Mis-seeds and misdeeds, four surprises of Nassau football
OK, we’re just two games into the Nassau football season, but it’s never too early for hindsight to kick in. With that said, here are my picks for the four teams -- one per conference -- that haven’t played anything like their seeding.
No. 5 Freeport is 2-0 in Conference I and was expected to be a playoff team. But two games in and the Red Devils have looked unbeatable. (We’ll see this Saturday against 2-0 Farmingdale.) Write it down: If there’s one team that can challenge East Meadow for the title, it’s Freeport.
No. 6 Bellmore JFK, predictably, is 0-2 in Conference II. How the Cougars landed in the top half of the seedings is an indictment of all the coaches in Conference II. I feel for this team and wonder how different its season might be if it swapped schedules with No. 11 Calhoun (2-0). Bellmore JFK went 2-6 a year ago. The two wins? A forfeit over Great Neck South and a win over Herricks (which was so weak, it cancelled its current season.). Enough said.
No. 8 Lynbrook is 2-0 in Conference III after a stunning 6-0 OT win over Floral Park, last season’s conference finalist. Coming off a 3-5 season, coupled with the transition to a new coach, the Owls weren’t supposed to be a factor. Actually, Steve LoCicero served as co-coach a year ago. He’s done a heck of a job so far.
No. 11 Locust Valley has already doubled last season’s win total and is sitting pretty at 2-0 in Conference IV. Interestingly enough, new coach Joe Knoll landed here after 19 seasons at Lynbrook. He’s breathed life into an up and down program, highlighted by a 21-7 win over Valley Stream North.