http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/ Newsday goes deep with Long Island high school football. en Copyright 2009 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:24:10 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss BY BOB HERZOG Emptying my notebook from Tuesday nights’ Empire Challenge at Hofstra's Shuart Stadium:  How could anyone not be moved by seeing Gunnar Esiason behind center for Long Island’s first offensive series? Gunnar is a true profile in courage, whose diagnosis with cystic fibrosis at an early age prompted his father, Boomer, to start the charity game in 1996. He has always faced his disease squarely. Here’s what Gunnar told me last week, as he was practicing for the game: “My Dad asked me about playing a couple of months ago, and right away I said yes. It’s almost a responsibility for me. It reaches the public eye by me playing in the game. But it’s also a chance to tell everyone that this disease can’t stop you.” Gunnar will attend Boston College in the fall, where he hopes to play club hockey, his other sports passion. Who dares to doubt that he will?  Long Island’s linebackers led a hard-hitting defensive effort. Joe Vespier, John Jansen, Jeremy Leggiero, Maalik McVea and Bryan Schweitzer were all over the field making tackles.  L.I. relied on its dynamic backfield duo of Thorp Award winner Terrell Williams (118 yards, including a spectacular 87-yard TD run) and Hansen Award winner Miguel Maysonet (116 yards and 2 TDs, including a 30-yard scoring run late on a broken play).  There wasn’t much exceptional passing, but Dillon Boos did complete three passes during a third-quarter scoring drive that concluded with a short TD pass to QB-turned-tight end Steven Murphy.  L.I. evened the 14-year series at 6-6. The first two years matched Nassau against Suffolk; ever since it’s been New York City against Long Island.  Nice crowd of 8,224 showed spirit despite rain early in the game. Might’ve gotten close to 10,000 if it hadn’t poured an hour before game time.  Here’s the box score with some key individual statistics: Long Island 6 10 8 7 -- 31 New York City 0 0 8 6 -- 14 1st: 6:42 LI – Terrell Williams 87 run (run failed) 2nd: 4:20 LI – Miguel Maysonet 19 run (Nick Ferrara kick) 0:02 LI – Ferrara 35 field goal 3rd: 6:24 LI – Steven Murphy 2 pass from Dillon Boos (Jimmy Gordon pass from Craig Geoghan) 4:38 NYC – Tristan Akong 50 run (Jeremy Ramos run) 4th: 12:31 NYC – Najee Tyler 1 run (pass failed) 1:00 LI – Maysonet 30 run (Ferrara kick) INDIVIDUAL LEADERS Rushing: LI – Williams 9 for 118; Maysonet 17 for 116. NYC – Akong 9 for 97; Ramos 5 for 43; Naykwan Johnson 7 for 30. Passing: LI – Rob VonBargen 4 for 7, 17 yards; Boos 4 for 5, 45 yards. NYC – Tyler 4 for 13, 41 yards. Receiving: LI – Ryan Derham 3 for 33; Murphy 2 for 14; Rob Braun 1 for 16. NYC -- Jon Achab-Syms 2 for 15; Tristan Akong 1 for 27. Tackles: LI – Joe Vespier 4 solo, 1 assist; John Jansen 3 solo, 2 assists; Malcolm Eugene 3 solo, 2 assists; Chris Dooley 3 solo 1 assist. NYC – Ozzie Garcia 5 solo; Taurel Price 4 solo, 1 assist; Kobie Hamm 4 solo. ]]> http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2009/06/empire_challenge_leftovers.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2009/06/empire_challenge_leftovers.html Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:24:10 -0500 Good evening from Shuart Stadium high school football fans. We are less than 10 minutes away from kickoff at the Outback Steakhouse Empire Challenge. Celebrating its 14th year, the game features the best that Long Island and New York City has to offer in high school football. We'll check back in after the National Anthem. Long Island will kick off from the 30 yardline. http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2009/06/live_from_hofstra_the_outback.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2009/06/live_from_hofstra_the_outback.html Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:23:11 -0500 BY MARCUS HENRY With the New York-New Jersey Governor's Bowl a dead issue because of New Jersey's unwillingness to play any games outside of the Garden State, New York coaches have begun discussions to play an upstate-downstate all-star game, Roosevelt football coach Joe Vito said. Several area coaches, including Vito and Susan Wagner (Staten Island) coach Al Paturzo, met last week to discuss what it would take to have the game. Among the many issues was funding. The hope is that the coaches could find a major sponsor for the game, which would have the best of Long Island and New York City square off against the rest of the state. The location of the proposed game would likely be the Syracuse University Carrier Dome. Syracuse football coach Doug Marrone is already on board with the idea, Vito said. "The biggest thing is funding," said Vito, who cautioned that the proposed game is only in the preliminary discussion stage and that no details have been worked out. "We need to have a sponsor." The game would cost approximately $60,000. ]]> http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2009/06/upstate-downstate_game_in_the_works.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2009/06/upstate-downstate_game_in_the_works.html Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:18:12 -0500 BY BOB HERZOG Hansen Award winner Miguel Maysonet of Riverhead was one of 18 Long Islanders were named to the 2009 Golden 50 football squad, earning recognition as the best players in the state as selected by the New York State High School Football Coaches Association. Here are the local players honored, with their position, high school and college choice: Harlen Abelhouse, OL, East Meadow – Colgate Craig Capodiferro, OL, Locust Valley – Colgate Sajjad Chagni, OL, Sewanhaka – Lehigh Anthony Dima, OL, Centereach – Hofstra Malcolm Eugene, LB, Glenn – Hofstra Nick Ferrara, K, St. Anthony’s – Maryland Jahi Fields, DL, Hempstead – Albany Jimmy Gordon, TE, Patchogue-Medford – Buffalo Ryan Higgins, QB, Chaminade – Fordham Derrick Johnson, WR, Holy Trinity – Maine Tom Lindley, OL, Floyd – Michigan Miguel Maysonet, RB, Riverhead – Hofstra Matt McBride, OL, Holy Trinity -- Hofstra Stephen Medard, DL, Amityville – Hofstra Vincent Polo, RB, Wantagh – Stony Brook Andrew Rollo, OL, Clarke – Liberty Andrew Smith, DL, Riverhead – Hofstra Shamar Stephen, DL, Lutheran – Connecticut ]]> http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2009/05/striking_gold.