Sports

Riverhead's Malcolm Cater Dismissed from Syracuse Football Team

Former Hansen winner accused of burglarizing three apartments on campus.

During the same week he was scheduled to be a father, Riverhead native Malcolm Cater was dismissed from the football team at Syracuse University.

A former Hansen Award winner as Suffolk County's top football player in 2009 at Riverhead High School, Cater was arrested Saturday on felony burglary and grand larceny charges.

"I am aware of the criminal charges filed against Malcolm Cater by the Syracuse Police Department," said Syracuse head football coach Doug Marrone in a statement. "Cater is no longer part of the Syracuse football program."

Find out what's happening in Riverheadwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Syracuse was scheduled to play Kansas State in the first Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium later this month, allowing Cater, 19, to play in front of friends and family.

He was accused of burglarizing two apartments on Farm Acre Lane Friday night and another on Small Road in Syracuse over Thanksgiving break, the Syracuse Post-Standard reported.

Find out what's happening in Riverheadwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The upstate paper also said he was charged with three counts of burglary and one count of grand larceny, all felonies, plus two misdemeanors.

This season, the freshman linebacker has appeared in 12 games for the Orange (7-5) and recorded 13 total tackles.

He was a court-appointed resident at the Timothy Hill Children's Ranch in Riverhead in 2008 when he began to turn his life around from a difficult childhood.

"It's a good thing and a blessing to play football and get an education. This is a chance at having a better life," he told Newsday in 2009.

Syracuse University removed his name from the team roster on its website and deleted his biographical information.

Cater did not respond to an interview request via Facebook Sunday evening.

Patch is awaiting response from Riverhead athletic director Bill Groth and Riverhead football coach Leif Shay.


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