Central Football Preview 09-11-2025 by Richner Communications, Inc

FEATURING

TEAM INDEX

Carey went undefeated in 2024 and captured Nassau and L.I. championships.

Photo by Jeff Wilson

James Quilty Mepham High School

Photo by Jeff Wilson

BALDWIN

Bruins work to create brand new identity

By PATRICK MOQUIN

Entering his second season as head coach, Mike Robinson sees a future for Baldwin football that extends far beyond immediate results. He may be working with a compact roster during a transitional period, but the Bruins are intent on creating a new identity for their program.

“This is the ﬁrst time I have had the opportunity to be a head coach, and it’s been a learning experience for everybody,” Robinson said.

Though he would have preferred stronger turnout for tryouts this summer, Robinson understands that football won’t be an overnight sensation. The Bruins have only won one county championship since 1961 and has not had consecutive winning seasons since 2014. They will have another opportunity in 2025, however.

In Robinson’s ﬁrst year at the helm, Baldwin went 5-3 in the regular season to clinch a spot in the Nassau Conference II playoffs. The Bruins fell 34-21 to Glen Cove in the quarterﬁnals, far from disgraced after a 1-7 season in 2023.

In a bid to sustain their momentum for another year, Robinson and a hard-knocking roster will turn to senior Michael Jordan, who will take over at quarterback for Angel Johnson, who graduated after a successful campaign. New offensive coordinator Rocky Butler, a former professional wide receiver and member of the Hofstra Athletics Hall of Fame, has been working with Jordan all summer.

“[Butler] has been teaching him how to read defenses and he’s picking it up,” Robinson said. “He’s got a great arm, so we think this could be a breakout season for him.”

Jordan should have a steady presence in front of him each down, as senior captain Ryan Healey will line up at center. He will be joined on the offensive line by seniors Andrew Parchment, Jayden Young and Kymani Heaven, adding ample protection for an adjusting quarterback.

Healey will also play middle linebacker

alongside Patrick Feeney on defense, providing a pillar on both sides of the ball. He is not the only one who will pull double duty, as the smaller roster will require several key players to contribute throughout games.

Aiden Johnson will lead a run-heavy offense as the starting running back and will also play safety on defense. The offense may lean on the run in grittier games, but Robinson has not been afraid to let his quarterbacks throw either. Jordan should have several options down the sideline, as M.J. Mitchell and Alejandro Acosta will lead a wide receiver corps that torched several teams in key situations last year. Mitchell will also chip in at safety, putting his hands to good use on both sides.

As the Bruins continue to develop their program, Robinson hopes that athletes in other sports throughout the year consider signing up in the fall. Like so many football coaches, Robinson believes that the best players at the high school level are wellrounded athletes ﬁrst, and as he builds Baldwin’s identity in the sport, he hopes to start with the student body. Victories will get their attention.

The head coach said that his program is unique because it feels new. Players understand as well as the coach that they’re working toward something bigger than themselves, often taking on multiple roles in an effort to contribute. Baldwin’s senior leaders may not see the culmination of their efforts, just as last year’s seniors must now watch on after doing their part.

“Be consistent with what you do,” Robinson says to his players. “Anything that you do. Come to work everyday on time. On the ﬁeld or on the practice ﬁeld, go 100 percent. If you can learn those basic things, that’s not just helpful for football, but for everything. As far as building a program, success is going to help us.”

Success and recognition often go hand in hand and build on one another, and with a winning season behind them, these Bruins have a chance to continue molding a culture in their own image. Every week is an opportunity to turn heads starting in the opener at home versus Glen Cove.

JAYDEN YOUNG

AIDEN JOHNSON

MICHAEL JORDAN

Photos by Karen Millindorf

Ryan Healey

CALHOUN

Colts eager to take next step

By BRIAN KACHARABA

As Calhoun enters the 2025 season, there’s a sense of familiarity, growth, and optimism surrounding the program. Head coach Nick Rawls is entering his fourth season at the helm, and for the ﬁrst time, the core of the team consists of kids who were freshmen when he ﬁrst took over.

“These were the guys that were just starting out when I got here,” Rawls said. “It’s been really rewarding to watch them grow, both as athletes and as young men. There’s a real bond there, and we’re excited to take the next step together.”

That next step comes after a 3-5 campaign. While the record fell short of the playoffs, Calhoun was competitive throughout the season, showcasing ﬂashes of the athleticism and potential that deﬁne this year’s roster.

What stands out about this Calhoun squad is its speed and athletic ability. From skill positions to the trenches, the Colts boast a strong mix of seniors and underclassmen who are ready to make an impact.

Leading the way are senior wide receivers and defensive backs Joe Belbol and Jake Baci. Belbol, who was called up to varsity as a freshman during the playoffs, has been a consistent contributor for several seasons. Baci, meanwhile, earned All-Conference honors last year and returns as one of the team’s most experienced and reliable playmakers.

“These two have been through it all,” Rawls said. “They lead by example, they make plays, and they’ve earned the respect of everyone in that locker room.”

Another veteran presence is senior Andrew Licari, a three-year varsity performer who will be counted on to make plays on both sides of scrimmage. Licari’s versatility and football IQ make him a key part of the game plan.

At quarterback, senior Timmy Lynch steps into the starting role after serving as a backup last season. With a full offseason of preparation, Lynch is expected to lead the offense with poise and conﬁdence.

“Timmy’s ready,” Rawls said. “He’s been patient, he’s learned the system, and now it’s his turn to lead. We’re excited to see him do a good job leading the offense.”

In the backﬁeld, junior Nick Maresca brings explosive speed and dual-threat ability as both a running back and potential starting linebacker. He’ll be complemented by junior Joe Smith, who was a standout cornerback as a sophomore and will now see offensive snaps as well. Smith’s dynamic athleticism makes him a threat anywhere on the ﬁeld.

Senior Brandon Meyers is another weapon in the passing game. Known for his reliable hands and sharp route running, Meyers is expected to be a frequent target for Lynch. Senior Jack Ciccimarro will provide depth and support at both receiver and cornerback, while seniors Andrew Mill and Hunter Arceo will compete for time at linebacker, adding depth and physicality to the defensive unit.

No successful football team can operate without strong line play, and the Colts have a solid group up front. Senior Gianni Castiglia, a third-year varsity player, is expected to contribute on both sides of the line. He’ll be joined by senior Peter Maiorano, who started on the offensive line last season and also got reps at linebacker.

Senior Angel Molina-Wong is a reliable two-way starter who brings toughness and consistency to the O-line and D-line. Junior Anthony Cespedes, who started last year as a sophomore, returns as another two-way lineman who provides both experience and upside.

While Calhoun hasn’t named captains yet, leadership is already emerging across the roster. Rawls sees a team that is buying in and pushing each other to get better. “Our strength is our speed and our ability to play fast,” he said. “We just have to be consistent every week. We’ve had some great days of practice. Now it’s about carrying that energy into the season.”

With a veteran core, explosive athletes, chemistry and a head coach who’s seen them grow from day one, the Colts could be playoff-bound.

Jake Baci

JOE BEIBOL

TIMMY LYNCH

ANDREW LICARI

Photos by Donovan Berthoud

CAREY Seahawks fresh off perfect season

By DYLAN BUTLER

When Carey last stepped off the football field, the Seahawks did so as undefeated Long Island champions. It was the fifth time in program history the Seahawks won every game they played, and it was their first LIC title since 2014 and third in program history.

The last time the Long Island Championship was mentioned by head coach Mike Stanley was on the ﬁrst day of preseason camp.

“It’s the end-of-the-season goal and we make a point to say this is the last time we’re going to talk about it,” Stanley said. “I know teams do it differently, but I just don’t see how it serves you because there’s 11 weeks before you play that one. There’s no need to talk about November right now. We haven’t even gotten to September yet.”

That said, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Carey makes another deep run to Thanksgiving week. Junior running back Justin DePietro leads the charge as one of the most electrifying players in the county on both sides of the ball, highlighting a bevy of skill players returning from last year’s magical campaign.

A year ago, DePietro rushed 1,109 yards and 14 touchdowns and had 95 tackles and six sacks to win the Piner Award as Nassau’s top linebacker.

