December 2, 2009
Prep draws inspiration from 'Duke'
Senior DB Ducarmel Hyacinthe has become an inspirational leader for Prep.
Click Here for photos from the Marauders' 2009 season.
By Jason Bernstein
Editorial Director
JERSEY CITY – Heart and leadership comes in all shapes and sizes. Few players demonstrate that more than the Marauders’ Ducarmel Hyacinthe.
Standing at just 5-foot-4 and 145 pounds, “Duke” has carved out a role in the secondary and on special teams for St. Peter’s Prep thanks to a work ethic and toughness rarely seen from guys twice his size.
“He’s the toughest little package you’re ever going to find,” Marauders head coach Rich Hansen said. “He’s got the heart of a lion. He loves to play, he has good speed. The only thing he doesn’t have is height. He’s a kid that we feed off of. He just comes to work everyday, rolls up his sleeves, no questions, no problems, no issues, nothing. He just wants to play and help us win.”
“Duke’s probably the toughest player on the team,” WR/CB Corey Davis said. “I’ve known that since Day One and he continues to show that.”
Nicknamed “Little Bit of Luck” by Hansen, Hyacinthe packs a big punch. Just ask St. Joseph of Montvale’s Kamal Hogan. One of the top running backs in the state, the 5-foot-11, 195 pound Hogan was on the receiving end a crushing hit from Hyacinthe. The play resulted in a fumble and left the Green Knights’ standout down on the ground for a few moments from the hit, gasping for air.
“That was really a kill shot,” Hyacinthe said. “That’s what all (defensive backs) look for. When you see that receiver coming across the middle, they better hope that they hold on to the ball because we’re coming for them.”
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“I never thought that small of a person can do that to that big of a running back,” QB Raphael Ortiz said.
The hit and fumble, which teammate Gianni McLaughlin returned 45 yards, provided an emphatic end to a St. Joseph comeback attempt.
Hyacinthe brought down another one of the state’s most dangerous players in Bergen Catholic’s 6-foot-5 Tanner McEvoy on special teams during the Marauders’ Non-Public, Group IV semifinals win.
Hyacinthe added a pair of rushing touchdowns in a regular season victory over Bayonne. He has also seen time as a kick and punt returner as well as a cover guy on special teams.
Size hasn’t been the only obstacle standing in Hyacinthe’s way at Prep. A three-year varsity player, Hyacinthe has spent most of his career on the scout team, while trying to break through into a talented secondary and backfield that has featured current Division 1 players in Will Hill and Nyshier Oliver as well as three more future Division 1 players in Davis, Savon Huggins and Sheldon Royster.
With opportunities for playing time limited, the idea of transferring elsewhere was considered, but Hyacinthe is glad he didn’t.
“The thought crossed my mind a couple of times,” Hyacinthe said. “But I knew that coming here I’d be getting a better education and working harder and it’s paid off.
“Prep has really changed my life. Just coming here has been everything for me. I’ve learned how to work, how to be patient and I’m just looking forward to making the most out of every opportunity I get.”
Hyacinthe’s limited game action has not limited his impact as a team leader. One role he has particularly embraced has been the role of a mentor. Huggins in particular is one player that Hyacinthe has taken under his wing at Prep.
“I’ve had a lot of respect for him over my years here at Prep,” Huggins said, adding that Duke is a role model to a lot of his teammates. “He’s just taught me a lot, how to play and how to do things around here. He’s one of the kids who took me under his wing and taught me how to play hard and to be a leader.”
“They know he’s unselfish,” Hansen added. “They know he’s the ultimate team player. Despite his physical limitations, when you get a kid who leaves it all here and believes in everything that we do and plays his heart out, you’ve got to respect that. I think the kids respect him as much as anyone in the program.”
Hyacinthe is a vocal leader as well, leading the team chants on the field before every game.
Hyacinthe’s career will conclude on Saturday with the Non-Public, Group IV title game against Don Bosco Prep on the Garden State’s biggest stage in Giants Stadium. His playing time might be limited, but the fact he’ll be there is a reminder that toughness and determination simply can’t be measured by height or weight.
“It really doesn’t matter how big you are,” Hyacinthe said. “Hard work always pays off in the end. As long as you believe and you have that faith in yourself and your team, you can do anything.”