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2009/05/striking_gold.html Wed, 06 May 2009 15:31:29 -0500 BY BOB HERZOG Lindenhurst is keeping it in the football family. Nick Lombardo, who was an assistant under recently retired coach Richie Biancaniello for 14 years, was named head football coach of his alma mater on Friday. “Continuity was the big thing,” Bulldogs athletic director Rich Roche said. “The program has always been well-respected and it remains in good hands. Now we hit the ground running with someone who has the necessary experience and the kids are in an immediate comfort zone.” Lombardo, Lindenhurst Class of ’85, was an All-County quarterback who played football at the University of New Haven. He teaches business at the high school and lives in Lindenhurst, as did Biancaniello. “Teaching and living in the community where you grew up makes the job mean more to you than any other job would,” Roche said, adding that veteran assistants Rich Rogers (defensive coordinator) and Rick Caravaggio (offensive coordinator) will remain on the staff. ]]> http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2009/02/lindy_taps_lombardo.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2009/02/lindy_taps_lombardo.html Nick Lombardo Rich Biancaniello Sat, 07 Feb 2009 10:22:14 -0500 BY BOB HERZOG Hofstra struck the mother lode in Long Island football recruiting, landing six players from Nassau-Suffolk high schools and another LIer who played at Holy Cross. Two All-Long Island players from Riverhead’s 12-0 Rutgers Trophy squad, Hansen Award winning running back Miguel Maysonet and defensive end Andrew Smith, headed the class. Pride coach Dave Cohen gave me a quick scouting report on all seven players, and Stony Brook coach Chuck Priore did the same on the two Long Island players snared by the Seawolves. Here are their comments: From Cohen: Miguel Maysonet, Riverhead RB: “We think he has great vision. Very quick feet. His stats and his success speak for themselves. He understands how to run the football and how to make people miss. We always play three or four running backs, and he will have an opportunity to play next year. We’re happy with Brock [Jackolski of Floyd, the running back jewel of last year’s recruiting class] but we graduated two or three guys and we sometimes use two running backs at the same time, so it’s good to have competition. We can rotate kids in and out.” Andrew Smith, Riverhead, DE: “Very physical, very strong. He’s a good athlete – a state-caliber 110-hurdle runner and a state-caliber shot-putter. Explosive. He’ll be a big body. He’s already 6-3, 240. He’s a big strong guy that can move his feet.” Matt McBride, Holy Trinity, OL: "A very physical, very strong and very powerful kid. He has been as heavy as 300 pounds. Moves his feet well for a bigger guy. He’ll be a big force as offensive guard. He’s the third Holy Trinity guy we have on the team plus an assistant coach.” Anthony Dima, Centereach, OL: “Probably a diamond in the rough. We had him in [summer] camp. He’s 6-7, 280 pounds. Relatively raw. Greet feet and great potential. At the end of the day, he’s got a chance to be special.” Steven Medard, Amityville, DE: “One of better basketball players on Long Island. He’s 6-4, 265 pounds and moves very well. He can rush the passer off the edge and he can go to the hoop. Brings athleticism to his big frame.” Malcolm Eugene, Glenn, LB: “We don’t know where we’ll play him. All we know is that he’s 6-4, 195 and can get bigger. Another very good athlete. He had a great career as a wide receiver and as a linebacker. He likes to strike people. He’s physical. He can be an outside linebacker, a big one when he fills out." Reggie Francklin, (Valley Stream) Holy Cross, LB: “A two-time Catholic League player of the year. Has a great motor and a great nose for the football. We see him as a linebacker. From Chuck Priore: Vinny Polo, Wantagh, RB: Very good speed. "Over the course of his career, he’s played running back and been a top lacrosse player. Once he commits to one sport and gets in the weight room, his body will mature. His athleticism is very good. We see him as a running back/slot receiver type." Frank Conti, (Sachem North), Nassau CC, DT: "An intense individual who we’ve built up a relationship with. We graduated five kids up front. Frank’s physicality will give us some depth. He was a starter at DL for Nassau a year ago and can help us right away." ]]> http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2009/02/college_coaches_corner.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2009/02/college_coaches_corner.html Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:06:33 -0500 Class AA first-team offense. Miguel Maysonet of Riverhead and Terrell Williams, Newsday’s Hansen and Thorp Award winners, respectively, were two of the four running backs selected. Tom Lindley of Floyd and Joe Doyle of Baldwin were two of the four offensive linemen named. Andrew Smith of Riverhead was one of four defensive linemen named to the first-team Class AA defense. The second teams included offensive lineman Chris Williams of Syosset and linebacker Jesse Brown of Hempstead. There were four more L.I. players on the third teams – defensive end Jimmy Gordon of Patchogue-Medford, defensive lineman Chris Dooley of Chaminade, linebacker Jeremy Leggiero of Connetquot and kicker Nick Ferrara of St. Anthony’s. The fourth teams included quarterback Steve Murphy of Floyd, linebacker Tyler Gilliam of Riverhead and defensive back Jonathan Sternbach. In Class A, wide receiver Rob Bellairs of Plainedge was named to the first-team offense and linebacker John Jansen of Wantagh made the first-team defense. The second teams included wide receiver Nick Stover of Sayville, offensive linemen Conor Horl of Garden City and Jonathan Reali of Half Hollow Hills West, running back Justin Mayers of Elmont and linebacker Kevin Glueckert of Bethpage. The third teams included defensive back Randy Tillman of Harborfields and kicker Jack Nickla of Bellport. In Class B, offensive lineman Scott Wright of Roosevelt, defensive lineman Kivanc Tiyaloglu of Locust Valley and defensive back Jalon Edwards of Roosevelt were named to the first teams. Cole Hayes of Malverne was a third-team choice at defensive line. In Class C, linebacker Bryan Schweitzer of Babylon was a first-team selection. Congratulations to all! ]]> http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2009/01/li_scores_big_on_allstate_team.