“We have weapons on offense, not just Justin,” Stanley said. “I like the group of receivers that we have. I think we have another back or two that can be, that could be very, very good for us.”

There’s a new quarterback with senior Mike Agostino, who started every game at middle linebacker, taking over for Chris Obertis, who threw for 1,114 yards and 19 touchdowns.

“He’s got a very strong arm,” Stanley said of Agostino. “He understands everything we want to do in the pass game, and we’re reading the run game again for the ﬁrst time in quite a while, which I think is really good considering who defenses are probably going to have to tackle.”

Agostino has a host of playmakers around him, including senior slot receivers James McGrath, who made a host of big plays down the stretch of last season, and Mark Vera. And there are seniors Tristan Hickis, JonCarlo Carbone, and juniors David Avila, who was the starting running back on junior varsity a year ago, and Jaden Radow, who has big-play ability as an outside receiver.

“He looked really good, so we think he’s gonna be a weapon,” Stanley said of Radow, who had a pair of long touchdown receptions in a scrimmage against Oceanside.

The offensive line will be rebuilt due to graduation, with seniors Stephen Klein and Zach Montante each playing tackle, while there will likely be a rotation for the other three spots.

It’s a similar concern up front on the defensive side, but the Seahawks are absolutely loaded at linebacker with DePietro and senior Christian Anaya, both Piner candidates, according to Stanley, leading the way.

“He’s really fast, really strong, really made a lot of explosive plays defensively last year, and was great down the stretch, really grew into his role,” Stanley said of Anaya. “He’ll be a big piece for us.”

How many reps Agostino will get is to be determined because of his responsibility as a ﬁrst-year starting quarterback, but Avila, senior Theo Andrikopoulos, Vera, and Hickis, who moves from safety to outside linebacker, will see plenty of time.

McGrath will play both cornerback and safety, Carbone will see time in the secondary, senior Dean Martucci will likely start at cornerback, and senior Will Cooper, who previously stood out on the soccer ﬁeld, has impressed in preseason.

Carey is preseason No. 1 in Nassau Conference III, so expectations remain high as Stanley keeps his team grounded.

“Nothing’s guaranteed beyond the eight-game schedule, and we remind guys that all the time,” Stanley said. “If we’re healthy and we play well, we’ll be a tough team to contend with, but there’s others that I’m sure feel the exact same way.”

Justin DePietro

TRISTAN HICKIS

CHRISTIAN AMAYA

JONCARLO CARBONE

Photos by Jeff Wilson

CLARKE

Seniors key to Rams’ season

By BRIAN KACHARABA

The Clarke football team knows the clock is ticking. With a senior-heavy roster, this fall may be its last and best shot at competing in a playoff game at Hofstra University — a stage it hasn’t reached in some time.

Clarke, the No. 7 seed in Conference III, ﬁnished last season at 4-5, showing ﬂashes of promise but ultimately falling short of a postseason berth. In recent years, the Rams have been no strangers to fast starts, only to see momentum fade as the schedule progressed.

This time, experience could make the difference. With seasoned veterans ﬁlling key positions on both sides of the ball, Clarke is counting on maturity, leadership, and urgency to fuel a deeper run — one that could ﬁnally get them back in the playoffs.

“This squad has a lot of returning starters from last year on both sides of the ball,” head coach Kevin O’Hagan said. “We have a lot of experience, and we really should take at least a couple steps this year. Our goal, deﬁnitely, is to get back into Hofstra. It’s been about ﬁve years since we’ve been there.”

The optimism comes from a running game that made tremendous strides last season, despite having dependable Mike Iadevaia injured for a lot of the campaign. Jake Thakkar will give opposing defenses a power look, which will nicely complement Iadevaia’s speed.

“I think what helped us kind of turn the corner a little bit last year was get able to run the ball a little better than we did earlier in the year, so I think we can come out and pick up where we left off being a little more balanced offensively,” O’Hagan said.

Senior quarterback Matthew Kurz threw for nearly 1,000 yards last fall and was responsible for 11 of the Rams’ touchdowns, throwing for four and rushing for seven. He did throw eight interceptions, but O’Hagan is conﬁdent that number can be cut signiﬁcantly with better protection.

“Matthew showed us at the end of the year that he can be a running threat from the shotgun, which is important in our offense,” O’Hagan said. “I like Matthew to really be able to sit in the pocket a little longer and take an extra second to make some of those reads and throws. I think that’ll help improve our passing game and obviously protecting him up front.”

Kurz will have plenty of weapons at receiver in seniors James Beckworth (30 catches), James Millman, David Quesada, Grady Rick, Alex Frank, and Liam Morgan, a converted defender who had a strong training camp.

“I know we have a lot of weapons at halfback and receiver and it seems it’s carried over to this year,” O’Hagan said. “Our receiving corps is deﬁnitely our strength of our offense, besides our quarterback, because there’s a lot of players that you can’t really just take one away, because Mattie is going to ﬁnd somebody else. Becks is his favorite target, and then you’ve got James Millman, you’ve got David Quesada, and you’ve got Liam Morgan, who had an awesome camp and an awesome summer.”

Justin Montez, Ryan Connolly, and Marcus Rosario can be penned in at offensive line, but could be manning different spots than last year. Tall and lanky senior Lincoln Failla is in the mix for a spot on both lines.

Thakkar, Connolly, and Millman will likely be the inside linebackers, with Quesada, Rick, Iadevaia, and Morgan manning the outside. Kurz, Frank, and Wilmer Dubon feature a dependable defensive backﬁeld.

Fives of Clarke’s opponents had losing records last year, but the opener against South Side on Sept. 13 is a big early test. The Rams will also face two defending Long Island champions in Wantagh and Carey as well as Nassau III semiﬁnalist Floral Park.

“We have to make playoffs this year,” O’Hagan said. “The minimum requirement is the ﬁrst round. This group is too talented to not make playoffs.”

Matthew Kurz

MICHAEL IADEVAIA

JUSTIN MONTEZ

RYAN CONNOLLY

Photos by Paul Grassini

By MARC BERMAN

WJets take flight with semis in sight

ith a drop to Conference II and a more standardized quarterback situation, East Meadow looks primed to roll.

A year ago, the starting quarterback, Trevor Smith, was ruled out for the season after a scary blood clot arose in his shoulder, then the lung. The starting reigns fell to a sophomore, Michael Petitto, but he wasn’t ready. In desperation, East Meadow’s then ﬁrst-year coach Keith Lizzi moved his star running back, James Galiano, to quarterback in a Wildcat formation.

It wasn’t ideal, but East Meadow plowed through a 4-4 regular season in Conference I, made the playoffs and lost in the ﬁrst round to Syosset.

Now the quarterback situation is all but set. Smith and Petitto return and have a healthy battle at the position and both are capable of getting the job done. Meanwhile, Galiano returns to dominate at running back.

“This year resets,’’ Lizzi said. It’s all added up to East Meadow ranked fourth seed in Conference 2. “I told the guys you’re a preseason four so there’s an expectation of a ﬁnal four, making a trip to Hofstra,’’ Lizzi said. “That’s how I sold it to them. We bring a lot back.’’

The running game should be marvelous as Galiano is poised for a monster senior season.

At quarterback in 2024, Galiano, an honorable mention All-County, still amassed 905 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Galiano also plays a ﬁerce linebacker and is widely regarded as East Meadow’s most valuable player.

“He’s back to his natural position,’’ Lizzi said.

Galiano is also expected to be the Jets’ top defensive performer. “James is a throwback to an old-school football kid,’’ Lizzi said. “His mentality is really tough. He’s not like the other kids you see nowadays. You put him on a team from 1996 and he’ll ﬁt in. He works really hard in the weight room and got really strong this year. He’s also a tough-as-nails wrestler and that helps him tackling.’’

EAST MEADOW

In the playoff game, Galiano broke his hand on the third play. “He refused to come out and played the whole game,’’ Lizzi said. “A lot of kids would’ve tapped out.’’

