Dylan Butler

Dylan Butler

I have seen the future star of American sports and his name is Bubba. Bubba Starling to be exact. Well his given name is Derek, but Bubba was what his aunt decided to call him because he was a 10... Read on

I have seen the future star of American sports and his name is Bubba.
	 
Bubba Starling to be exact. Well his given name is Derek, but Bubba was what his aunt decided to call him because he was a 10-pound baby.
	 
Yes, even out of the womb, Bubba was larger than life.
	 
“Well you look like a Bubba, so I’m going to call you Bubba from now on,” because I had fat legs,” Bubba said was his aunt’s reasoning. “I was kind of stuck with it.”
	 
On a team full of future draft picks and soon-to-be major Division I stars, Bubba was one of the brightest of the United States 18-and-under national team that swept a five-game exhibition series from the Greater New York Sandlot Athletic Alliance all-stars this week.

Philip HallTeam USA's Bubba Starling is a three-sport star in Kansas.

Hailing from Gardner, population 9,396, a town 30 miles south of Kansas City, Bubba is a pitcher who can throw in the 90s, a pure line drive hitter and an outfielder who can cover a country mile.
	 
But baseball is just part of Bubba’s story.
	 
See, he’s also a football standout, the star quarterback at Gardner-Edgerton High in Kansas and, oh yeah, a two-time all-state basketball player.
	 
“It’s fun, I think I had over 50 dunks last year so it’s awesome,” he said. “I just like to compete in everything I do. It seems like every sport I’m in I just love.”
	 
Bubba is 6-foot-5, 200 pounds and he’s already verbally committed to play football AND baseball at the University of Nebraska
	 
“[Team USA assistant] coach [Brian] McRae said probably his best sport is basketball, athletic-wise,” Team USA manager Garye Lafevers said. “He has his highest potential probably in baseball and of course he signed to the University of Nebraska to play football. He could probably run track, too. The great thing about him is that he’s very coachable.”
	 
Is there any sport Bubba can’t play?
	 
“I golf with my friend and that’s something I am terrible at,” he said. “I don’t play very much because it messes up my swing for baseball, but I am terrible at golf.”
	 
Somewhere, Phil Mickleson is breathing a sigh of relief.
	 
At some point, Bubba will have to make a decision, he’ll have to pick a sport much like how John Elway did in 1984. That could come as early as next May, when Bubba is expected to be selected in Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft.
	 
“I’ll just have to see how the rest of my summer goes and as far as the draft goes next year,” he said. “We’ll just figure that stuff out then. But if it is going to college, I’ll just keep playing both and after a couple of years I’ll know what to do.”
	 
For now, Bubba is enjoying a special summer on the baseball diamond. He spearheaded Team USA’s five-game romp of GNYSAA and he and his teammates were honored before the Mets-Braves game Friday night at Citi Field.
	 
“We were getting ready to line up and Billy Wagner threw me a baseball so that was pretty sweet,” he said. “I could see a lot of these guys at that level some day.”
	 
Next up is a trip to Minnetonka, Minn. to play four more exhibition games before competing in the IBAF ‘AAA’ 18U Junior World Championship in Thunder Bay, Ontario later this month.
	 
“Playing with the best of the best is so fun, just tremendous guys, great on and off the field,” he said. “I’ve gotten to be a better person.”
	 
Bubba said he’ll miss a few football practices to play in a few high-profile showcases, the Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif. from Aug 5-10 and the Under Armour All-American Baseball Game at Wrigley Field on Aug. 14.
	 
“I’m really blessed,” Bubba said. “I just like to be a leader both in football and baseball. Being a quarterback is what, competing and going out every Friday night playing my hardest, the same with baseball, too.”
	 
dbutler@nypost.com

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The Butler Did It

July 02, 2010 , ι DYLAN BUTLER

Pete Goyco doesn’t need to put it on his calendar or program it into his cell phone. Every late July for the past 30 years, he finds himself on a bus to some upstate New York location for the Empire State Games.
	 
Sometimes it’s Syracuse, a particularly good trip for the ‘Cuse alum, other times its Rochester, New Paltz or Binghamton.
	 
