Phil Stacey column:The state's best football player? It's Aguero

DANVERS — The best high school football player in Massachusetts wears No. 7 for St. John's Prep. His name is Joenel Aguero.

Making such a declaration can be dangerous. The phrase itself is objective, open to speculation and consternation, and can be a bit polarizing depending on what your definition of "best" is.

Is it the most athletic and physically gifted player? The top guy on one of the best teams? Someone who performs to the best of their abilities when the stakes are highest? A special player who forces opponents to game plan against them? A special talent who is recognized at not just the local and statewide levels, but nationally?

Aguero, a wideout, safety and punt returner for the Eagles, checks every one of those boxes not in pencil, but emphatically in permanent pen.

There are a number of outstanding players in the Bay State this fall. Reading's 6-foot-5, 210-pound strong-armed dropback quarterback, James Murphy, is definitely in that conversation; the same holds true for Springfield Central's William Watson, Andover's Scotty Brown, and Duxbury's Matt Festa. Peabody High's standout signal caller, Shea Lynch of the unbeaten Tanners, deserves to be in that group, too.

Carson Harwood of Catholic Memorial, who once logged carries out of the St. John's Prep backfield before transferring out, is among the best, as his backfield mate, Datrell Jones. Linebacker Preston Zinter of Central Catholic and hulking defensive lineman Boubacar Traore of CM are defenders that any college in the country would gladly welcome aboard.

Great as those players are, though, how many could possibly start for the defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs next fall — which Aguero has an excellent chance to do?

St. John's Prep head coach Brian St. Pierre, a pretty good judge of talent — he was, after all, the starting quarterback at Boston College for two years and was in the NFL for eight years — doesn't mince words when talking about the unique talent that Aguero possesses.

"His ability to go from Point A to Point B with an extreme amount of force on the football field ... I’ve never seen that before at this level," said St. Pierre. "You’re playing hard, but he's on the edge every single play, a real Ronnie Lott type."

Aguero was a starting defensive back as a freshman in 2019 when St. John's Prep beat Catholic Memorial in the Division 1 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium. The Lynn native spent a year-and-a-half on the Spring Street campus, transferred to national powerhouse IMG Academy in Florida to play his junior year, and was welcomed back to St. John's Prep when the 4-star recruit — ranked among the top 30 seniors nationally and second overall at his position — decided to come back for his senior season.

"It's all about the team here," said Aguero, who texts often with future UGA teammates Daylen Everette, Javon Bullard, and the entire defensive secondary, as well as other incomers in the Bulldogs’ Class of 2027.

Lackluster was the best way to describe the Prep's 41-20 win over BC High Saturday afternoon. The Eagles played as if they were distracted at times, left points inside the red zone, and had difficulty wrapping up at times.

But Aguero, who received his game jersey for the upcoming Under Armour Next All-American Game on the field beforehand, had three momentum-swinging plays that swung the balance firmly in the Eagles’ favor:

Following a Carson Browne TD run that gave the Eagles a 10-7 lead midway through the second quarter, BC High quarterback Carter Carroll threw a swing pass in the left flat to running back Brody Rice. Stepping up from the secondary, the 6-foot, 195-pound Aguero seemed to explode into the 5-9, 180-pound Rice with a savage intensity, separating the player from the football instantaneously.

Prep teammate Marquise Avery scooped up the ball and had a clear path to six points, but the officials mercifully ruled the pass incomplete. No matter; the message had been delivered.

As the popular meme goes, it's as if Aguero woke up and chose violence.

"My mindset is ‘just attack’," said Aguero after signing a plethora of autographs for young fans on the Glatz Field turf Saturday. "Go out, make a big hit, get everyone fired up. College coaches love that ... everyone loves a big hit. I love hearing the crowd go ‘Oooooh!’ after one."

With the Prep holding a tenuous 20-14 edge late in the third quarter and facing 2nd-and-9 on the 50-yard line, Aguero caught a slant from first-time starting QB Deacon Robillard. Splitting BC High defenders Thomas Kubera and Rice easily, he juked, got them both to lunge at him and fall, and sped into the end zone untouched.

It seemed appropriate that "Freebird" came blaring out of the stadium speakers as his teammates celebrated around Aguero.

"We needed those plays," Aguero said. "Every team needs big plays during a game and you have to be ready to make them when the time comes. They get everyone else fired up."

The outcome was essentially decided when Aguero caught a tipped pass for a fourth quarter interception and used his 4.35 speed to motor towards paydirt. He did so without a BC High player in sight, and actually slowed up just before crossing the plane before falling backwards into the end zone, Nestea-plunge style. It did draw him a taunting penalty, but one he was seemingly happy to take.

Eagles wideout Jesse Ofurie — the Rutgers-bound superstar who also belongs in any "state's best" discussion — works extremely well with Aguero; there isn't a more lethal 1-2 receiving corps around. Stephon Patrick, who returned a punt for a score Saturday (teams wisely won't kick Aguero's way), adds a third burner on the outside, making it a pick-your-poison option for opposing defenses.

Aguero is by no means a finished product. Like everyone, said St. Pierre, there are areas of his game he’ll continue to work on. He’ll almost certainly graduate early from St. John's Prep and get down to Georgia to take part in spring football and study the Bulldogs’ playbook, learn the X's and O's of the college game, and form that all-important bond with his teammates.

"SEC football, you don't see guys from around here going down there," said St. Pierre. "They love Joenel at Georgia; he's a huge get for them."

Aguero could very well be playing football on Sundays in the very near future. If that's not the state's best player, then ...

"I’m in it for the challenge," said Aguero. "I believe in myself."

Contact Phil Stacey

@PhilStacey_SN

Contact Phil Stacey

@PhilStacey_SN

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