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2009/01/li_scores_big_on_allstate_team.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:15:35 -0500 Riverhead will be awarded the Rutgers Trophy as the best team in Suffolk. That's a no-brainer considering the Blue Waves were the only undefeated team in the county. I'll be interested to see who finishes second -- once-beaten Sayville or once-beaten Babylon. Both are L.I. Champions and both had sensational seasons. Sayville would get my No. 2 vote because we all know they really should have had an undefeated season but were denied it on a controversial officials' decision. It would have been interesting to see who would have won the Rutgers Trophy if Sayville and Riverhead were both undefeated. The real suspense on Monday night will surround the Rutgers Cup winner. No Nassau team won an LIC for the second year in a row. So who gets the nod -- once-beaten Seaford, twice-beaten Bethpage or twice-beaten Freeport? My vote would go to Seaford, because it won 11 straight and was competitive in losing to Babylon in the L.I. title game. I've heard some rumblings that Bethpage, which lost an OT heartbreaker to Sayville in the LIC, might be a sentimental choice because there are rumors that this was venerable coach Howie Vogts' final season. I'm as sentimental as the next guy and have great respect for Mr. Vogts and his assistant, Erwin Dill. But Seaford was the more dominat team all season. And though the Rutgers Cup is not a cumulative award, the Vikings also went undefeated until the LIC in 2007. They deserve a reward. Newsday will have full coverage of both Rutgers winners plus profiles on the Hansen and Thorp Award winners in Tuesday's print and on-line editions.]]> http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/monday_musings_the_envelopes_p.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/monday_musings_the_envelopes_p.html babylon monday musings riverhead sayville seaford Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:55:22 -0500 DARREN SANDS Good afternoon and welcome to today’s live blog of the Class IV Long Island championship between Babylon and Seaford. We’re here live at LaValle Stadium on the campus of Stony Brook University and we’re almost ready to get started. Seaford (11-0) returns to the Long Island title game after losing to Amityville in the L.I.C. in 2007. They finished the season as the only undefeated team in Nassau County. Seaford is a year older and a bit tougher and will depend on its best player, Nick Barbuto to carry the load. Rob Perpall teams are known for their discipline -- especially on defense -- but Barbuto is a dynamic runner whose speed can change a game. Babylon (10-1) is back in the L.I.C after falling in heartbreaking fashion to Amityville -- here at Stony Brook -- in the Suffolk County championship. Back with updates soon! FOURTH QUARTER Babylon has won its fourth-ever Long Island Championship 35-28. 0:35 left -- Babylon has recovered the onside kick. Babylon will take two knees and game will be over. Babylon 35, Seaford 28 -- 38 seconds left 0:38 left -- Mike Gallo caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Rigoli to make the score 35-28. This game is not over. Seaford will go for an onside kick. 4:09 left -- Griffo intercepted a pass from Rigoli, and Babylon has the ball inside the Seaford 20. Babylon has likely just sealed the win. The Babylon fans can smell it, and they're going wild. 6:19 left --Babylon has recovered the onside kick. Babylon 35, Seaford 22 6:35 left -- Andrew Alba ran in for a 1-yard touchdown for Seaford, completing a 10-play, 52-yard drive. You can expect an onside kick that is actually probably absolutely necessary. Babylon 35, Seaford 14 10:58 left -- Stephen Loudon caught a 14-yard pass from Griffo to set up a 1-yard touchdown to Sean Melow to make the score 35-14. It was a 9-play, 35-yard drive. THIRD QUARTER 1:27 left -- Babylon just went for it on 4th and 3, and converted it. They've got a first down now with the ball on the Seaford 21. 3:53 left -- Seaford went for a fake punt and it failed. Griffo tipped the ball and Babylon will take over on the Seaford 35. Babylon 29, Seaford 14 6:40 left -- Schweitzer intercepted a tipped pass and returned it 31 yards to the house to give Babylon a 29-14 lead. Seaford must score quickly on this next drive to keep this one close. KEY HALFTIME STATS (Babylon 22, Seaford 14) First downs: Seaford 7, Babylon 9 Total offense: Seaford 168, Babylon 162 Time of possession: Seaford 12:09, Babylon 11:51 Third-down conversions: Seaford 0 of 6, Babylon 3 of 6 Fourth-down conversions: Seaford 3, Babylon 1 SECOND QUARTER HALFTIME -- Babylon 22, Seaford 14 0:00 left -- Babylon's J.T. Pate intercepted a pass from Rigoli with four seconds left in the half. Babylon ran one play and as time expired. Babylon 22, Seaford 14 -- 2:06 remaining. 2:06 left -- Seaford completed 9-play, 70-yard drive on Andrew Alba's 1-yard touchdown. Seaford quarterback Chris Rigoli completed a two-point conversion to receiver Mike Gallo to make the score 22-14. 3:40 left -- Joe Fallorino busted through to the second level for a 35-yard run, which set up Seaford for 1st and 10. Seaford has the ball on the 5 yard line. Babylon 22, Seaford 6 -- 5:58 remaining 5:58 left -- Sean Melow trudged into the end zone, and Babylon has taken a 22-6 lead with 5:58 remaining in the first half. It was a 5-play, 37-yard drive. Babylon 15, Seaford 6 -- 10:39 remaining 10:39 left -- Griffo kept an option for a 3-yard touchdown, and Babylon has taken a 15-6 lead. It was a bruising, 9-play, 73-yard drive. Brian Schweitzer, it should be said, has shown no ill-effects from his head injury. FIRST QUARTER 1:01 left -- Greg Griffo completed a 36-yard pass to Alex Grandal, putting Babylon inside the 10-yard line. They ran another play as time expired, and it will be second down and seven. Babylon 8, Seaford 6 -- 4:31 remaining 4:31 left -- Bryan Schweitzer's touchdown completed a six play, 37-yard drive which tied the game at 6. Babylon went for a two point conversion and executed a perfect option play turned pass to take an 8-6 lead. Seaford 6, Babylon 0 6:30 left -- Nick Barbuto's 4-yard touchdown completed a 10-play, 71-yard touchdown. Seaford, which converted a pair of fourth downs on the drive, missed the extra point. 