The same is true this year. As the New York City basketball coordinator, he’ll leave from Bishop Ford on July 21 for an eight-hour bus ride to Buffalo for the 2010 Games.
	 
Goyco, the Bishop Ford boys athletic director, is an Empire State Games lifer. He’s been to every competition since 1980, two years after the Olympic-style event started in Syracuse. He’s seen some of the best basketball players New York City has produced, including Chris Mullin, Kenny Anderson, Kenny Smith, Pearl Washington and Ron Artest, while Christ the King legend Sue Bird represented Long Island.
	 
He was a manager under former Bishop Ford coach Ray Nash and former Boys High coach Frank Mickens in 1980 and hasn’t missed a Games since.
	 
“I still think it’s one of the greatest experiences a student-athlete can have,” Goyco said.
	 
But Goyco thought that experience would never happen again. Last year the Games were suspended, some feared for good, because of the state’s budget crunch.
	 
“After last year I thought it was dead,” he said. “It was something I’ve known to do every summer. As soon as school ended, who is going to come out to the Empire State team? How are they going to bring it back?”
	 
It seemed the amateur athletic event, which regularly draws 6,000 competitors from each of New York State’s eight regions in various sports from Archery to Wrestling, was on life support. But the Buffalo organizers made it work. Local businesses have pledged $1.1 million worth of support and athletes have to pay a $10 registration fee, while open athletes are asked to also fork up $25 for housing.
	 
With AAU basketball growing in importance, it is unrealistic to expect the area’s best basketball players to head to Buffalo. But Goyco said the Empire State Games have more to offer than high-profile AAU events.
	 
“Vegas and Orlando is nice, but because it’s the largest collection of athletes for various sports, [the athletes] like it as much,” he said. “It’s more than just basketball. This is the closest they’ll ever come to the Olympic Games and you can’t say that about any AAU basketball event.”
	 
The open men’s team will have Division I players like Chaz Williams, who recently transferred from Hofstra to UMass, Manhattan’s Nick Walsh, Vincent Council of Providence, Justin Greene from Kent State and St. Francis College’s Akeem Bennett.
	 
Seeing high-level talent across the various sports is what Goyco likes the most about the Empire State Games. When he’s not in the gym, Goyco makes sure he hits the other events. He watched boxer Mark Breland win an Empire State Games gold medal long before he won an Olympic gold.
	 
Hector “Macho” Camacho and Mike Tyson also boxed representing New York City.
	 
“That’s the best part,” Goyco said. “I think watching the medal round of track is probably the best day of the Games.”
	 
Goyco and the other New York City volunteers will speak to the scholastic athletes about the importance of the Empire State Games, how special the opening ceremonies are and what it means to represent the region.
	 
On the bus ride back, though, they'll all understand.
	 
“Once they have the experience, they all want to come back as college athletes,” Goyco said.
	 
And Goyco will join them on the bus again.
	 
dbutler@nypost.com

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Ex-Xaverian star transfers from Purdue to Youngstown State

June 23, 2010 , ι DYLAN BUTLER

When Najee Tyler left Brooklyn two years ago, he envisioned a time when he would be the starting quarterback at Purdue University. But the 6-foot-5, 235-pound former Xaverian standout now has new... Read on

When Najee Tyler left Brooklyn two years ago, he envisioned a time when he would be the starting quarterback at Purdue University.
	 
But the 6-foot-5, 235-pound former Xaverian standout now has new aspirations. He has transferred from Purdue to Youngstown State where he is expected to battle for the starting job immediately, according to Xaverian coach Joe DeSiena,
	 
Tyler, who threw for 2,300 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior at Xaverian, redshirted his freshman year at Purdue and would have been behind sophomore quarterback Robert Marve, who started 11 games at the University of Miami in 2008.
	 