The linchpin is the running game behind a stout offensive line led by senior Yiannis Kakavas, a three-year starter who is a twotime All-Conference player, and junior Kalem Calderone. Kakavas will ﬁnd himself in the running for the Martone Award as a strong, athletic, smart lineman who is the leader of the team.

Even though the ground attack is key, East Meadow still needs solid play at quarterback. It’s been a hard-luck highschool football career for Smith, who broke his hand as sophomore during a preseason scrimmage after being named starter.

“Trevor looks good,’’ Lizzi said. “He’s a baseball kid. He’s making good reads, had a good summer. It will be interesting how camp goes. Finally his senior year, we’re hoping to keep him healthy.’’

The offense has more proven weapons than just Galiano. Senior Marko Radalj plays a mean tight end; junior Noah Garner is a good running-back complement to Galiano.

Junior Nick Schwabe is a crafty receiver. and newcomer Kyle Francis should also help catching passes.

“Marko is a little bit of everything = a Gronk type of guy,’’ Lizzi said of Radalj. “He can play wide receiver and also tight end. He’s a big kid. You could put him in space but also play tight end.’’

Radalo, at 6-foot-3 220 pounds, also plays the defensive line thar ﬁgures to be stout against the run. He’s joined up front by Calderone (6-2 225) and Kakavas (6-1 260).

“We keep it simple,’’ Lizzi said. “We match up well in the run game where we force people to pass the ball. That plays well into your hands if you’re athletic. We’re big up front.’’

Though the Jets lost 19 seniors, leadership is a strength with three captains in Galiano, Smith and Kakavas. “Our leadership this year is excellent,’’ Lizzi said. “This group of seniors have been around for a while. they keep everyone in check.’’

James Galiano

NOAH GARNER

YIANNIS KAVAVAS

NICK SCHWABE

Photos by Paul Grassini

Rocks battle thinning roster

By BRIAN KACHARABA

The East Rockaway football team enters the 2025 season once again with a limited roster and an even smaller JVsquad, leaving little margin for error if injuries occur. Yet despite the numbers, the Rocks have managed to keep themselves in postseason contention.

Last fall, East Rockaway barely cleared 20 players but still recorded its first five-win season since 2019. Repeating that feat will be more difficult this year, with most starters having graduated. Head coach Russ Pajer is now counting on his returnees to step into bigger roles.

“Right now, we have 20 guys on varsity and 18 on JV, so we’re talking about fewer than 40 players overall,” Pajer said. “That makes things interesting. But the kids are working hard. They’re getting it. We were spoiled. Even though a lot of seniors stepped down, we were successful last year. So those kids got to see what it takes to be successful.”

Junior quarterback Mike Tizio could be a different challenge for defenses after adding 30 pounds of muscle in the offseason, making him bigger, faster, and stronger. He wasn’t asked to throw much last season but still helped secure the Rocks’ winning record, completing all three of his passes for 35 yards and keeping drives alive in a 28-14 win over West Hempstead on Nov. 1.

“He got to see success last year,” Pajer said. “We just need someone to lead us — to be out there, keep control of the huddle, keep things moving, and keep people focused. Especially with a young, inexperienced team, you need that veteran presence, and he’s deﬁnitely one of those veterans.”

The backfield has big shoes to fill after last year’s productive group graduated. Pajer will use a committee approach, with seniors Matt Delligatti, converted lineman Jethro Jacquet, and Stefan Drakopoulos, who filled in effectively for an injured Antonio Buzzetta.

Junior Merge Pesantez is also expected to contribute, while sophomore Tristen Rose

is slated to line up at fullback. At tight end, the Rocks will look to juniors Maurice Knight and Kevin Curtis, along with senior Harrison Tyrrell, who brings valuable experience.

“Maurice and Kevin are a little bigger,” Pajer said. “Harrison has more experience. He was here last year and has been in the system for six years, so he understands where to go. He’s smart and reliable.”

The offensive line features both familiar and fresh faces. Junior Terry Hayes returns as a steady presence, with Jacquet still able to slide back into the trenches. They’ll be joined by junior tackle Evan Gulino, sophomore Frank Monteleone, and senior Sean Martin, charged with protecting Tizio and opening running lanes.

On defense, Hayes and Jacquet will also anchor the line, supported by junior Keith Halstead and senior Thomas Schilling. At linebacker, Tizio, Monteleone, and Knight are projected starters, with Rose penciled in at free safety — though Pajer notes he “plays like a linebacker.” Pesantez, Delligatti, and versatile athlete Michael Brown will round out the defensive backﬁeld.

Special teams could provide an edge, with senior kicker and soccer goalie Nick Cornell capable of adding points when drives stall.

The Rocks, seeded tenth, face four playoff teams from last year, starting with Island Trees in the opener on Sept. 5 and a playoff rematch against Seaford on Oct. 3. Winnable matchups include winless Lawrence on Sept. 20 and two games against 1-8 Oyster Bay, which could help boost their record.

“I think our ﬁrst two games are huge,” Pajer said. “It’s important to get off to a good start. I think Island Trees will be better than they were last year. But we take one game at a time. With our offense controlling the ball, we can be in every game.”

And for Pajer, the formula to be in every game is simple.

“We’ve got to make plays,” Pajer said. “Get fumbles, cause turnovers. And if we do all that, we’ll be in games. When you’re in a game, little things make the difference.”

Jethro Jaquet

TERRY HAYES

MICHAEL TIZIO

TRISTEN ROSE

Photos by Sue Grieco

Balance vital to Spartans ‘ attack

By GARRETT D. URIBE

The Spartans’ air attack loses three chief weapons to graduation - but the key to its delivery system stays in place, as senior Aiden Barnes starts his third season at quarterback for Elmont, which went 6-3 last autumn, wrapping its postseason for a fourth straight year as a Nassau Conference III quarterﬁnalist.

The departure of last season’s All-County trio of Spartans pass-catchers (Nassir Edwards, Khalil Muhammad and Arlyn Brown) could have occasioned much hand-wringing among the Elmont staff – but third-year head coach Tom Innes has instead framed the moment as one of strategic opportunity.

“Last year teams knew what we had on the outside – our big receivers – and they sat on that stuff with cover four, with two high safeties, just made things as difﬁcult as possible for Aiden, who still was able to come through,” Innes said of his Third-Team All-State signal caller, whose 1,377 yards passing ranked No. 5 in Nassau.

“This year I don’t think we see that as much,” said Innes, whose team returns to Conference III. “I think they’ll probably be looking for us to run, which could open things up for Aiden and our new guys a little.”

Elmont reloads its receiving corps with ﬁrst-year seniors Guyps-Lee Cherry, Jayden Cajuste and transfer Justin Reid out of Florida, who’ll also start on defense at linebacker.

“Justin came in and exploded on the scene,” Innes said. “Since the start of summer he’s learned the offense, learned the defense; it’s like he’s been here for years already.”

Ensconcing himself as a starter last season, junior Elijah Davis resumes tailback duties for Elmont, looking to build on last year’s solid output (635 yards, eight touchdowns), even as foes this fall are sure take special note of him in schemes – the bruising, six-foot 220-pounder now a dangerous known quantity.

“Look, I think teams will focus on Elijah,” Innes said. “Well, then we throw it 60 times with Aiden. But if they choose

instead to focus on Aiden, would I run it 60 times with Elijah? Why wouldn’t I? We could do either one. It’s actually an advantage over last year.”

Third-year-starting center Malachi Collins will again anchor Elmont’s offensive line, alongside fellow senior Zavion McPherson and juniors Tahj Valentine and Kyle McGruder, with freshman Ugom Nnabuogor becoming a ﬁrst-year starter at tackle.

Moving from O-line (guard) to – of all positions – H-back, or “sniffer,” is third-year starter Kirkley Grant (who’ll remain at the line on defense). The ﬁve-11, 220-pound senior’s athleticism sparked ideas in Innes’ mind during camp with regard to optimizing Grant’s utility.

“Kirkley’s a lineman; a tough kid, even though he’s not so big,” Innes said. “He’s a hard-worker and athletic enough to play a tight end position as well as be sixth blocker. We questioned ourselves about it, but in the end we had conﬁdence that Kirkley should move to this position.”