8:30 left -- Perpall loves to go for it on fourth down. On third and short, Barbuto ran five yards up the left side for Seaford's first first down of the game. Seaford's Andrew Alba broke a long run, and Seaford has the ball on the Babylon 22. 11:58 left -- Seaford kicked off, and I use that term loosely. It was more like a squib kick meant to get the ball back. Babylon, which bobbled the ball, gathered it and started off with great field position at its own 44. They ran three plays and punted. Seaford will start on its own 29. ]]> http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/live_class_iv_long_island_cham.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/live_class_iv_long_island_cham.html babylon class iv long island championships seaford Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:21:12 -0500 KEYS TO THE GAME RIVERHEAD: Miguel Maysonet: Since the first game of the year Maysonet has been racking up big yards, and the star running back hasn't been held to under 100-yards all season. But his record-setting performance last week against West Islip (47 carries for 231 yards and a touchdown) was the stuff champions are made of -- and that wasn't even his best game this year. If he can put together a game half as good as last week's, Riverhead should find itself in a good position to win. Add to that that the ball is easier to hold than to throw in the cold November air, and Maysonet's performance becomes that much more important. The Defense: To say riverhead has really played a "close" game all year would be deceiving: The team's closest margin of victory was a 20-8 defeat of North Babylon on Sept. 27, and the most points scored against them all year was 20 by Newfield on Oct. 24 (Riverhead won 46-20). All season long the defense has done a great job of limiting their opponent's offense, while giving the Riverhead heavy hitters plenty of breathing room to do their thing and score points. ELMONT: The M & M Boys -- Diashawn Miller and Justin Mayers: Miller has proved deadly accurate with his arm, going 51-for-59 for 793 yards and 12 TDs without an interception, as of Nov. 15. And when he runs, he picks up an average of 7-yards per carry. But Mayers is the one to be wary of on the ground, averaging over 7.5 yards per carry each time he takes the ball. Mayers has been particularly good in the playoffs too, scoring three times against Hewlett last week and three times against Carey the week before. That That Don't Kill Me, Can Only Make Me Stronger: Though they haven't been as utterly dominant as Riverhead, the 9-2 Elmont team has been a team of turn-arounds. After begining the season 1-2 with losses to Carey and Hewlett, Elmont picked itself up and hasn't been defeated since, turning those earlier misfortunes on their head by beating Carey and Hewlett in the playoffs to secure a spot in the LI Championship Game. LIC Facts: - Next weekend marks the end of a four-year Championship Game drought for Riverhead. - Elmont will make its first appearance in the Long Island Championship Game. back soon with updates... Riverhead won the coin toss and is set to receive... 9:01 : Greg Meyer returned the ball 19 yards to the 25 on an Ahkeel Rodney kickoff. Rasheen Moore then drove 21 yards on a number of nice blocks and bobs before Miguel Maysonet gained 13 yards on two carries in a row to get a first down. Maysonet again with a rush, with a trend that's becoming somewhat apparent. Riverhead is also moving quickly. Another Maysonet carry for two yards brings up a 3rd and four, and a rare pass to Timothy Fitgerald picks up the first down. Maysonet carries two more times to bring the ball to the 14, before Tim Velys pass is broken up by Michael Robinson. A handoff to Maysonet brings up 3rd-and-1 from the five and Maysonet (surprised?) basically walks in for the touchdown, but Velys point-after attempt is no good. 6-0 Riverhead Drive: 75 yards, 11 plays in 2:55 8:01 : Elmont returns the ball along the sidelines 31 yards to the Elmont 46, so the Spartans are in a good position to strike back at Riverhead. Justin Mayers gets eaten up (2 yard gain) on a rush, Diashawn Miller throws an incomplete pass that ends up along the sidelines and then misses an easy shot (though Riverhead was in good position to still deny a first down). Elmont punts. 4:50 : Velys throws a deep incomplete shot from the 27 before Riverhead gets back to what works with Maysonet gaining 21 yards on a strong sideline run. Maysonet up the middle and he fumbles, but Riverhead recovers. With that scare out of the way, Velys hits Fitzgerald for another first down. Maysonet gains five, Velys scrambles and, with no good options, throws it away. Maysonet with a world of room gains 11 and the first down. The tempo this drive for Riverhead is slower, but still quicker than most teams. Maysonet for six yards, Maysonet for seven yards (and the first down), Maysonet for three, Maysonet gains eight and stumbles at the 1-yard line, Maysonet runs in for the touchdown.......if anyone was wondering, Maysonet is really good. Greg Meyer runs it in for the two-point conversion. 14-0 Riverhead Drive: 73 yards, 12 plays in 3:05 4:39 : wow. The kickoff is fumbled and picked up by Riverhead. They are at the 33 and in great position (understatement) to put up a huge crooked number and its only the first half. Tim Velys hits Tim Fitgerald on the first play for 33 yards and the touchdown. Velys kick is wide left. 20-0 Riverhead. Drive: 33 yards, 1 play in 4 seconds. 2:38 : Riverhead isn't messing around. They try an onside kick, but Elmont recovers. Diashawn Miller throws a 37 yard pass to James Myers and Elmont needs to start scoring soon if they're going to have a shot. Rush is stuffed, some nice blocking allows Justin Mayers to gain four setting up a crucial third and five. Mayers trys another run but gets no gain as that good Riverhead defense is living up to the hype. On fourth-and-five Elmont goes for it, Miller puts up a good fight running to the left side, but comes up a yard short for a turnover on downs. 