HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW, Suffolk Division I: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
REPORTED BY GREGG SARRA. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 10 Sep 2006:
Brentwood, the county runnerup, is the most athletic team in the division and returns All-Long Island wide receiver/defensive back Rob Moore and quarterback Joshua Jacques. The Indians are a seasoned club looking to reach the Class I title game for the first time since 1999 when they finished 11-0. Look for Patchogue-Medford, Sachem North and Longwood to vye for the playoffs. North saw its 22- year run to the playoffs end two years ago. The goal is to return in 2006.
Longwood 12, Patchogue-Medford 6: Kenny Wright scored from 7 yards out and George Holmes scored on a 14-yard reception from Ed West as No. 5 Longwoodtopped No. 4 Patchogue-Medford. Sept. 17
Longwood 13, Ward Melville 7: Michael Parrish’s 20-yard run in overtime won it for Longwood (2-0). After winning the coin flip, Longwood opted to start on defense and stopped Ward Melville (1-1) on downs, setting up Parrish’s run. George Holmes got Longwood on the board in the third with a 70-yard touchdown reception from Ed Wess. Sept. 22
Longwood 20, Sachem East 14: Mike Parrish rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown on seven carries for Longwood (3-0) on Friday night.
Parrish’s 7-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter broke a tie at 14.
Quarterback Ed Wess completed 4 of 8 passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns.
His 25-yard TD pass to Parrish right before the half helped Longwood take a 7-6 lead at halftime.
Craig Nenos’ lone reception went for 62 yards and a score, helping Longwood take a 14-6 lead in the third quarter.
Lou Scala led the Longwood defense with nine tackles.
On Longwood‘s opening drive, Nick Lacagnina returned an interception 24 yards for a touchdown as Sachem East (0-3) took a 6- 0 lead. The extra-point attempt failed.
Lacagnina, who finished with two interceptions, also caught a 39- yard touchdown pass in the third quarter that helped tie the score at 14 for Sachem East. Oct. 1
FLOYD 24, LONGWOOD 14, Undefeated Floyd survives first test of season: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
JEFF GOLD. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 07 Oct 2006:
In the perfect seasons – the championship ones, the undefeated ones – there’s always a game to look back to where a team displays some mettle that can only help later.
After running roughshod over its first three opponents, Floyd grinded out a 24-14 win over host Longwood on Friday night in Suffolk Division I football. The victory came after Floyd (4-0) – which increased its regular-season winning streak against Division I foes to 28 – had outscored the opposition 105-0 in its first three games.
“This was a wake-up call for us. We were shutting out teams with blowout wins and we were high and happy. Blowouts are nice, but it’s good to win games like this when you dig deep,” said Floyd running back Brock Jackolski, who rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. “There was some tension on the sideline from the coaches and players. This season, we haven’t been in a game like this.”
Though Floyd’s offense wasn’t quite in sync throughout the game, it put together a power football, game-ending drive when it needed it the most. Up 17-14 with 5:45 remaining, Floyd got the ball on the 50. It ran nine straight running plays and the drive ended with Jackolski’s 4-yard TD run that gave Floyd a 23-14 lead with 1:56 left. Jackolski had five carries for 31 yards on the drive, and Casey Terruso had four carries for 19 yards.
Longwood (3-1) held first-half leads of 7-3 and 14-10, but Floyd responded on each ensuing drive with a touchdown. Longwood looked ready to take a 14-10 lead into the half, but Floyd quarterback Joe Sidaras kept a drive alive by rushing 21 yards on a broken play on fourth-and-3 from Longwood‘s 40. Two plays later, Sidaras hit John Amato on a 19-yard TD pass to put Floyd up 16-14 with 38 seconds left in the half.
“We were behind a little bit, had to come back, had to hold on to a lead. This game was a character check,” Floyd coach Paul Longo said. “Games like this help you get ready for the playoffs when you’re only going to play good teams.”
The best performance of the season for Longwood may have come in its first defeat. Running back Chris Searles had 134 yards and a TD on 22 carries.
“We can play with them. We matched up with them. I’m proud of the effort we gave, but it wasn’t quite enough,” Longwood coach Adam Dewitt said. “I’d like to see them again.”
FLOYD 24
LONGWOOD 14
SUFFOLK DIVISION I, Defense is key for Longwood: [SUFFOLK Edition]
Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 15 Oct 2006:
Defense, defense and more defense were on full display in Longwood‘s 13-3 win against Sachem North in a Suffolk Division I football game yesterday.
George Holmes returned a fumble 85 yards for a touchdown, and defensive tackle Mike Marino had 13 tackles, including two sacks, to key the relentess defensive attack for Longwood (4-1).
On offense – yes, there was some of that, too – Mike Parrish rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. And, to no one’s surprise, Parrish contributed on defense as well, recording six tackles and an interception that stalled a fourth-quarter drive by Sachem North (2-3).
SUFFOLK DIVISION I, Connetquot, Northport get even, make their case: [SUFFOLK Edition]
Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 22 Oct 2006:
After results from late Friday night, the playoff picture in Suffolk Division I couldn’t be more blurry.
Tyler Shagi rushed for 93 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries as Connetquot held off Lindenhurst, 21-14.
Connetquot improved to 3-3, the same record as Lindenhurst.
Shagi also had a strong night passing. He completed 10 of 16 passes for 166 yards and one touchdown.
Carmen Melillo had five receptions for 95 yards and one touchdown and Vinny Pillizzi caught five passes for 71 yards.