Defensively Elmont brings back end Jahmari Liverpool, with outside backer Jaden Modelo slated to work with Davis (63 tackles, two forced fumbles) at the Spartans’ second level. Six-foot-two senior Jaiden Williams will line up across-ﬁeld from fellow cornerback Cherry, with senior Ryan Michelm moving up to ﬁrst-string safety.

“Jaiden Williams is interesting because he’s ﬂying under the radar,” Innes said. “He’s six-two, runs track, is long and fast. I think he’ll do great things for us, covering guys.”

In two years at the helm, Innes has guided Elmont to a pair of winning seasons, each with a playoff appearance as payoff. A hurdle – established ahead of Innes’ arrival – that still remains is Elmont’s proceeding beyond the postseason’s ﬁrst round.

“The streak we want to continue is winning and making the playoffs,” said Innes, whose club opens its season at home against league foe Bethpage Sept. 13. “But as a head coach I’m 0-for-2 in the playoffs. We’ve addressed that issue, what we need to do to keep winning, all the way to the championship hopefully.”

“This year we’ve sweated and worked hard all offseason,” Innes added. “We all feel ready to play.”

Aiden Barnes

MALACHI COLLINS

KIRKLEY GRANT

ELIJAH DAVIS

Photos by Jeff Wilson

By DYLAN BUTLER

TDalers geared for a title run

here are championship expectations at Farmingdale.

It has nothing to do with the multitude of returning starters, including arguably the best running back in Nassau County from a team that reached the Conference I championship game last fall.

That’s just the culture at Farmingdale.

“The expectations here are always that we’re going to win the thing,” legendary head coach Buddy Krumenacker said. “It’s never like ‘well, we’re hoping to maybe get in the top four this year.’ It’s not who we are. We’re somebody different than that.”

A year ago, the Dalers were agonizingly close to the 18th county title in program history. But they fell just short, losing to rival Massapequa in overtime at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium.

And while the focus is squarely on the challenges ahead of them, that devastating defeat certainly serves as added motivation.

Farmingdale is the preseason No. 1 seed in Nassau Conference I, proof that the other coaches in the county also believe the Dalers could be on top come November.

“We have the personnel to be the champion,” said Krumenacker, entering his 33rd year as Farmingdale head coach. “Now, whether we’re going to be or not, that’s why they have a scoreboard at the end of the ﬁeld.”

That personnel starts up front, with seniors Jack McCarthy, Jordan Petzold, Jake Kunz, and Aiden Thomas — all returning starters on the offensive line who will be joined by ﬁrst-year starter James Queen, who is also a senior.

And when you add in returning tight end Mateo Morales and returning fullback Jovens Theodate, both seniors, there should be some sizable holes for Josh Kama to run through.

“They’re workers,” Krumenacker said. “When you’re good up front, when your linemen are good, they’re not good because they happen to be good, they’re good because they’re workers and they’re talented.

FARMINGDALE

The ball doesn’t move without those guys.” Kama, who has a combination of power and pace, rushed for 1,717 yards and 29 touchdowns a year ago and is poised to be even better this fall.

“If you work at this, which he does, you’re going to get better, and in high school the next year, you’re a year older. And that makes a difference,” Krumenacker said. “Being a high school senior, you’re a year older, stronger, closer to manhood. You win football games with young men. You don’t win with boys.”

Mike Galgano, who anchors the defensive secondary at strong safety, will likely start at quarterback, ﬁlling in for Dennis Finkel, while junior Patrick Videau and sophomore Jack Watrous will be the main receivers following the graduation of the dynamic duo of Gavin Gatchalian and JJ Collins.

JJ Damo, who was solid as a junior, is also back at kicker.

“He’s a three-year guy with us playing defense and was the backup to Dennis,” Krumenacker said of Galgano. “The kid can run with the football, so you’ve got another guy in the backﬁeld who can carry. And he throws it well enough that he can be a quarterback.”

Senior Wilson Quintanilla is a returning starter at defensive tackle and will lead up front along with Morales at end, while Kama is back at linebacker, along with Theodate and Watrous, who will look to replace Rocco Martilotti and Matt Ippoliti.

“He’s a bit of a wrecking ball at defensive tackle, and he’s started for us in the past, so he’s somebody who will be a problem to block,” Krumenacker said of Quintanilla.

A year removed from a 9-2 season in which the Dalers’ only defeats were to the Chiefs, Krumenacker has liked what he’s seen from his team in the preseason, a bluecollar mentality in the heat of August, which could pay off during the chill of November.

“We practice good here,” Krumenacker said. “They’re all here, and they’re all working, and none of that changes. It’s pretty constant. We’ve got a bunch of guys back who had a lot of experience a year ago.”

Jack McCarthy

AIDEN THOMAS

JAKE KUNZ

JORDAN PETZOLD

Photos by Karen Millindorf

Red Devils tackle challenging road

By ANDREW COEN

Freeport’s football team will face more obstacles than most this fall.

The Red Devils, who underwent a coaching change with longtime assistant Mike McQueen taking over for Jimmy Jones, will have a bit of a nomadic schedule due to ongoing renovations at their home field. Freeport will play two “home” games at Long Beach Middle School and one at Mitchel Athletic Complex with plans to host the regular-season finale on Nov. 1 at its own high school if the field project is completed in time.

“There are a lot of hurdles to get over but we are up for it,” said McQueen, a former Freeport player who has been on the Red Devils’ coaching staff since 2008. “The kids are in the right mindset and are pushing through.”

McQueen, who was defensive coordinator last season, inherits a Freeport team that returns 13 seniors off a 4-5 squad that fell to second-seeded Oceanside in the Conference I quarterﬁnals. Freeport entered the new season seeded fourth in the 12-team Conference I behind Farmingdale, two-time defending champion Massapequa and Oceanside.

The Red Devils’ offense will be led under center by sophomore quarterback Jayden Mosley, who McQueen described as a “dual threat” who can make plays with his arm and legs. Mosley was starting quarterback on JV a year ago.

Mosley will have plenty of potential passing targets including running back Dawud Abdul Ali along with senior receivers Andrew Carter, Jalen Brown and Glen “GP3” Person lll, who will line up in the slot position. Carter is a three-year two-way starter who recorded ﬁve receptions in Freeport’s 12-7 victory at Westbury last season.

Freeport will largely rely on its running game behind Abdul Ali, a senior who gained some backﬁeld experience last year that included rushing for 55 yards on just ﬁve carries and one touchdown in the Red Devils’ 47-0 win against Hicksville.

“He’s a one cut and go type of running back,” said McQueen of Abdu Ali. “He gets the ball, makes one cut and he’s downhill.”

The running game will be powered by the offensive line which features left tackle David Addo, left guard Malik Groover, center Jason Cantres, right guard Johnny Romero and right tackle Jaren Reeder.

The defense will be anchored by Brown at middle linebacker and Groover at defensive tackle. McQueen is expecting a big year in the defensive trenches out of Groover, a senior who is listed at 6-1 and 275 pounds.

“He is one big load,” said McQueen of Groover, who is looking to play college football next season. “He is going to be a hard one to block in the run game and the pass game.”

Freeport will be tested in Conference I right off the bat against defending Long Island Class I champion Massapequa and Port Washington, which handed the Red Devils a 29-8 loss last season. McQueen is hoping his team can improve throughout the season and be in position to host a playoff game at its refurbished Freeport High School ﬁeld, which will feature new turf, bleachers and press box.

“It’s a very deep conference and I feel like top to bottom everybody is a threat,” McQueen said. “It’s about who comes to work that day.”

McQueen said he is utilizing many coaching principals learned under former longtime Freeport head coach Russ Cellan, who led the Red Devils to seven Long Island titles in his 38 years leading the sidelines before retiring after the 2023 season. The ﬁrst-year head coach stressed that the simpler he can make his system for the players the better chance of competing for a championship at Hofstra.

“Our mantra is we want to be too fast and too physical,” McQueen said. “We want to simplify everything and just have them play freely and fast and just ﬂy around and make plays on all three sides of the ball, offense, defense and special teams.”

