NEW YORK -- The New York City Elite 11 regional at Randall's Island Park was a hotly contested event with 60 quarterbacks searching for an invitation to the Elite 11 finals this July in California.
And it was Wayne Hills (Wayne, N.J.) junior signal-caller Kevin Olsen who came away with MVP honors and a ticket to the finals.
Olsen, rated the nation's No. 7 pocket passer and the No. 77 overall recruit in the ESPN 150, entered the week with offers from top collegiate programs such as Wisconsin, South Carolina, Miami and Auburn. But the MVP award at Saturday's event will certainly help to raise his profile.
Olsen is the younger brother of Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen. His older brother, Christian, was a quarterback at Virginia.
"It was a great chance for me to come out here and compete with some of the country's best quarterbacks," Olsen said. "That's what the quarterback position is about -- competing. I think I did OK, there are a few throws I wish I could have back, but I'm excited to go out [to California] and compete with the best of the best."
Olsen completed 124-of-205 passes (60.5 percent) this past fall for 1,686 yards and 20 touchdowns with only six interceptions. Wayne won a second consecutive North 1, Group 3 title.
Among the quarterbacks Olsen beat out for top honors were Connor Mitch of Wakefield (Raleigh, N.C.), Shane Cockerille of Gilman (Baltimore), Brogan Roback of St. John's (Toledo, Ohio), Jeff Farrah of Monmouth (Tinton Falls, N.J.) and Tim Brady of Friendship Collegiate (Washington, D.C.).