James Tripodi rushed for 81 yards and one touchdown for Connetquot. He also led the defense with 10 tackles, three for a loss, and Billy Boars added 12 tackles from the free safety position.
Northport 14, Longwood 6: Colin Brady tipped away a pass from Longwood quarterback Doug Taddeo on fourth-and-2 from the Northport 4-yard line with three minutes left in the game and Northport leading 14-6 to help seal the win Friday night.
Brian Crowley blocked a punt three minutes into the second quarter that was recovered by Longwood‘s Joe Coiro on its 26-yard line. Four plays later, Brian Haber scored on a 2-yard run to help give Northport (3-3) a 7-0 lead.
With four minutes left in the first half Northport stopped Longwood on fourth-and-1 on the Northport 20-yard line and on the next play Mike Dees ran a sweep to the right for an 80-yard TD to help increase the lead to 14-0. Dees rushed for 109 yards on nine carries. Haber rushed for 81 yards on 22 carries and had eight tackles. Coiro had 13 tackles. Longwood is 4-2.
Brentwood 8, Longwood 6: Robert Moore scored on a 17-yard run with 2:43 left in the second quarter to give Brentwood (6-1) an 8-0 lead in a Suffolk Division I game. Joe Matos tackled the punter in the end zone to give Brentwood a 2-0 lead early in the second. George Holmes scored on a 15-yard pass from Eddie West with 3:00 left in the third to make it 8-6, and the two-point conversion failed. Longwood is 4-3. Oct. 30
Longwood 33, Bay Shore 12: Chris Searles rushed 14 times for 252 yards and three touchdowns for Longwood (5-3). Wesley Fluellen rushed for 102 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries and Lou Scala added 10 tackles and a sack for Longwood. Bay Shore is 1-7. Nov. 5
SUFFOLK FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS, Longwood might provide test at Floyd: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
GREGG SARRA. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 07 Nov 2006:
Division I No. 4 Longwood at No. 1 Floyd: Longwood (5-3) was the only team to force Floyd to play its starters the entire game. Floyd (8-0), Long Island’s Class I champion, has cleared its bench in the second half in seven of eight games this season. Longwood is not intimidated to play in Mastic Beach, where the Colonials have won 33 games in a row and haven’t lost since 2000. A natural rivalry between these neighboring schools on the William Floyd Parkway has developed. Expect quarterback Joe Sidaras and halfback Brock Jackolski to be the difference for the Colonials.
The pick: Floyd
SUFFOLK DIVISION I SEMIFINAL: FLOYD 21, LONGWOOD 7, Colonials cruise at home, Sidaras, Jackolski spark Floyd in win; next up is Brentwood: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
GREGG SARRA. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 12 Nov 2006:
It is a place that no opponent wants to go. There, in the middle of Mastic Beach, in the cozy confines of this south shore high school’s vast grounds, there is a feeling of invincibility. And that feeling is understandable. Floyd football never loses at home.
With an offense that is loaded with imagination, the creative minds that bring you win after win in Mastic Beach, 32 in a row to be exact, put on another showcase again yesterday in a semifinal playoff game.
Floyd junior quarterback Joe Sidaras, aka Joey Sunshine for his long blonde hair, completed 9 of 15 passes for 127 yards and one touchdown as Floyd beat Longwood, 21-7, in a Suffolk Division I semifinal before a crowd of 2,200. Sidaras also scored on a 1-yard sneak to give Floyd a 21-0 lead with 1:06 left in the second quarter.
“He’s just outstanding,” said Floyd coach Paul Longo. “He sees the field so well and plays with so much confidence for an underclassman.”
Floyd (9-0), Long Island’s defending Class I champion, will meet Brentwood (8-1) for the Division I championship Friday at 7 p.m. in LaValle Stadium at Stony Brook University. It was the 20th consecutive win for the Colonials.
Talk about efficiency. Floyd had the ball three times in the first half and scored three times. The first possession went 52 yards in seven plays capped by a Sidaras play-action laser of a pass to Ricky Kruger for a 6-yard score. Jonathan Korn added the kick for a 7-0 lead with 6:02 left.
“We mix the run and the pass well,” Sidaras said. “And the line blows people out.”
Floyd gave Longwood (6-3) a heavy dose of junior halfback Brock Jackolski, who finished with 107 yards on 17 carries and a score. He swept left end for 21 yards and keyed the first march with 41 yards.
“We came out and scored right away and it set an early tone,” Longo said. “We did a lot of different things on offense and that surprised them.”
On the second possession, the Colonials went to the air as Sidaras completed three passes for 46 yards to key an eight-play, 61- yard march. Jackolski punctuated the drive with a 3-yard run and Korn’s kick made it 14-0.
The dagger in Longwood‘s playoff destiny came in a 14-play, 70- yard drive that consumed 8:01 of the second quarter. Sidaras hit Jackolski with a 17-yard pass and the Colonials continued to pound the ball down the field with 11 straight runs. Sidaras hit sophomore Steve Murphy for seven yards before he scored on the sneak.
“Our coaching is unbelievable,” said Floyd linebacker Casey Terruso, who had 13 tackles and converted a risky fourth-and-1 play from the Colonials 13 in the third quarter. “We’re well prepared and at home we’re just so confident because no senior class wants to be the one that loses. The streak has lived since 2000.”
Longwood showed its mettle in the second half. There was no quit in the Lions and that resolve resulted in a late touchdown when sophomore quarterback Ed Wess hit Mike Parrish for a 5-yard scoring pass.
“They always play us tough,” Longo said. “They play hard.”