Two exceptional Mass. high school football players

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As the world of college football braces itself for a 12-team playoff run to an NCAA Division One National Championship, the Banner wishes to take a moment to acknowledge two outstanding prep school players who look to make names for themselves in the next few years.

Hugo Djeumeni of Tabor Academy in Marion, Massachusetts, is considered by many to be the top running back to come out of this state. Lenneil Anthony Hall from the Dexter-Southfield School, voted the No. 1 ranked player as an offensive and defensive line prospect in New England, are two names to remember.

Djeumeni, from Ottawa, Canada, has put up mind-bending numbers for Tabor Academy over the last two years while being named NEPSAC Player of the Year and ISL Co-Most Valuable Player, respectively. Jeff Moore, second-year coach at Tabor, describes his star running back as “extremely intelligent, tough-minded, [and the] hardest working and most sensitive teammate you would want on your squad,” adding, “He is a wonderful young man who shows maturity beyond his years. Vic Tedendo, a friend of mine who runs the Gridiron Academy in Ottawa, told me about Hugo years ago and said, ‘You have to take a look at this guy. He is that special.’ He was so right. Upon recruiting him, I was immediately taken aback by his mature manner. Over the last two years, I have seen him grow into a tremendous person who also happens to be a prolific football player.”

Djeumeni put up prolific numbers: 3,262 yards rushing in a total of only 14 games, an average of 233 yards rushing per game. His two signature games came against Brooks last season, when he had 427 yards rushing with seven touchdowns, and in this season’s battle with St. Sebastian’s School, when he had 51 carries for 406 yards and five touchdowns in his squad’s 40-34 come-back victory.

The two-time NEPSAC Player of the Year is a star student in the classroom with a 3.8 GPA in an advanced class curriculum and will attend Yale University in 2025.

One of four children born to Rose Nicole, Djeumeni is quick to point out that his mother did not want him to leave Canada to come to the United States to play prep football.

“She wanted me to stay in Canada. But the level of football there was not like it is here in the United States, he said. “I do miss my family, especially Mother Rose’s cooking and siblings. … But as I told my mother, I have to travel my own road to pursue my dream, which is to someday play in the National Football League and to help take care of my family. My father died when I was 8, and my mother has done the major job of raising me and my siblings. I want to be able to help take care of her. I hope to be able to do that by making it to the NFL. After that, I hope to coach a college football team.”

It is almost the same story for Lenneil Anthony Hall. Raised by a single mother, Donna, and an uncle, Leon Denton, this soft-spoken young man lets his extremely loud play on the football field do his talking for him. The 340-pound, 6’4” offensive and defensive lineman helped to lead his Dexter Southfield team to a championship matchup with Tabor Academy. Dexter Southfield coach Casey Day, who has been coaching at the school for 15 years, said that Hall is that rare special player who doesn’t come along too often.

“He anchors our offensive and defensive lines and takes great pride in his work,” said Day. “In his junior year, he draws attention from Tennessee, Penn State, Miami, Duke, Maryland, and other major universities that have seen him play.”

Coach Day’s teams have reached postseason play for six straight years. He plans to make it seven with Hall, a transfer from Cathedral High School who is playing a major role.

“He is a leader in every sense of the word. He wants to be a model for his siblings, one older and one younger, as well as his current teammates. They all look up to him because of his great character,” said Day.

Hall shares a mutual admiration for his coach, “I love that man with all my heart, he said. “I need to be strong for my coach, teammates, family members, especially mom, and other people looking to me to be a positive example.”

Tabor Academy (8-1) and Dexter Southfield (8-2) did battle for the NEPSAC Championship, and when the smoke cleared, Tabor was victorious by the final score of 48-20, thus avenging their embarrassing 2023 title game loss of 63-43 to Buckingham, Browne & Nichols. It was their first championship since 2016.

Djeumeni did the major lifting in this year’s title game, amassing 300 all-purpose yards, including 195 rushing with three touchdowns. He was quick to credit his sophomore quarterback, Peter Bourque, and his offensive line for their shared efforts in the title win.

“I couldn’t do what I do without the support of my teammates and coaching staff. I am blessed to have such support,” said Djeumeni.

Anthony Hall said, “Tabor is a very good team. We gave it our best, but they were better when it counted.”

While Djeumeni heads off to Yale, Hall prepares for his senior season at Dexter Southfield. “I passed on playing basketball this season so that I can work on my strength and speed for next year,” said Hall. “I wonder if I’ll meet Hugo somewhere down the road. That would be nice.”