Aiden Mirelis' three touchdowns lead Division past Hewlett in Nassau Conference III football
Division's Aiden Mirelis makes a touchdown catch against Hewlett on Saturday. Credit: Derrick Dingle/Derrick Dingle
If you put the ball high in the air, there’s a good chance Aiden Mirelis is going to come down with it.
The 6-3, 170-pound junior caught six passes for 95 yards and three touchdowns in Division’s 42-14 win over Hewlett in Nassau Conference III football Saturday afternoon in Levittown.
All three of Mirelis’ TD catches were spectacular, but his second grab was the highlight of the day.
Quarterback Tim Stanley lofted a pass down the right sideline, with a Hewlett defensive back in position to make a play on the ball. Mirelis turned around, leapt and made a strong catch over the defender at the 5-yard line and walked into the end zone for a 33-yard score to give the Blue Dragons a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.
“I just jumped up for the ball, I high-pointed it and I just knew I was going to get it,” Mirelis said.
Mirelis tracked down a fade from Stanley in the back of the end zone for a 13-yard TD in the first quarter. On Mirelis’ final score, it looked like a defender had jumped in front of his out route for an interception, Mirelis used his strong hands to make the grab before running into the end zone for a 16-yard TD to take a 35-14 lead with 9:47 left, helping Division improve to 3-1.
When you have a receiver as reliable as Mirelis, it can be as easy as just giving him a chance to make a play.
“It can be as simple as that with him, but you still have to be precise with it,” Stanley said. “He definitely bailed me out a couple of times today, just going over the top and getting it. He works on it all the time and it shows in games.”
Stanley completed 17 of 28 passes for 235 yards and three TDs and added seven carries for 41 yards. Isiah Charles had a season-high 111 rushing yards on 15 carries. Charles made multiple defenders miss at the line of scrimmage on both of his TD runs.
“I know if can make one guy miss, I can most likely get into the end zone almost every play,” Charles said. “I just have to follow my blockers.”
“Even when we miss a block, you’re not bringing him down,” Stanley said. “He’s so tough and physical. In that backfield, you don’t want to be lined up across from him.”
Dylan Parchment had 17 carries for 138 yards and a touchdown, Kobe Cox ran in a 4-yard TD and Hillsberg had an interception for Hewlett (1-3).
After Charles’ second TD gave Division a 28-14 lead with 4:51 left in the third quarter, Mirelis tracked down a deep ball and made an interception at Division’s 6-yard line. On Hewlett’s next drive, George Gendekos made a spectacular leaping grab for an interception.
“We talk about high-pointing the ball, working back to the ball and finding angles,” Division coach Joe Hartman said. “George and Aiden both did it perfectly today. Sometimes, you just have to tip your cap when the best players make the best plays.”
There was pink all over the field at Division. The Blue Dragons work pink jerseys, Hewlett wore pink socks and the bleachers were filled with pink shirts and carnations as Division hosted its Pink Out game for breast cancer awareness. Division was given the Nassau County High School Football Coaches Association Community Service Award last year.
“Raising awareness and honoring those that have lost their lives, family members that have been impacted, those that are in remission, that was the most important thing today,” Hartman said. “Community service is something that we really try to expand on with the kids. Understanding social awareness, community awareness and today was just another demonstration of that.”
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
