AVERILL PARK – Doing what’s required is commendable, but Mason Sansone finds himself at all times eager to do far more.
That perspective, for instance, helped Sansone – the junior beginning quarterback for the Averill Park soccer group this fall – get his faculty’s varsity baseball coach’s consideration properly earlier than he ever performed for George Brooks.
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“He’s a brilliant exhausting employee,” Brooks stated. “I inform this story to seventh and eighth graders about this younger man (Sansone) we introduced as much as the JV group as an eighth grader. Youngsters in phys ed do a typical warmup day by day and also you get children that do it like they’re presupposed to. Then, you get children who go above and past. I’ll always remember this. We do 30 seconds of push-ups as a part of our warmups and this dude was pumping them out like he was going for the world push-up championships.
“He at all times had a special edge, the place he wished to compete like nobody else.”
Sansone helped the Golden Knights seize the 2026 Class A state baseball title in June. Quickly after, he transitioned his efforts towards the soccer group and, after splitting time with Tyler Bradley in the course of the 2025 season, has emerged as a real standout this fall for the Golden Knights (7-1 total), who start their playoff quest Friday evening at residence in a Part 2 Class B quarterfinal in opposition to Scotia-Glenville (1-7).
Like Brooks, Averill Park soccer coach Zach Gobel appreciates what Sansone brings to a group.
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“George Brooks calls for self-discipline and he calls for guys work exhausting. We demand related issues,” Gobel stated. “To have a season (successful a baseball state title) and enjoying for George I believe helped him a ton. If you get used to successful, you anticipate it. He is aware of what it takes to achieve success. He is performed that.”
This fall, Sansone helped lead Averill Park to the South Division title. Through the common season, he accomplished 70 of 111 passes for 1,119 yards and 17 touchdowns. He has additionally rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
“I might say the most important factor this season has been his accuracy. I might like to take credit score, however that is all him,” Gobel stated. “He throws along with his buddies after we’re not collectively and his accuracy has been wonderful. With a number of the issues we do, that’s actually necessary.”
“Studying from Tyler was wonderful. Being a full-time starter is rather a lot higher,” Sansone stated. “I did not have one full sport all final 12 months, so with the ability to use all of my weapons has been wonderful.”
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One facet of Sansone’s improvement Gobel can take credit score for is permitting the junior to name audibles on the line of scrimmage within the Golden Knights’ choice assault.
“Now we have put rather a lot on his plate this season. He has dealt with all of it,” Gobel stated.
“It’s most likely among the best emotions on the planet that he trusts me and believes in me to make the suitable selection with the play,” Sansone stated.
The Golden Knights stumbled in Week 5, dropping a 21-20 time beyond regulation loss at Schalmont/Duanesburg/Berne-Knox-Westerlo – a possible semifinal opponent subsequent week.
“I believe it was a lot wanted. It added gas to the hearth,” Sansone stated of the Week 5 loss. “Popping out the week after that and enjoying our butts off simply confirmed us what we will actually do.”
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Averill Park did reply extraordinarily properly to its lone setback – and Sansone excelled, as he threw for 177 yards and three touchdowns in a 48-7 Class B South Division overcome Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk.
“One of many issues he has discovered is overcome adversity. When issues do not go proper, how can we cope with it and the way can we lead? For him, it was an amazing studying expertise on management,” Gobel stated.
Averill Park superior to the 2025 Class B Tremendous Bowl and dropped a 44-7 determination in opposition to Glens Falls. This 12 months, the Golden Knights – ranked No. 19 within the state – are searching for to win a second sectional title since 2024.
“He (Sansone) is tremendous motivated. The entire group is tremendous motivated,” Gobel stated. “We appear yearly to have a sport just like the one we had with Schalmont. They performed a very good sport and Joe (Whipple, the Sabres’ long-time coach) is a good soccer coach. It wasn’t actually a shock.”
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Braeden Kilgallon, who performed baseball with Sansone in the course of the spring, paces Averill Park’s receivers with 22 catches for 391 yards and 7 touchdowns.
“He is one in every of my greatest associates. I hang around with him all the time. It’s good to know he’s going to make a play any time he has the ball in his fingers,” Sansone stated.
With the common season full, Sansone stated his group is prepared for what’s subsequent.
“This 12 months has been nice. The stats do not actually matter. I simply need us to win the soccer video games,” Sansone stated. “I do know we have got a very good shot to win it. We have had a chip on our shoulder all 12 months to get again there.”
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This text initially printed at Mason Sansone brings ‘totally different edge’ to push Averill Park soccer group to victory.