MALIK GROOVER

JALEN BROWN

GLEN PERSON III

Photos by Erik Lee

Ken Dookram, Agent

49 West Merrick Road

Freeport, NY 11520

Bus: 516-378-4466

ken.dookram.svvj@statefarm.com

Se habla Español

ken.dookram.svvj@statefarm.com

Se habla Español

Experienced Tigers embrace fresh start

By MARC BERMAN

After a down season, Hempstead is ready to rock again with a potentially solid quarterback situation, a worldbeater in senior Jonathan Davis and a a lot of returning players with experience.

A young Tigers team ﬁnished 3-5 last season in Conference 1, breaking a two-year playoff run for Hempstead head coach Matt Ali, who enters his fourth season at the helm.

“For sure man, we are looking to go to Hofstra,’’ Ali said. “My ﬁrst two years we had home playoff games. Last year we were very young and inexperienced. We certainly got plenty of experience last year. The majority of our team is back. We only graduated two, three guys who got meaningful snaps.’’

The key loss was captain, Nasir Motley, who played center and defensive tackle but there’s plenty to make up for him with 18 seniors.

“We started a lot of young players and made strong strides as the season went along,’’ Ali said. “The kids had a great off season. They were not happy with the way last season ﬁnished. This group didn’t like getting their butts kicked last year and they’re hungry not to just get to the playoffs but make some noise in it.’’

It all starts with Davis, who will spot at running back, receiver and returner. Davis is college-football material with Stony Brook showing interest.

Last year Davis played quarterback the ﬁrst four games but ﬁnished at running back/receiver at earned honorable mention All-County. Davis recorded 18 total touchdowns and three interceptions at defensive back.

“That’s where we could get him into space more often,” Ali said. “This year he will be used all over the ﬁeld, featured on offense and defense.’’

All eyes will also be on Hempstead’s quarterback derby where sophomore Seth Montgomery and senior Ibrhim Jalloh duked it out in training camp. Montgomery ﬁnished the last four games last season as a freshman

and showed a lot of promise by notching four touchdowns in his debut against Syosset. He’ll compete against a senior in Jalloh, who enjoyed a “great summer’’, Ali said.

The excitement for the Tigers’ offense also stems from having versatile senior Jayden Polite line up at either fullback or tight end.

Polite, who also plays linebacker, leading the team in sacks, earned All Conference honors. “He is strong, physical and has worked his way into great shape this offseason,’’ Ali said. “He’s a great blocker and good athlete.’’

Polite is a three-sport athlete. “He’s gotten in such great shape playing basketball and lacrosse,’’ Ali said. “He’s worked his way out of the line to more of a playmaker role.’’

And the list of Hempstead weapons goes on. Junior Lamarcus Parson may actually lead the club in carries at running back after being the featured guy in 2024, scoring ﬁve times. He also led the team in tackles at safety.

“(Parson) is a smaller guy who does a really good job ﬁnding the holes,’’ Ali said. “He gets lost in there and, all of a sudden, breaks out for big runs. He’s a tough runner, tough guy to bring down. He seems to be leader in the house for carries this season.’’

Senior Amare Collins is second receiver after Davis. In 2024, Collins exploded for two games with 150-plus receiving yards. Off to a late start because of injury, Collins is a smaller slot guy and excellent route runner.

Manning both lines with physicality is 6-foot-2, 270-pound senior Calvin Dunbar. Junior Levon McKithen will join him on the defensive and offensive line after playing the last part of 2024 as a promising sophomore. “(McKithen) He had a great offseason – a big weight-room guy,’’ Ali said.

On defense, Christian Sams will move to outline linebacker and also spot at running back. “He’s a great tackler and blitzer,’’ Ali said.

The season opener is against Westbury at home but the bigger litmus test is Herricks on Sept. 19 as Hempstead looks for revenge after last season’s home beating. “That would be the game to show us where we’re at,’’ Ali said.

Jonathan Davis

AMARE COLLINS

JAYDEN POLITE

CALVIN DUNBAR

Photos by Ron Manfredi

New team, goal remains same for Bulldogs

By NICK MONGIOVI

The Bulldogs will look a little different after graduating an All-County quarterback, All-County nose guard and an honorable mention All-County inside linebacker. A season that was the culmination of four years of hard work, ended with a 4-4 regular-season record and a ﬁrst-round exit in the Conference III playoffs as the No. 6 seed.

For head coach John Palladino, it’s a fresh start with few starters back in the fold.

“It’s a lot of hard work, we put a lot of work in during the summer,” he said. “We had good attendance during our summer conditioning program and we’re going to look a lot different.”

Even with a roster littered with underclassmen and inexperience at the varsity level, showing up and competing during the offseason showed the kids are bought in.

“We have three simple goals,” Palladino said. “We want to come to practice every day, we want to work hard and get better and have fun while doing it. We don’t talk about the playoffs. We don’t talk about records. We don’t talk about championships.”

Hewlett has many holes to fill, and none more important than the quarterback position. Replacing star quarterback Matt DeCicco will be a tall task, but finding a player to fit the system might just be all the Bulldogs and Palladino need.

Three-year varsity player and senior Stefano Borsellino, who started at safety over the last two seasons, will be in contention for the starting quarterback vacancy. He’ll also stay on the ﬁeld to punt and kick. “He’s got a pretty good skillset and our offense, we do a lot of reading so the quarterback really has to be in tune to what’s going on with reading a little bit of the defense and identifying players. Usually our quarterback is one of our smarter players, he’s got a good football IQ. So, we want to have the best possible player in that position for us.”

Junior Preston Cusumano, the JV start-

ing quarterback for the past two seasons, will also have a chance to earn the starting role.

Junior Jacob Eisenberg will be the third and ﬁnal quarterback to round out the three-way competition, as Palladino searches for his next passer. “He’s [Eisenberg] been a pleasant surprise this summer, he hasn’t played football for school in a couple years,” Palladino said.

“He’s a really smart, coachable kid and he got a lot of good reps this summer. We’ll see where this whole quarterback thing takes us.”

There are three spots on the offensive line locked in; Senior left tackle Joardin Bojorge, senior left guard Jude Zack and junior right tackle Dom Lord. The lone starter on the defensive line is returning senior end Kobe Cox.

Junior Dylan Parchment will be handed the rock out of the backﬁeld, working behind an offensive line that’s in need of a starting center and right guard.

While there are plenty of question marks, the linebacker core isn’t one of them.

“The side that’s going to be our strongest is probably the linebackers,” Palladino said of the defense. “We’re returning a starting inside linebacker. I think we’re going to be okay at the other inside linebacker position and our two outside linebackers are players that I trust and their skillsets ﬁt what we’re gonna ask them to do.”

Senior Elisha Frenkel is a returning starter at inside linebacker, and is joined there by junior Jostin Poveda. The two junior outside linebackers are Daniel Tolstykh and Eilai Karadi.

A team with young players will have a veteran presence and leadership from a few captains; Frenkel, Borsellino, Cox and Bojorge.

“We take it one day at a time and we try not to get too high whether it be a win or a loss,” Palladino said. “We got two simple rules for our program – be on time and be a good teammate. We want to give these kids a great high school experience.”

Stefano Borsellino

KOBE COX

ELISHA FRENKEL

JOARDIN BOJORGE

Photos by Ron Manfredi

Cougars on prowl for a turnaround

By BRIAN KACHARABA

Not only did the ﬁnal game of the 2024 season help the Kennedy football team avoid a winless campaign, it also offered the coaching staff a glimpse of a promising future that could pay dividends this fall.

The Cougars beneﬁted from a crossover ninth game against one-win Oyster Bay, and they seized the opportunity by rolling to a 33-8 victory. The matchup not only ended the season on a high note but also gave head coach John McGuire an early look at the program’s younger talent heading into the offseason.

As it turns out, McGuire had a hand in making the extra game possible.

“I was on the committee that helped put together that whole thought process with game nine and with the crossover, and we were able to absolutely take full advantage,” he said. “We brought up about 10 JV kids, all of whom had a great week of practice, and each one of them got to make some sort of play, which was nice to see. So, it really was a nice way to end.”