Reportedly, Tyler was asked to switch positions, to either play H-back or tight end, but instead he chose to transfer. He will have four years of eligibility at Youngstown State, a Football Championship Subdivision school, and will not have to sit out a year.
	 
dbutler@nypost.com

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Holy Cross receiver commits to Stanford

June 23, 2010 , ι DYLAN BUTLER

Holy Cross wide receiver Devon Cajuste, a highly touted rising senior, has verbally committed to Stanford University, Knights coach Tom Pugh told The Post on Tuesday night. The 6-foot-4, 211-pound... Read on

Holy Cross wide receiver Devon Cajuste, a highly touted rising senior, has verbally committed to Stanford University, Knights coach Tom Pugh told The Post on Tuesday night.
	 
The 6-foot-4, 211-pound Cajuste received scholarship offers from Notre Dame, Penn State, Maryland, Rutgers, Syracuse, Connecticut, Boston College, West Virginia and Purdue and was also considering Harvard.

Kendall RodriguezDevon Cajuste has verbally commited to Stanford.

But he verbally committed to the Pac-10 program Tuesday, the last day of his visit to Palo Alto, Calif.
	 
A tremendous jumper and gifted athlete, Cajuste burst onto the national recruiting map last year when he had 40 receptions for a CHSFL-best 921 yards, helping lead Holy Cross to the CHSFL Class AAA semifinals. He earned All-Queens and All-City honors by The Post.
	 
dbutler@nypost.com

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Live blog recap: Outback Steakhouse Empire Challenge

June 22, 2010 , ι DYLAN BUTLER

It’s summer, both in terms of the calendar and the weather forecast, which means it’s the perfect time for football. That’s right, football. Every June the best seniors from New York City and Long... Read on

It’s summer, both in terms of the calendar and the weather forecast, which means it’s the perfect time for football.
	 
That’s right, football. Every June the best seniors from New York City and Long Island duke it out at Hofstra University’s Shuart Stadium for area bragging rights.
	 
The 15th annual Outback Steakhouse Empire Challenge will take place Tuesday night with New York City looking to bounce back from last year’s 31-14 loss to its Island foe.
	 
Can’t make it to Hempstead Tuesday night? No problem, we’ve got you covered. Join The Post’s High School Staff for a live blog from the annual gridiron grudge match. The game starts at 7:30 p.m., but we’ll fill you in on all the pre-game festivities beginning at 6:30 p.m.
	 
To join our interactive live blog, simply click below.
	 
<iframe src="http://www.coveritlive.com/index2.php/option=com_altcaster/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=5905e3354b/height=550/width=350" scrolling="no" height="550px" width="350px" frameBorder ="0" allowTransparency="true" ><a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=5905e3354b" >Outback Steakhouse Empire Challenge with The Post High School Staff</a></iframe>

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Live blog recap: Mayor's Cup PSAL-CHSAA baseball all-star game

June 17, 2010 , ι DYLAN BUTLER

We’ve written about them all year and now the best players from the CHSAA and the PSAL will battle for citywide bragging rights Friday night in the first annual Mayor’s Cup PSAL-CHSAA all-star game at MCU Park in Coney Island.
	 
The CHSAA will send stars like slugger Esteban Gomez from Bishop Ford and left-hander Chris Bates, both of whom were selected in the First-Year Player Draft earlier this month, as well as future Division I players Rob Maguire from Xavier and Nick Pavia from CHSAA Class A intersectional champs St. Joseph by the Sea.
	 
While the PSAL’s elite like shortstop Mike Antonio of George Washington, Francis Lewis pitcher Jonathan Bobea and center fielder Melvin Garcia of Monroe, who were each drafted two weeks ago, the league will be represented by standouts such as Lehman’s Tyler Gurman, Madison’s Joe Calascione and Arismendy Nunez from Morris.
	 
The fun starts with a Home Run Derby at 5 p.m., but if you can’t get to MCU Park, no problem. Baseball beat writers Zach Braziller and Dylan Butler will be hosting a live blog starting at 4:30 p.m.
	 
To follow all the action in real time on our interactive live blog, simply click below.
	 
<iframe src="http://www.coveritlive.com/index2.php/option=com_altcaster/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=10ade3ec00/height=550/width=350" scrolling="no" height="550px" width="350px" frameBorder ="0" allowTransparency="true" ><a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=10ade3ec00" >Mayor's Cup PSAL-CHSAA baseball all-star game with Zach Braziller and Dylan Butler</a></iframe>

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The Butler Did It

June 16, 2010 , ι DYLAN BUTLER

Every year, every season, in every sport there’s a natural curiosity. Which league has the best team, the PSAL or the CHSAA? In boys basketball, that question rarely goes unanswered. Whether it’s a... Read on

Every year, every season, in every sport there’s a natural curiosity.
	 