1:19 : For the first time Riverhead looks semi-human, gaining just two yard in two downs to set up a third and eight from the 14. Maysonet from Velys, but its short and Riverhead has to punt. 0:36 : A very short punt sets Elmont up at the 40 yard line, but they haven't been adept at taking advantage of opportunities so far. Justin Mayers with a good run for 11 yards and the first down, Miller is intercepted at the 1-yard line and Riverhead has the ball back again. 0:00 : Maysonet for 22 yards, Velys passes for six yards, and the quarter comes to an end with Riverhead leading 20-0. First quarter totals for Maysonet - 19 carries for 140 yards and two touchdowns. 10:50 : New quarter, same old plan - Maysonet, Maysonet. Maysonet run, but a there's a flag against Riverhead for holding and then two Velys incompletes before Riverhead punts. 6:26 : Elmont starts at the 21 as Riverhead's kick goes out of bounds. Brian Cole runs for 13, Cole runs again and has a huge hole up the middle for a 25 yard gain as Elmont finally looks like it's in a bit of a groove. As soon as I say that, however, Elmont runs two straight and picks up only two yards. A hold against Elmont on third down backs them up to 3rd and 20, but, up against the wall, Miller throws a perfect strike to Myers for the first down and Elmont is back in bussiness. Mayers gets nothing on a run, and Brian Cole grabs four yards on a pass but takes a big hit at the end of it. Miller throws for Adelbert Clerge, but the pass is too low and even a Clerge dive can't save it. They go for it on fourth down and Riverhead intercepts at the 18 yard line and the ball is returned 59 yards to the 23 yard line. 6:19 : On the first play Maysonet has a huge hole and runs it in for his third touchdown of the game. The two-point conversion is good on a Greg Meyer carry. 28-0 Riverhead. Drive: 1 play, 23 yards, 7 seconds. 4:14 : Elmont returns it 26 yards, fumbles and then recovers. Elmont is alternately getting in some good runs for decent yardage and then getting stuffed at the line of scrimmage. The Riverhead defense is coming up big, preventing Elmont from getting comfortable at all. Elmont drives down to the Riverhead 45, and goes for it again on fourth down, turning the ball over on downs (again) after an incomplete pass. 2:25 : Velys pass is incomplete, Maysonet picks up four, Maysonet picks up two and now Riverhead is punting.....no they're not, faking everyone out (on and off the field) and getting the first down. Velys throws 34 yards and Meyer runs it 9 yards and Velys extra point is good. 35-0 Riverhead. Drive: 55 yards, five plays 1:41 : Myers has a beautiful return of 45 yards, but a flag on the 29 yard line means the ball is coming back, ruining good field position for Elmont. Miller throws and it looks like an easy catch, but there's confusion on the play and it just narrowlyn avoids being an interception. Another pass almost gets picked (this one the defender actually gets a hand on), and another Miller pass almost picked off. The defense is right on top of the recievers, in better position to catch than they are. The Elmont running game has been non-existant this drive. Elmont punts 35 yards out of bounds to the 46 yard line. 0:00: Maysonet runs on 2nd and 10 for seven yards and Velys, under pressure, tries to run for the first down but is 1/2 yard short. On fourth and inches, guess who gets it? Maysonet for four yards and the first down. With the clock expiring, Riverhead doesn't run another play. Halftime Stats: Maysonet: 27 carries, 202 yards and three touchdowns Velys: 6/13, 87 yards and a touchdown Fitzgerald: 4 catches, 50 yards and a touchdown 327 yards of total offense in the first half for Riverhead 139 yards of total offense in the first half for Elmont Remember, Elmont has surprised people in the past, 35-0 is a deep hole, but there's a whole half to play. Back soon for the third quarter. 10:49 : Elmont starts the second half at the 32-yard line, Brian Cole for 2 yards, after a loss of three Miller can't hit Myers aroud midfield and Elmont punts to the 33-yard line with no return by Riverhead. 10:03 : Flag on the first Riverhead play of the half losing 10 yards for the Bue Waves, Maysonet picks up nine, Velys throws the ball away, then completes it on the following play, but the receiver was out of bounds when he made the catch. Riverhead punts to the 39 and James Myers returns it to the seven yard line for 56 yards. Myers would have had a touchdown, but he slipped just shy of the endzone. 9:10 : That Myers return was really something -- perfect blocking and strong, athletic movies by Myers. And now, Elmont is squandering its chances again, failing to gain an inch on two straight plays. Cole grabs the pass from Miller and runs into the endzone, having to only break one defender. The two point conversion fails. 35-6 Riverhead. Drive: 7 yard drive, three plays in 53 seconds 8:04 : Rodney's kick goes out of bounds at the 26 yard line. Maysonet gets the ball, but there's a flag on the play costing Riverhead five yards. So far in the second half Maysonet is still getting the ball semi-regularly (though not with as much frequency as in the first half), which means that Maysonet has a shot to the break the LIC game record of 303 yards. Fitzgerald nearly catches a deep pass from Velys, but it gets broken up and now Riverhead is punting. 5:40 : Elmont gets the ball at the 18 yard line. Miller, under pressure, is sacked by Andrew Smith for a loss of three yards. Miller hands the ball off to Mayers and he's immediately tackled for another three yards loss. Miller hands off to Cole, but not for much as Elmont is going to be forced to punt again. 4:22 : A 20 yard punt puts the ball on the Elmont 37, setting up Riverhead for a possible backbreaking score. Maysonet gains five (he's at 220 yards now), Maysonet gains three, Maysonet gets five more and the first down. Maysonet runs it in 23 yards, easily right up the middle, for a touchdown. Velys' kick is good. 42-6 Riverhead. Drive: 36 yards in four plays in 1:06 1:27 : Riverhead tries another onside kick and it's recovered by Elmont at the Elmont 44. Miller shovels the ball to Mayers for the 100th play of the game, but only gets two yard. Miller shovels to Mayers who gives it right back to Miller who completes the pass for the first down. Miller's place is incomplete to Mayers and is almost intercepted. Actually the only reason the pass isn't intercepted is because the defender was in full hit mode against Mayers. Had he been going for the ball he almost certainly would have had a touchdown. On the next play, Miller actually does get intercepted by Edwin Perry for a 22 yard return to the Riverhead 40 yard line. 0:00 : Maysonet just got taken out of the game (I guess no record) and walked off to huge applause and an even bigger hug by his coach. Maysonet has had some season this year, and if you've seen any of his stats, trust me, he's just as good in person. Third quarter expires and Riverhead appears 12:00 away from an LIC win. 11:04 : Riverhead punts 31 yards to the Elmont 25. Steve Kimmelman was in at QB for the Blue Waves on their last possession. 