Two Kennedy players are locked in a ﬁerce battle to claim the top quarterback spot: juniors Demetri Christopoulos, who played safety last season, and Dylan Babek, who capped the 2024 ﬁnale with a rushing touchdown. Christopoulos has been a quarterback since his youth and brings experience at the position, while Babek is a standout baseball player and a three-sport athlete (basketball.)

Whoever wins the competition will inherit an offense that averaged just over 15 points a game last fall.

“They’re pushing each other,” McGuire said. “On JV last year, they split series. We’re going to look for one to take kind of the lead in the reins, and whoever’s not it is deﬁnitely going to be on the ﬁeld for us because they’re just dynamic athletes.”

Senior Anthony Scali, one of only two returning players who scored touchdowns last year—along with Babek—should see the bulk of the carries in the backﬁeld.

Junior Dominik Vaglica is expected to be the primary backup.

“He’s put in all the work,” McGuire said of Scali. “He’s such a great kid and a good leader. Everybody would want a kid like him on their team.”

At wide receiver, senior Chris Yao is a dependable, lead-by-example player with reliable hands. On the opposite side, junior Robbie Beinert and senior Damian Petrone are competing in training camp for the starting role.

The projected offensive line features junior tackles Connor Timoney and Ryder Bachisin, seniors Ethan Polinsky and Ian Garcia at guard, and junior Aaron Ribenbach at center. Christian Cruz, a tackle last season, will move to the defensive line, where he’ll join senior Jake Epstein and junior interior linemen Jahsua Pierre-Paul and C.J. Siegler.

“Jake’s a smart kid,” McGuire said of Epstein. “He’s long, athletic, pretty quick and agile. So he’ll be more of our, you know, athletic DM, and Cruz will be more of a foundry DM.”

Senior Logan Allen, a former offensive lineman, will now play exclusively at linebacker to preserve his health after suffering two ACL injuries—one in each knee.

“You would never think he’s gone through anything,” McGuire said of Allen’s training camp. “He’s just a happy-go-lucky kid, but we’re going to run him exclusively at linebacker.”

Allen will be joined by “super fast” and energetic senior Darlinsky Fabian. On the outside, Sean Marzano and senior A.J. Herlihy are expected to contribute.

The secondary should be anchored by senior John Mazzio, junior Daniel Shepelskiy, and junior safety Jonathan Cohen, giving Kennedy a mix of experience and speed in pass coverage.

Kennedy, seeded 12th, will face a difﬁcult slate this fall. Four of their opponents were playoff teams, including a tough opener against East Meadow on Sept. 13. Still, opportunities for wins are present. The Cougars will meet winless Roslyn/Friends Academy twice and host 1-8 Jericho on Oct. 4, games that could help boost their record.

Anthony Scali

ETHAN POLINKSKY

C.J. SIEGLER

CHRIS YAO

Photos by Ron Manfredi

Golden Tornadoes eye milestone victory

By TONY BELLISSIMO

One of the most-storied football programs in Nassau County history has been on downward spiral for quite some time but with more experience up front and a talented dual-threat quarterback, Lawrence is looking to crack the win column in 2025 for what would be its 550th all-time victory.

The Golden Tornadoes have lost 20 consecutive games dating back to midway through the 2022 campaign, but secondyear head coach Akym Land, a 2017 Lawrence graduate who quarterbacked a team that reached the semiﬁnals, believes a better performance in the trenches will allow them to be more competitive.

“Our numbers are the lowest they’ve ever been, but the kids we have are dedicated and they really showed me something in a joint practice against Roslyn,” Land said. “I was surprised how physical we were. It was nice to see and that physicality is something we need to take into the opening game against North Shore.”

The ideal situation isn’t ideal, however, as Lawrence is likely to max out at 20 kids in uniform on game days. “We don’t have a JV and we no longer have a Middle School team so it’s difﬁcult,” said Land, entering his ﬁfth season as a member of the varsity coaching staff after previously serving as quarterback coach and offensive coordinator. “But I do know the kids have been working in the weight room since May and the desire in there. It’s just hard to replicate what you fully want to in practice with the numbers we’re working with.”

Land is excited about Lawrence’s potential on the offensive line to give junior quarterback Khalil Brassell more opportunity to do damage. Brassell is a returning starter and the most-athletic kid on the roster, Land noted. “He has a strong arm, runs well and makes smart decisions,” Land explained. “His football IQ is very high and he does everything in his power to make us successful.”

The entire offensive line will undoubtedly be better individual and as a group, the coach said. Junior left tackle Anthony Martinez is only in his second year playing football but brings excellent size and stamina as well as improved technique. Senior Mark Iacomino is a left guard who squats 400 pounds and is one of the team’s hardest workers, Land said. At center, senior Jeremiah Ulloa could miss a game or two due to a foot injury but should be ready to go before September ends. Last year he was a starting defensive tackle; now he’s going to work double duty like most of his teammates. On the right side, senior Anthony Ayala (6-foot-4, 320 pounds) is at guard and Land said he has the ability to win every battle. Junior tackle Joshua Jonas is a fast learner who’s come a long way in a short time.

At the skill positions, senior Mykel Gajadhar will be the feature back and also the vocal leader of the defense at middle linebacker. “He’s built like a downhill runner and it’s his time to shine,” Land said. “He doesn’t go down easy and on defense he makes all the plays.”

Senior Lucas Martinez is the team’s best tackler and brings a high level of intensity to the secondary as the strong safety. He’ll also contribute in the passing game both as a receiver and blocker. Sophomore Dilon Harris is an offensive and special teams threat who can make things happen with the ball in his hands. Junior receiver/defensive back Tristan Darwin has reliable hands and strong blocking ability.

The Golden Tornadoes are seeded at the bottom of the 13-team Conference IV, but the schedule does offer some relief. The highest-ranked opponent on the slate is Malverne at No. 7. Lawrence faces both No. 12 Oyster Bay and No. 11 Carle Place twice.

“One of our goals is to break the losing streak and get that 550th win for the program,” Land said.

Khalil Brassell

JOSHUA JONAS

MYKEL GAJADHAR

ANTHONY MARTINEZ

Photos by Donovan Berthoud

LONG BEACH

Marines ranked among leading contenders

By DAVID WEINGRAD

Amostly returning Long Beach squad that reached the conference semiﬁnals last season has even more weapons this fall, particularly in its dynamic receiving corps, and looks primed to push even further.

The Marines ﬁnished 5-5 last year in Nassau Conference II, where they currently open the season ranked third. With a veteran core and a surplus of skill players on offense, head coach Scott Martin believes surpassing last year’s results is well within its grasp.

“Every year we have the goal to make it to Hofstra as a Big-4 champion,” Martin said. “That goal hasn’t changed. It just feels more reachable at this point.”

That veteran core is led by senior quarterback Charlie Conway, who started every game last season and earned All-Conference honors. Martin described him as a smart passer who reads progressions well, but also knows when to take off with the ball.

“He’s a dual threat who is very tough,” Martin said. “Getting hit is not something on his mind. What’s on his mind is making the right read.”

Junior running back and linebacker Brody Riedel returns as one of the most dynamic players on team – if not all of Long Island. An All-County selection, he led the team in tackles while also proving himself as an explosive runner who is hard to bring down. “He’s one of the most talented players we’ve had in a while,” Martin said.

Clearing paths for Riedel is senior fullback Max Schimmel, who impressed last season with his hard-nosed blocking and soft hands out of the backﬁeld.

It’s the wide receivers, though, that set this Marines squad apart offensively. Senior Zack Silva, who is back healthy after missing half of last year, headlines the group. The 6-foot Silva stretches the ﬁeld as a true deep threat with reliable hands.

“Teams are going to have to know where he is,” Martin said. “When we motion him, they’ll have to adjust fast.”

In Silva’s absence last season, junior Danilo Corea stepped up as the top target, impressing with his sure hands and ability to make plays after the catch. Now, with both Silva and Korea healthy and in their natural roles, Martin sees headaches ahead for opposing defenses. “It’ll be tough for defenses to contain both of them,” he said.