Which league has the best team, the PSAL or the CHSAA? In boys basketball, that question rarely goes unanswered. Whether it’s a regular-season non-league game or the New York State Federation tournament, the best teams in both leagues often meet on the hardwood.
	 
But in the other sports, that debate rages on. Would Curtis hang tough with St. Anthony’s (L.I.) in football? Is Martin Luther King better than Archbishop Molloy in boys soccer?
	 
And there’s a particular interest to find out which team is the city’s best in baseball, PSAL champion Tottenville, which won its 11th Class A title, or neighboring St. Joseph by the Sea, which claimed its first-ever CHSAA Class A intersectional championship.
	 
As we wrote, Huguenot is title town and it’s remarkable that a pair of schools a little more than a mile apart would claim the top prize in both leagues.
	 
A week ago, St. Joseph by the Sea was No. 1 in The Post’s New York City baseball rankings, but the Vikings were unseated by Tottenville in the final rankings of the season. It wasn’t an easy decision, one debated vigorously by the high school staff here. It came down to Sea’s championship round loss to Xavier a day before celebrating its crown, while the Pirates ended the season on an 18-game winning streak.
	 
It shouldn’t come down to that. It should be like in basketball where Christ the King was the clear-cut No. 1 because the Royals beat No. 2 Boys & Girls in the state Federation title game.
	 
Tottenville and St. Joseph by the Sea should meet, on the diamond, to determine the best baseball team in the city.
	 
That used to be a regular occurrence in every sport, including baseball. But the two leagues, for numerous reasons, grew apart and now work together about as much as the old AFL did with the NFL. Although even in that strained relationship there was at least eventually a Super Bowl to contend for, a clear end-of-season champion.
	 
The PSAL and CHSAA took a step in the right direction with the announcement of the inaugural Mayor’s Cup baseball championship, presented by the Brooklyn Cyclones and NYC & Company, the city’s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization.
	 
The all-star game played between both league’s elite players will take place Friday night at MCU Park in Coney Island, home of the Cyclones.
	 
There will be a home run derby, team introductions and a ceremonial first pitch. It should be a festive atmosphere, giving the best players in the city the feel of being professionals. But it’s missing just one thing – Tottenville vs. St. Joseph by the Sea.
	 
Imagine if it was a doubleheader with the all-star game serving as the appetizer to what would be a juicy main course. How would Nick Pavia fare against Zach Granite? Which Huguenot squad would win and be the undisputed champion?
	 
Almost immediately after Sea won its title, there was ‘what if’ talk. What if the two teams played, how great would that be?
	 
“We’d like to. I think that would be nice,” Sea catcher Joe Stabach said. “The public school vs. the Catholic school, I think that would be good if we could set something up. We’re all good friends. It would be a lot of fun I think.”
	 
A short ride across the Verrazano Bridge, MCU Park would no doubt be packed for that game, which would be a thrilling and fitting ending to the sports season.
	 
But it’s not going to happen. Players from both teams are left wondering who is the true No. 1. While it’s too late for this year, the leagues should put politics aside and bring the Mayor’s Cup -- a real city baseball championship -- back. It would no doubt be in the best interest of the sport.
	 
“They should have the two champions play,” Norman Thomas coach Nerva Jean Pierre said. “Why not? It would be good for the city.”
	 
dbutler@nypost.com

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Live blog recap: CHSAA Class A intersectional baseball final

June 12, 2010 , ι DYLAN BUTLER

One and done. That’s what the CHSAA baseball season has come down to. After eighth-seeded Xavier defeated No. 2 St. Joseph by the Sea, 3-1 in nine innings Friday night, the two teams will play one final game Saturday afternoon at Kaiser Stadium on the campus of St. John’s University to determine the Class A intersectional champions.
	 