4:13 : James Mayers showed off some good moves on his last run for 16 yards, running down the right side before cutting back up the middle to avoid defenders. Elmont is putting together a methodical drive, mainly on the ground, running down the clock now. When judging Elmont for this game, keep in mind that they started the year 1-2 and still made it to the LIC. They took it to teams in the playoffs that took it to them in the regular season, showing grit and determination. But Riverhead has just been a monster this season and, in particular, this game. When the offense and defense are clicking on all cylinders, it's hard to stop it. Elmont has a bad snap at the 17 yard line and luckily for them recovers the ball at the 29. On second and 21 the pass is knocked down. 3:58 : Miller carries the ball 18 yards on third down to set up a fourth and four and, like they've been doing all game, Elmont is going to go for it. Miller throws on fourth down and its incomplete for a turnover on downs. 1:00 : Rodney Rollins is getting a lot of carries for Riverhead here as the clock is winding down to a sure Riverhead win. 0:00 : And that's your game, Riverhead wins with a very convincing 42-6 victory over Elmont. Thanks for reading and make sure you check out the blog later on for tonight's final LIC game and the paper tomorrow for in-depth coverage from the Newsday Action Sports Team.]]> http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/live_class_ii_long_island_cham.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/live_class_ii_long_island_cham.html Sat, 29 Nov 2008 11:49:02 -0500 Babylon and Seaford, Saturday's Class IV participants in the Long Island Championship at Stony Brook, be denied the Rutgers Cup or Rutgers Trophy? “I think the perception is that the Division I schools have the better kids. I think the lower-division teams sometimes get short-changed in the Rutgers Cup voting,” said Babylon coach Rick Punzone. His Panthers have sustained one of the longest runs of excellence in Long Island football history, having played in the last 13 Suffolk County championship games. Yet in 2003, Punzone pointed out, Babylon was the only Suffolk team to win the LIC and at 10-1 wound up third in the Rutgers Cup voting. Division II Riverhead, unbeaten until a 28-0 loss to Garden City in the LIC, won the award as Suffolk’s best team. “Sometimes it hurts being a small school. I think we do get overshadowed by the bigger schools,” Punzone said. “Most years, I think that for one game, we can compete with the big boys. Maybe not on a week-in, week-out basis.” Seaford coach Rob Perpall, whose Vikings have their own impressive run of excellence with four county titles in the last 11 years and a second straight unbeaten season entering the LIC, declined to get into a big-school, small-school debate. But having coached in all four Nassau classifications during his 39-year career, Perpall offered this perspective: “At one time or another, all four conferences have had excellent players. It’s just that the larger conferences usually have more of them,” Perpall said. “The best football player that ever lived came out of Manhasset – Jim Brown, Conference IV. What does that tell you? Every level has produced good teams, good coaches and good players.” That’s certainly the case this year, where Babylon is 10-1 with only an overtime loss to Glenn marring its perfect season, is the highest scoring team on Long Island. Seaford is 11-0 with the toughest defense on L.I. to score against. Such dominance is no surprise for either team. In fact, they’ve made winning a habit. “We’ve had some nice success,” Perpall said. “So has Floyd, Babylon, Bethpage, Freeport, Garden City. Winning breeds winning. The hard part is getting it going.” At Babylon, Punzone acknowledges that his club has been so successful “that some people think we’re a big school.” There is strong evidence that Babylon and Seaford will continue to push that class ceiling. “There’s a winning tradition that extends to the JV, the ninth grade and the junior high programs,” Punzone said. “Most of those coaches have played for me and run the same offense and defense.” At Seaford, Perpall noted that in 2008, for the first time in school history, the middle school, JV and varsity teams all had unbeaten regular seasons. “The most important thing in any program is that the kids have to buy into what you’re doing,” Perpall said. “They’ve done that here. The young kids want to copy the older kids. Some years we get better athletes, but you can over-achieve if everyone buys in.” And perhaps still get overlooked in the end. Perpall is hoping that doesn’t happen this year. He has the only undefeated school in Nassau. If the Vikings survive today, could Seaford’s first Rutgers Cup be waiting, or will the upper classes rule? “I think we can get a fair shake,” Perpall said, “as long as the people voting realize that they’re voting for the team that had the best season. They’re not voting for the team they think is most powerful.” But as any lawyer will attest, predicting a jury’s verdict is a perilous game. ]]> http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/babylon_seaford_battle_for_res.