t pass up that opportunity.”
The National Football Foundation also honored its Golden Seven.
The Golden Seven honorees pose with James C. Metzger at the National Football Foundation's annual flag football scholar-athlete awards brunch in Melville on Sunday. Back row, from left: Madison Henney of Eastport-South Manor, Claire Sclafani of Longwood, Hazel Carlson of Northport, Ella Trama of Sayville, and Lindsay Adams of Hauppauge. Front row, from left: Brianna Mauro of Glenn, Samantha Heyman of Half Hollow Hills and Sofia Larrea of Sachem East. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Claire Sclafani (Longwood), Lindsay Adams (Hauppauge), Hazel Carlson (Northport), Madison Heaney (Eastport-South Manor), Sofia Larrea (Sachem East), Brianna Mauro (Glenn) and Ella Trama (Sayville) were recognized.
I’m so grateful that I’m getting recognized. Sclafani said. “I was very impressed by everyone selected. It’s always a challenge balancing sports and school. It was a standard I set for myself for all four years and it's finally being rewarded.”
