WPHS football standout Isaiah Pierre honored at Golden Dozen Awards Banquet

White Plains High School football standout Isaiah Pierre was recognized Tuesday among the region’s top scholar-athletes at the 52nd annual Golden Dozen Awards Banquet, earning both selection to the prestigious group and a coveted scholarship honoring leadership.

Isaiah was one of 25 student-athletes recognized during the ceremony, which was held at Mullino’s at Lake Isle in Eastchester and hosted by the Westchester Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. 

The annual event celebrates the area’s top high school football scholar-athletes from Westchester and Putnam counties. The first class of honorees was recognized in 1974.

In addition to being inducted into the exclusive group of honorees, Isaiah received the Chris Mello Scholarship Award, which recognizes a student-athlete who demonstrates exceptional leadership on and off the field.

Chris Mello was a 1994 Rye High School graduate who helped lead his team to the first New York State football championship and later played rugby at Princeton University. He was among those killed on Sept. 11, 2001.

“Isaiah was honored along with 24 other outstanding young men,” WPHS coach Kevin Martins said. “They only give out five scholarships, and our guy earned one of them.”

By the end of the evening, Isaiah had also received an invitation to intern for or shadow one of the area’s top orthopedic surgeons.

The Golden Dozen Awards are widely considered the highest honor for high school football players in the region. While 12 athletes are named to the primary “Golden Dozen” team each year, the banquet also recognizes additional scholar-athletes for their achievements.

This year’s event recognized 12 Golden Dozen selections and 13 Scholar-Athletes, according to dinner chairman John Malnati.

Selections are based on a comprehensive evaluation of each candidate, he said, including 40 percent football ability, 40 percent academic achievement and 20 percent community service. 

A selection committee comprising coaches, officials, athletic directors and football supporters — including some former Golden Dozen recipients — reviews nominations from across the region.

Candidates are typically standout players on the field, often all-state athletes or team captains, while also maintaining exceptional academic records — frequently with grade-point averages near or above 4.0. Just as importantly, honorees are expected to demonstrate leadership and a meaningful impact in their schools and communities.