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/babylon_seaford_battle_for_res.html Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:06:38 -0500 DARREN SANDS Hey everybody! Welcome to the second game here at Hofstra, which features a very intriguing matchup between Sayville and Bethpage. Sayville's journey here has been marked with physical loss, controversial losses and emotional wins. A win here for Sayville, which is 3-0 in this game, would be a storybook ending. Sayville (10-1) doesn't just win these games -- they blow teams out. They, of course, have to get past Bethpage (10-1) whose ball control offense can dominate a game. The program has won five of nine Long Island titles. They're ground effort is led by Kevin Glueckert and a stout, confident offensive line that is experienced and understands they're role in the offense. Back with updates soon, as we just minutes from kickoff. OVERTIME Sayville 13, Bethpage 7 Sayville's Dillon Boos punched the ball in from the 1-yard line and has won the Class III Long Island Championship, 13-7. It was on the third play from scrimmage after Boos completed a pass on the 1 to Nick Stover for the first down. Bethpage ran three plays, the last of which was intercepted. Sayville will take over on the 20. Sayville won the coin and has decided to play defense first. FOURTH QUARTER 0:00 left -- Bethpage took four shots at the end zone to no avail. Pat O'Connor intercepted a pass as time expired. The game is going into overtime. 0:28 left -- Nick Stover of Sayville threw an interception to Kyle Eskridge. Bethpage gets the ball back with 28 seconds left on the clock. 0:37 left -- Sayville's Pdgurski picked off a pass in the end zone. 1:22 left -- Rob Cafiero ran for a first down when Bethpage had 4th and 4 yards to go. The fourth down conversation allows Bethpage to take a few shots at the end zone. Bethpage 7, Sayville 7 -- 3:00 minutes left. 4:00 left -- Boos went keeper for no gain on first and goal from , and then he made a great play to the left side, breaking a tackle in the process but surging nonetheless, his touchdown tying the score at 7. 6:41 left -- Cory Caulfield appeared to suffer a pretty bad back injury, but walked off under his own power just minutes ago. With that said, Sayville has the ball inside the Bethpage 35 and is moving the ball pretty well, though without their star tailback. 11:12 left -- Sayville worked the ball down the Bethpage 29, but went for it on fourth down and turned the ball over on downs. The Flashes missed a Golden opportunity to perhaps tie the game, as Boos made an incomplete pass intended for receiver Charlie Podgurski. THIRD QUARTER Bethpage 7, Sayville 0 5:12 left -- Boos fumbled yet again, this time allowing Bethpage to recover on its own 42. The only thing worse than these mistakes is that they are so frequent. Bethpage 7, Sayville 0 5:47 left -- Joe Miceli scored a 6-yard touchdown, completing a 5-play, 20-yard drive to make the score 7-0. Bethpage finally punched it in, converting off of a turnover by Sayville deep in its own territory. 8:15 left -- Dillon Boos mishandled a shotgun snap, and Bethpage's Matt Carrello recovered it just inside the Sayville 20. 12:00 left -- Glueckert ran a 67-yard kickoff inside the 30 yard-line to start the second half. He's got some real speed. But can Bethpage convert? KEY HALFTIME STATS: Boos is 8 for 17 passing with two interceptions. Will Sayville continue to try to air it out in the second half? Total yards: Bethpage 108, Sayville 151 Rushing yards: Bethpage 90, Sayville 113 First downs: Bethpage 3, Sayville 8 Time of possession: Bethpage 10:42, Sayville 13:18 SECOND QUARTER Bethpage 0, Sayville 0 0:15 left -- You think those plays were big? Well Sayville's Doug Meehan just intercepted a pass from Bethpage's Rob Cafiero on the 1. The pass was intended for an open Kevin Glueckert. Sayville took over and ran one running play to get off the goal line. 1:00 left -- Sayville made two huge plays on defense: The Golden Flashes just tackled Bethpage for losses of 14 and 6. Bethpage, which had the ball on the Sayville 5, now has it on the 25 with just 23 seconds remaining in the half. 2:01 left -- Jimmy Haugen showed off his speed and ran the length of the field, 61 yards, down the five yard line on a hand off. The only problem was that Sayville's Nick Stover was showing off his, too, and caught Haugen at the 5-yard line. 5:20 left -- Bethpage Rob Swierkowski sacked Boos for an 11-yard loss, forcing Sayville to punt. 7:25 left -- Glueckert picked off a pass from Boos on second down with Sayville threatening in the red zone. Sayville appeared to run it in on the previous play, but was called for a crucial holding penalty that put them back another five yards. Essentially, this game should be 7-0, but its still scoreless because of two crucial mistakes by Sayville. 9:51 left -- Sayville quarterback Dillon Boos has had a couple of receivers drop balls -- balls that have been right on the money. So this time he ran for a first down on his own: by running. Sayville is surging, down now to the Bethpage 22. Bethpage 0, Sayville 0 FIRST QUARTER 0:00 left -- Bethpage fumbled the ball as time expired but quickly recovered. Sayville's defense doesn't get as much credit as its spread offense does, but they've done a fine job keeping Glueckert under control, and its running game from controlling too much of the clock. 4:54 left -- Sayville just went for it on 4th-and-7, opting not to go for a 37-yard field goal into the wind. Glueckert and the Bethpage offense got the ball back, and answered with a 20-yard run up the middle. 11:46 left -- Bethpage's Rob Cafiero picked off Dillon Boos on his first pass of the game. Bethpage will start from Sayville's 40-yard line.]]> http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/live_class_iii_long_island_cha.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/live_class_iii_long_island_cha.html Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:46:52 -0500 12:00 Freeport won the coin toss and deferred to Connetquot. 7:00 Connetquot's Jon Sternbach took the opening kickoff 32 yards to the Freeport 48. Jeremy Leggiero rushed for 2 yards on first down. Two plays later, Joe Zuco gained 7 on 3rd and 8 before picking up the first on a 4-yard gain. Leggiero gained 5 to move the ball to the 30. Then on 4th and 2 at the 27, Zuco plowed up the middle for 4 yard and the first. 6:18 Anderson was sacked by Maalik McVea on 2 and 7 and fumbled. Freeport recovered. 4:14 Freeport's drive stalled at the 42. On 3rd and 12, Lapice rushed for 7 yards before getting tackled. Freeport punted and Connetquot took over at the 11. 2:01 Connetquot's Zuco gained 2 on first down. Leggiero rushed for 7 on second, setting up a third and short. On the following play, Leggiero was stopped for a no gain. Connetquot punted and Freeport took over at the 49. 