The depth doesn’t stop there. Junior Cian Donaghy brings a high football IQ, versatility as a pass catcher, and blocking ability to not only the receiving corps but at cornerback. Fellow juniors Brody Juan and Jaron Burns have ﬂashed promise as well, giving Martin plenty of options to get creative with his schemes.

The receiving corps “is probably the most skilled talent I’ve ever had,” said Martin, who has led Long Beach football for 17 years.

The Marines’ offensive line also returns largely intact. Senior Brandon Galeano, who started at center last year, anchors the group but has the ﬂexibility to play multiple spots. Martin believes he has All-Conference potential.

Reliable junior Vaughn Bogacki started every game a year ago and is back at right tackle, while twin juniors Charlie and Jack Muskin provide additional experience up front. Senior Marlon Diaz, a 300-pounder, offers valuable depth as a short-yardage specialist when his team needs to gain a key ﬁrst down.

The Marines will be tested right away. Their opener is against powerhouse Garden City, ranked ﬁrst in Conference II and looking for a 10th straight county title, followed by a Week 2 matchup with Glen Cove and then New Hyde Park, a team Long Beach knocked out in the ﬁrst round of last year’s playoffs.

Martin said his team and coaching staff are laser focused on that ﬁrst game. “Right now, our eyes are on Garden City. It’s been like that the last three months.”

And overall, Martin likes what he’s seen of his team in preseason. “They’re smart, they’re dedicated, and everyone’s excited about how we’re playing,” he said. “We’re looking to make another run this year — maybe the championship and beyond.”

Charlie Conway

BRANDON GALEANO

TIM MILLER

MAX SHIMMEL

Photos by Eric Dunetz

2025 NASSAU COUNTY FOOTBALL RANKINGS

CONFERENCE I

1. Farmingdale Dalers

2. Massapequa Chiefs

3. Oceanside Sailors

4. Freeport Red Devils

5. Syosset Braves

6. Port Washington Vikings

7. Hempstead Tigers

8. Herricks Highlanders

9. Plainview Hawks

10. Westbury Green Dragons

11. Uniondale Knights

12. Hicksville Comets

CONFERENCE II

1. Garden City Trojans

2. Mepham Pirates

3. Long Beach Marines

4. East Meadow Jets

5. New Hyde Park Gladiators

6. Glen Cove Big Red

7. MacArthur Generals

8. Baldwin Bruins

9. Calhoun Colts

10. Roosevelt Rough Riders

11. V.S. Central Eagles

12. Kennedy Cougars

13. Jericho Jayhawks

14. Roslyn Bulldogs

CONFERENCE III

1. Carey Seahawks

2. Wantagh Warriors

3. South Side Cyclones

4. Elmont Spartans

5. Floral Park Knights

6. Bethpage Golden Eagles

7. Clarke Rams

8. V.S. North Spartans

9. V.S. South Falcons

10. Hewlett Bulldogs

11. Division Dragons

12. Manhasset ‘Set

13. Sewanhaka Ravens

14. Mineola Mustangs

CONFERENCE IV

1. Plainedge Red Devils

2. Seaford Vikings

3. Lynbrook Owls

4. Locust Valley Falcons

5. Cold Spring Harbor Seahawks

6. Island Trees Bulldogs

7. Malverne Mules

8. West Hempstead Rams

9. North Shore Vikings

10. East Rockaway Rocks

11. Carle Place Frogs

12. Oyster Bay Baymen

13. Lawrence Golden Tornadoes

Photo by Sue Grieco

Malverne is ranked No. 7 in the 13-team Nassau Conference IV this season and kicks off the campaign against newcomer Lynbrook.

Depth could carry experienced Owls far

By PATRICK MOQUIN

Being a member of Lynbrook football requires a year-round mindset, and in his fourth year as head coach, Dave Yaker will ﬁnally get the chance to implement his system with seniors he has worked with from the very beginning.

“This is the only team that I’ve had so far that’s had a full four years in this program,” Yaker said. “So really just looking forward to seeing, you know, how they embrace that and how they handle it.”

According to the head coach, this will also be his ﬁrst roster to feature touchdown scorers from a previous season. Lynbrook, now in a realigned Nassau Conference IV, will count on this continuity to build on its 5-3 record last year.

The Owls’ offense will run through quarterback Chase Samelson, who showed considerable potential when he stepped into the starting role late in his junior year. After leading the Owls to victory over Bethpage in the ﬁnal game of the regular season, Samelson scored both touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air, when they came up short to Floral Park in the Conference III quarterﬁnals.

“He has the experience, even if he wasn’t the named starter last year,” Yaker said. “He had a lot of great experience, played in a lot of games and in really meaningful games.“

Samelson is expected to be spoiled with options, as Yaker is prepared to start four wide receivers. Seniors Jake Brenneis and Miles Storm will line up in the slot, while senior Tim Odiah will be joined by junior Orji Agwu on the outside. The offensive line is similarly bolstered by returning players, as center Mason Cofer will line up with stout guards Tony Lazri and R.J. Tinyes.

Yaker described the running game as a two-pronged attack between seniors Michael Potash and Paolo Palleschi. Yaker believes both running backs are worthy of starting, which considerably expands Lynbrook’s playbook out of the backﬁeld. Both players are major contributors on defense as

well, as Potash was originally a linebacker and Palleschi plays cornerback.

Both seniors also have younger brothers who are expected to earn playing time, as Marco Palleschi will ﬁll in at linebacker while Tommy Potash will get an opportunity as Lynbrook’s second cornerback. The Owls may need time to prepare new players on defense, but defensive back and captain Chris Mangieri should be a level head while they adjust. The versatile senior who is expected to contribute everywhere.

“He’s going to play in multiple phases of the game,” Yaker said. “Offense, defense special teams. He had an interception for a touchdown last year, multiple pass breakups, tackles. He started every single game for us as a junior.”

Lynbrook football isn’t always actively training, but Yaker encourages kids to take steps all year to prepare and improve. No one took this to heart more than Brandon Scala, a senior who has appeared out of nowhere to become Lynbrook’s starting free safety. He will also contribute as a wide receiver and on special teams.

“Brandon could not step on the ﬁeld for us last year,” Yaker said. “It had nothing to do with his athleticism. He just wasn’t there yet. And then, something clicked. We pushed him in the off-season and he showed up. He kept pushing and pushing, and then this summer, everyone turned their heads. Who is this kid?”

Yaker isn’t the only one taking note. In Scala’s junior year, Lynbrook boys’ lacrosse coach Bill Luzzi said he had no idea what to expect from him, only for the midﬁelder to become one of the Owls’ leading scorers. Now, he’s bringing that improvement to the gridiron.

Most starters are multi-sport athletes, and in Yaker’s system, that’s not a coincidence. Half the offensive line is on the wrestling team; Samelson spends his winters on the basketball court and Paolo Palleschi plans to play baseball in college. Yaker believes the best football players are complete athletes, those who train their bodies and minds to compete, rather than specialize. In this sense, the Owls are always ready.

Chase Samelson

CHRIS MANGIERI

MICHAEL POTASH

TONI LAZRI

Photos by Erik Lee

MacARTHUR

Generals work to overcome inexperience

By ANDREW COEN

MacArthur will begin the 2025 football season with many new faces after graduating the bulk of last year’s starters from a team that earned the six seed in the Nassau Conference II playoffs.

With only five starters returning on both sides of the ball, MacArthur was seeded seventh in the preseason Conference II rankings, which would leave the Generals barely qualifying for the eight-team postseason. Longtime head coach Bobby Fehrenbach is hoping his young team can far exceed that seeding and make a run at returning to Hofstra for the county semifinal stage for the first time since 2021.

“There’s gonna be a lot of inexperience on the ﬁeld at the beginning of the year,” said Fehrenbach, who played for the Generals in the 1990s and guided the program to county titles as a head coach in 2002 and 2015. “I think we’ll be okay but we’ll have to see because we haven’t been where we want to be as a program the last couple of years.”

Junior Connor Schmidt is the only twoway starter returning and will be relied upon to anchor the offensive line at tackle. Seniors Liam Donnelly, who started some games at center last year, CJ McNulty and Mario Ferruzola along with junior Trisian Waters are also expected to play key roles in the trenches this fall.