Xavier will send sophomore left-hander Nick DiLeo, who has pitched a pair of playoff gems, to the hill, while Sea counters with Frank Stavola.
	 
The Vikings failed in their first chance at winning their first title – and only third for a Staten Island squad – on Friday night, while the underdog Knights are seven innings, or more, away from claiming their first city title.
	 
Unable to get to Queens? No problem. The Post will bring you an all-encompassing live blog with Dylan Butler and Joseph Staszewski providing real-time results.
	 
Join us starting at 2 p.m. when we’ll bring you the starting lineups and some pre-game analysis. To join our interactive live blog, simply click the box below.
	 
<iframe src="http://www.coveritlive.com/index2.php/option=com_altcaster/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=6c27c30a88/height=550/width=350" scrolling="no" height="550px" width="350px" frameBorder ="0" allowTransparency="true" ><a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=6c27c30a88" >CHSAA Class A intersectional title game with Dylan Butler and Joseph Staszewski</a></iframe>

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Live blog recap: CHSAA Class A intersectional championship game

June 11, 2010 , ι DYLAN BUTLER

It all comes down to this. The CHSAA Class A intersectional championship is on the line Friday night as No. 2 St. Joseph by the Sea faces eighth-seeded Xavier at Kaiser Stadium on the campus of St. John’s University.
	 
The Vikings, led by ace Nick Pavia and a quality offensive unit, are undefeated in the double-elimination tournament, beating the Knights, 5-2, Sunday to book its second-ever ticket to the final. Xavier will turn to its ace, Rob Maguire, to try and force a decisive game Saturday afternoon.
	 
Unable to get to Queens? No problem. The Post will bring you an all-encompassing live blog with Dylan Butler providing real-time results.
	 
Join us starting at 7 p.m. when we’ll bring you the starting lineups and some pre-game analysis. To join our interactive live blog, simply click the box below.
	 
<iframe src="http://www.coveritlive.com/index2.php/option=com_altcaster/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=03ddbe9b6e/height=550/width=350" scrolling="no" height="550px" width="350px" frameBorder ="0" allowTransparency="true" ><a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=03ddbe9b6e" >CHSAA Class A intersectional championship game with Dylan Butler</a></iframe>

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Live blog recap: CHSAA Class A intersectional baseball semifinals

June 07, 2010 , ι DYLAN BUTLER

St. Joseph by the Sea already booked its ticket to the CHSAA Class A intersectional championship game, which will be played Friday night at Kaiser Stadium on the campus of St. John’s University.
	 
But who will join the Vikings? That will be decided Tuesday night when Bronx/Manhattan division rivals St. Raymond and Xavier clash under the lights at St. John’s.
	 
The third-seeded Ravens have shown a flair for the dramatic in its two games, while No. 8 Xavier is the Cinderella club of the CHSAA playoffs.
	 
Cardiac Kids vs. Cinderella? Should be a doozy.
	 
Unable to get to Queens? No problem. The Post will bring you an all-encompassing live blog with Dylan Butler and Marc Raimondi providing real-time results.
	 
Join us starting at 6:30 p.m. when we’ll bring you the starting lineups and some pre-game analysis. To join our interactive live blog, simply click the box below.
	 
<iframe src="http://www.coveritlive.com/index2.php/option=com_altcaster/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=8c5aa1c92a/height=550/width=350" scrolling="no" height="550px" width="350px" frameBorder ="0" allowTransparency="true" ><a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=8c5aa1c92a" >CHSAA Class A intersectional baseball playoffs with Dylan Butler and Marc Raimondi</a></iframe>

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About the Author

DYLAN BUTLER Dylan is an award-winning reporter/columnist who has covered New York City high school sports for more than a decade. After graduating from St. John’s University (he prefers Redmen to Red Storm), the Queens native worked for the TimesLedger Newspapers, serving as Sports Editor for the chain of 13 weekly newspapers in the Community News Group. An avid soccer fan, Dylan has covered the sport on all levels, from high school to international soccer. Dylan co-founded FiveBoroSports.com, a popular web site dedicated to daily coverage of New York City high school and college athletics. He also covered the Yankees, Jets and Devils for SNY.tv.

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