1:00 Freeport's Kevin Allen ran for 4 on first down and picked up 10 more on second to set up 1st and 10 at the 30. Two plays later, Lapice danced his way all the way to the 12. End of First Quarter 11:11 Freeport's Jules Harvey lost 2 on second down, setting up 3rd and 9 at the 11. No matter though, on the next play, Lapice hit Ashanti Foster-Felder for a touchdown capping a 7 play, 44-yard drive that took 2:50. Freeport 7, Connetquot 0. 6:20 Connetquot took over at the 49 after a kickoff and a late hit. Zuco picked up 8 on first. Three plays later, Zuco moved the ball to the 32 on another gain of 8. Leggiero was hit hard by Jules Harvey on second down, losing 2 yards. Then on 4th and 8 at the 31, Anderson passed to Zuco for a 17-yard gain and a first down at the 14. 4:34 Connetquot was called for a false start on 3rd and 3 at the 7. Zuco picked up 2 yards on third and long, setting up a 4th and 6 at the 10. Connetquot called a timeout to think about it. 4:27 Connetquot's Anderson connected with Sternbach on a 10-yard TD to tie this one at 7. Connetquot covered 49 yards on 11 plays. Freeport 7, Connetquot 7 2:57 Freeport took over at the 23 on a 20-yard return by Michael Batts. Allen rushed for 2 on first before Lapice hit Sternbach with a 20-yard pass, setting up a 1st and 10 at the 45. Allen then gained 9 on first and 7 more on second. Connetquot called a timeout . 1:21 Lapice ran for 5 yards on first and Allen picked up 7 more on second, setting up 1st and 10 at the Connectquot 27. Freeport called a timeout. 0:32 After the timeout, Lapice was sacked by Leggiero, setting up a 4th and 10 at the 27. On the next play, Lapice threw to Foster-Felder in the end zone, but the pass was broken up. Connetquot took over at the 27. End of Second Quarter Freeport 7, Connetquot 7. Halftime stats: Rushing -- C: Zuco 45 yards on 14 carries, Leggiero 19 yards on 6. F: Allen 50 yards on 7 carries, Lapice 21 yards on 4, Harvey 13 yards on 7. Passing -- C: Anderson is 3-of-3 for 27 yards with a TD. F: Lapice is 2-of-4 for 31 yards and a TD. Turnovers -- C: 1, F: 0 4th down conversions -- C: 4 of 4. F: 0 of 1. Third Quarter 12:00 Freeport's Harvery took the kickoff 10 yards to the 18. 10:29 Lapice threw wide of his receiver on 3rd and 2 at the 38 and Freeport was forced to punt. Connetquot took over on its 41. 7:46 Zuco picked up 2 yards on first and with a face-mask penalty, the ball was placed at the 46. Zuco rushed for 6, Leggiero picked up 3 on second and Zuco picked up 6 more to move the ball to the to the Freeport 46. Connetquot called a timeout. 2:19 Zuco rushed for 8 to bring the ball to the 22. Two plays later, Zuco gained 9 to set up a 3rd and 1. Leggiero ran up the middle, picking up the first, and Zuco ran for 6 to bring the ball to the 4. Zuco then ran the ball 3 mores times and scored on a 4th and 1 at the 1. Connetquot gained 59 yards on 15 plays. Connetquot 14, Freeport 7. 1:31 Freeport took over at the 20. Harvery gained 3 on first, then on second, Foster-Felder dropped a beautiful pass by Lapice at midfield. Freeport called a timeout. They are facing a 3rd and 7 at the 23. 1:22 Lapice ran for 9 to pick up the first and keep the drive alive. 0:20 Lapice gained 6 on another QB keeper, overthrew his receiver on the next two plays and was sacked on third down. Freeport punted and Connetquot took over at the 35. End of Third Quarter Connetquot 14, Freeport 7 10:41 Zuco gained 12 yards on first down and another 41 yards, two plays later, to set up a 1st and 10 at the 11. 7:52 After a timeout, Zuco took it in for a score on 4th and 1, capping a 7-play, 65-yard drive. Connetquot 21, Freeport 7. 7:11 Freeport took over at the 29. Lapice's pass on first down was broken up. He ran for 10 yards on second to pick up a first. On the next play, Lapice threw to Foster-Felder in the middle of the field. The pass fell incomplete and Foster-Felder was hurt on the play. 5:59 Foster-Felder limped off the field on his own. Lapice was sacked on second, setting up a 3rd and 17 at the 33. His next two passes were low as Connetquot took over with great field position. 4:04 Connetquot called a timeout. The T-Birds are facing 4th and 6 on the 27. 4:02 Anderson's pass on 4th was incomplete as Freeport took over at the 27. 3:06 Lapice was sacked by John Smith, setting up a 3rd and 7 at the 40. 0:53 All Lapice on this drive. He ran up the middle and gained 9 yards for the first, then gained 11 on the next play. He ran for two yards on first then hooked up with Allen for a 13-yard pass. On 1st and 10 at the 25, his pass was thrown short to Foster-Felder. But then Lapice scampered for 8 yards on second and later he ran it in from 2-yards out for the TD. But Freeport caught a bad break as the snap on the extra point was low. Connetquot 21, Freeport 13. 0:51 Freeport went for the onside kick and Connetquot recovered. End of Fourth Quarter Connetquot 21, Freeport 13 Final stats Rushing -- C: Zuco 148 yards on 33 carries. Leggiero 27 yards on 10 carries. F: Lapice 79 yards on 17 carries. Allen 76 yards on 12 carries. Passing -- C: Anderson was 4-of-5 for 39 yards with a TD. F: Lapice was 5-of-17 for 62 yards with a TD. Receiving -- C: Zuco 2 passes for 29 yards. F: Foster-Felder 2 passes for 31 yards. Allen 2 passes for 21 yards. Fourth down conversions: C: 6 of 7. F: 1 of 3. Total offense (plays/yards) C: 53-197. F: 54-233 ]]> http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/live_from_the_long_island_clas.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/live_from_the_long_island_clas.html Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:21:20 -0500 The Connetquot T-Birds discuss their confidence level as they prepare for Friday's Class I Long Island Championship game against Freeport.]]> http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/video_connetquot_prepares_for.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/video_connetquot_prepares_for.html Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:05:09 -0500 The nZone talks to Sayville head coach Rob Hoss and quarterback Dillon Boos about Saturday's Class III Long Island Championship game matchup with Bethpage.]]> http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/video_sayville_prepares_for_li.html http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/highschool/football/blog/2008/11/video_sayville_prepares_for_li.html Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:50:54 -0500