BOYNTON BEACH – The outgoing seniors and their teammates from Somerset Academy Canyons will forever be remembered for ushering in a host of program firsts.

According to Cougars head coach Tom Halikman, there are at least three significant things that took place over the past several months. Let’s go down memory lane on this one.

MULTIPLE SENIORS SIGN TO COLLEGES

We will get into more detail on outgoing senior kicker and punter Matthew Disisto, who recently signed his letter of intent with Keiser. But what we’ll say in short is that he has a bright future ahead of him.

Disisto has proven to be a team leader in his own right. He’s the career leader in punts, kickoffs, extra points, and field goals for the Cougars.

We don’t have exact statistics at the moment for Disisto, but if he’s good enough to earn a roster spot at Keiser, then he’s certified in our book.

Disisto announced his commitment to Keiser on Feb. 28. His signing ceremony with the local NAIA university was on March 12.

As for the duo of Derek Gelin and Sebastian Venerin, it’s safe to say that they served as steadying forces throughout their time at Somerset Academy Canyons. On April 24, the two linemen decided to continue playing football with each other at the next level, pledging their commitment to Bethany College.

“Mostly, it’s a feeling of pride and satisfaction, shared by the entire football family, for both the young men and their families,” Halikman said. “You see, many of the opportunities presented were due to their combined accomplishments on the field and in the classroom. I’m very thankful to know that all of our coaches contributed to helping them become ‘complete student-athletes’. Most importantly though, these seniors are the ones who made great choices, which afforded them such success.”

SUMMER FLASHBACK

A peek into what their future could become, the Somerset Academy Canyons team was invited to come view a Miami Dolphins training camp practice this past summer.

The exact milestone moment took place on July 30, 2019.

Halikman touched on the team’s special experience at the Dolphins practice facility in Davie (Broward County). This would serve as huge motivator for the outgoing seniors in particular.

“From a pure football perspective, they saw the focus on each rep, the efficiency in how practice periods changed, and the focus from every player,” Halikman said. “There were no wasted seconds and no wasted reps. Every aspect was analyzed and broken down. Then, of course, it was special because these young men are also fans of the game and the personnel.”

Halikman shared what he and his team appreciated the most from the Dolphins.

“Our entire team was treated exceptionally well,” Halikman said. “The Dolphins made it a day that I think few of them will ever forget, regardless of where their athletic and academic endeavors lead them. We are truly grateful that our team had such an opportunity.”

FIRST NIGHT HOME GAME

Progress is everything, regardless of what the final score says.

In Week 7 of the regular season, Somerset Academy Canyons hosted Somerset Academy Silver Palms at night. It was the first time this occasion ever happened at the Boynton Beach-based school.

Halikman on the groundbreaking moment:

“Portable lights were brought in,” Halikman said. “While the evening didn’t end in our favor on the scoreboard (51-3 home loss), we felt it was an extraordinary event, with contributions from so many people associated with our school. It was a genuine community ‘win’ in the Canyons, and this group of seniors will always remember that they were the first.”

EVERYONE MATTERS

We have a list of all the seniors who played for Somerset Academy Canyons this past season. Below is the list – in alphabetical order:

•OL/DL Sam Coccoro
•K/P Matt Disisto
•TE/LB/QB Ethan Drillich
•OL/DL Derek Gelin
•RB/LB Luis Nunez
•OL/DE John Oldano
•WR/DB Marvyn Point Du Jour
•OL/DL Sebastien Venerin

This was a small senior group, with only eight players in total. But what matters more than anything else are these two things: First, they gained valuable experience at a fledgling school and second, they set their fellow underclassmen up for future success.

If one could look at it from this standpoint, it doesn’t get much better than that.