High School

Iona Prep Football Coach Accuses Connecticut Coach of Recruiting Allegation

The Gaels are the top team in the latest New York State high school football rankings

Kevin L. Smith

Iona Prep coach Joe Spagnolo speaks with his players during the Gaels vs. Monsignor Farrell CHSFL AAA Championship football game at Mitchel Field in Uniondale, New York on Nov. 20, 2021.
Iona Prep coach Joe Spagnolo speaks with his players during the Gaels vs. Monsignor Farrell CHSFL AAA Championship football game at Mitchel Field in Uniondale, New York on Nov. 20, 2021. / Mark Vergari/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK

The head football coach at Iona Prep, the top-ranked program in the state of New York, is accusing a high school coach in Connecticut of attempting to recruit a player on the Gaels’ roster.

Spagnolo is in his eighth season with Iona Prep

Joe Spagnolo, who is in his eighth season at the helm of the Gaels, called out Brunswick School assistant coach Jacob Hallenbeck on Wednesday.

Accusations fly over recruiting allegations

Spagnolo accused Hallenbeck on X, formerly known as Twitter, and stated in the post that the Brunswick School assistant needs to “stop recruiting @ionafootball.”

The battle spilled into social media

The full text of the tweet, which can be seen below, read, "@CoachHallenbeck stop recruiting @ionafootball. We have a better program and would beat you by multiple TDs. Stay in your lane and find kids that need the opportunity. Not kids that already have offers/are being recruited. Does @BrunswickBruins & @coach_wayne55 approve of this?

While Hallenbeck pitched the Brunswick School’s football program through direct messages on X, the Iona Prep player repeatedly replied “My head coach said stop recruiting from programs that would beat you.

Spagnola's post included screen shots of direct messages allegedly between his player and Hallenbeck. The messages asked the player to attend one of Brunswick's two remaining home games and pitched the program's athletic facilities, the opportunity to play against the best competition, and the ability to help with college recruiting.

The coach starred at Iona Prep as a player

Spagnolo, a 1998 graduate of Iona Prep, has led the program to a pair of New York State Catholic Championship titles in 2021 and 2024. He was the captain and quarterback of the school's 1997 team. After graduating, he played quarterback at Siena College and then Bryant College, where he completed a degree in finance (magna cum laude) in 2002.

Iona Prep, which is undefeated in 2025, went 11-2 last year and finished its season on a 10 game winning streak.

Neither Hallenbeck nor any other Brunswick football coaches or school representatives have publicly responded to the allegations.

Iona Prep is currently 6-0 and in the top spot of High School on SI’s New York State football rankings this week. The Gaels are set to host Monsignor Farrell on Friday night (7:00 p.m.).

The Brunswick Bruins are 3-2 so far this season and is scheduled to play at Phillips Academy on Friday night. Brunswick is not in the Connecticut Top 10 State Rankings.

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Kevin L. Smith
KEVIN L. SMITH

Kevin L. Smith, a Rochester (NY) native and a graduate of St. Bonaventure University, has been covering high school sports for over a decade. He started out as a freelance sportswriter in 2013. Since then, he’s held sportswriter and editor positions for newspapers in Coudersport (PA), Sayre (PA) and Oswego (NY). Smith currently covers high school sports in the Greater Syracuse Area for syracuse.com | Post-Standard, a position he’s held since 2021. You can follow him on social media @KevLSmittie. Story ideas can be sent to KLSFreelancing@outlook.com.

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