The line will be creating holes for a deep backﬁeld that includes returners Ethan Shapiro, Tyler Centonze, Caden Cullen, Tom Murphy and Dylan Shanahan.

“We are deepest at the running back spot,” Fehrenbach said.

The passing game also boasts plenty of weapons including tight ends Mike Lane and Tom Derosa along with wide receivers Ben Arreaga and Tim Patrey. Senior Danny Lopez, who was a backup running back last year, is switching to the receiver position this season and adds another threat to the Generals’ aerial attack.

The starting quarterback spot entering

the season was up for grabs between juniors Vinny Szucs and Jake Henschel. Szucs was the varsity backup signal caller last season while Henschel started on JV.

On defense, Schmidt, Waters, McNulty and Lane will play an integral role stopping the run on the defensive line. The Generals also have depth at linebacker with a unit consisting of Cullen Ferrazulo, Shanahan and Thompson.

The Generals are seeded seventh in Conference II behind Glen Cove, New Hyde Park, East Meadow, Long Beach, Mepham and Garden City. The latter has won nine straight county titles and enters the campaign riding a 53-game winning streak.

While Garden City is the clear favorite in Conference II, Fehrenbach sees much of the conference as being wide open. He noted that after second-seeded Mepham and Long Beach at third, who both return plenty of talent, the league is fairly even for the next six spots.,

“I don’t think the conference is as deep at the top as it has been in years past,” said Fehrenbach, whose team fell to Mepham in last year’s Conference II quarterﬁnals, 28-0. “After Garden City, Mepham and Long Beach you could throw a dart at four through six and we’d all be in the same ballpark.”

An experienced MacArthur squad will be tested early with a road game in nearby North Bellmore against Mepham in the second game on Sept. 20 followed two weeks later with a home battle versus Garden City. The schedule is also highlighted by an Oct. 25 home tilt against Long Beach.

“We’re trying to get better each and every day at practice and help these kids develop conﬁdence so that when they line up for real on a weekend they know what they are doing,” Fehrenbach said. “There’s no substitute for experience and with football you only get eight tries once a week so you don’t have as many opportunities to get yourself better like other sports so practice is going to be very important to get them ready.”

Connor Schmidt

DANNY LOPEZ

CADEN CULLEN

ETHAN SHAPIRO

Photos by Karen Millindorf

CIRCLE THE CALENDAR

High School

Fri. Sept. 5 WEST HEMPSTEAD SEAFORD 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 5 MALVERNE LYNBROOK 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 5 EAST ROCKAWAY Island Trees 630 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 6 PLAINEDGE NORTH SHORE 2:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 12 MALVERNE EAST ROCKAWAY 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 12 Mineola HEWLETT 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 12 MEPHAM Roosevelt 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 12 C.S. Harbor SEAFORD 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 12 Carle Place WEST HEMPSTEAD 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 12 Syosset FARMINGDALE 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 12 FREEEPORT MASSAPEQUA 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 12 Island Trees PLAINEDGE 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 12 V.S. NORTH WANTAGH 7:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 13 Westbury HEMPSTEAD 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Sept. 13 CLARKE SOUTH SIDE 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Sept. 13 Bethpage ELMONT 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Sept. 13 OCEANSIDE UNIONDALE 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Sept. 13 Glen Cove BALDWIN 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 13 CALHOUN New Hyde Park 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 13 V.S. SOUTH CAREY 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 13 EAST MEADOW KENNEDY 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 13 NORTH SHORE LAWRENCE 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 13 GARDEN CITY LONG BEACH 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 13 LYNBROOK LOCUST VALLEY 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 13 MACARTHUR V.S. CENTRAL 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 13 Floral Park SEWANHAKA 11:00 a.m.

Fri. Sept. 19 FARMINGDALE OCEANSIDE 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 19 MASSAPEQUA Westbury 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 19 SEAFORD Locust Valley 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 19 SOUTH SIDE Division 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 19 V.S. CENTRAL Jericho 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 19 Herricks HEMPSTEAD 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 19 New Hyde Park EAST MEADOW 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 19 PLAINEDGE Cold Spring Harbor 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 19 LONG BEACH Glen Cove 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 19 LYNBROOK Carle Place 7:15 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 20 Floral Park CAREY 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Sept. 20 UNIONDALE Hicksville 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Sept. 20 WANTAGH ELMONT 12:30 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 20 V.S. NORTH HEWLETT 1:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 20 BALDWIN Garden City 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 20 Roosevelt CALHOUN 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 20 CLARKE Mineola 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 20 LAWRENCE EAST ROCKAWAY 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 20 Roslyn KENNEDY 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 20 WEST HEMPSTEAD MALVERNE 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 20 SEWANHAKA V.S. SOUTH 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 20 MACARTHUR MEPHAM 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 20 Port Washington FREEPORT 3:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 26 UNIONDALE Westbury 5:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 26 ELMONT Manhasset 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 26 Herricks FARMINGDALE 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 26 HEMPSTEAD MASSAPEQUA 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 26 FREEPORT Syosset 6:30 p.m. Fri. Sept. 26 North Shore MALVERNE 7:00 p.m. Fri. Sept. 26 LAWRENCE Carle Place 7:15 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 26 FREEPORT Syosset 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 26 North Shore MALVERNE 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 26 LAWRENCE Carle Place 7:15 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 27 V.S. SOUTH Floral Park 1:30 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 27 Roslyn BALDWIN 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 27 KENNEDY CALHOUN 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 27 CAREY SOUTH SIDE 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 27 EAST MEADOW Garden City 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 27 EAST ROCKAWAY Oyster Bay 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 27 HEWLETT WANTAGH 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 27 LONG BEACH MEPHAM 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 27 Port Washington OCEANSIDE 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 27 Jericho MACARTHUR 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sep. 27 V.S. CENTRAL New Hyde Park 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 27 Bethpage V.S. NORTH 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 27 Island Trees WEST HEMPSTEAD 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 27 SEWANHAKA CLARKE 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 3 CAREY V.S. NORTH 4:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 3 BALDWIN V.S. CENTRAL 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 3 SEAFORD EAST ROCKAWAY 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 3 PLAINEDGE LYNBROOK 6:00 p.m. Fri. Oct. 3 MEPHAM Glen Cove 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 3 PLAINEDGE LYNBROOK 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 3 MEPHAM Glen Cove 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 3 OCEANSIDE MASSAPEQUA 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 3 SOUTH SIDE Bethpage 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 3 Garden City MACARTHUR 7:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 4 WANTAGH CLARKE 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 4 Roosevelt EAST MEADOW 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 4 Floral Park ELMONT 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 4 FARMINGDALE FREEPORT 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 4 HEWLETT Division 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 4 Jericho KENNEDY 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 4 LAWRENCE WEST HEMPSTEAD 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 4 New Hyde Park LONG BEACH 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 4 Mineola SEWANHAKA 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 4 Syosset UNIONDALE 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 4 Manhasset V.S. SOUTH 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 4 HEMPSTEAD Hicksville 3:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 10 ELMONT CAREY 4:15 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 10 FARMINGDALE HEMPSTEAD 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 10 Bethpage HEWLETT 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 10 MALVERNE SEAFORD 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 10 SOUTH SIDE WANTAGH 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 10 UNIONDALE Plainview 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 10 MASSAPEQUA Port Washington 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 10 WEST HEMPSTEAD PLAINEDGE 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 10 V.S. NORTH Mineola 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 10 OCEANSIDE Syosset 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 10 V.S. CENTRAL Glen Cove 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 10 CALHOUN LONG BEACH 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 10 CLARKE V.S. SOUTH 7:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 11 Manhasset SEWANHAKA 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Oct. 11 EAST MEADOW BALDWIN 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 11 KENNEDY Roosevelt 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 11 Oyster Bay LAWRENCE 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 11 Island Trees LYNBRROK 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 11 MEPHAM Garden City 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 11 Herricks FREEPORT 3:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 17 FREEPORT Westbury 5:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 17 Plainview OCEANSIDE 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 17 Floral Park SOUTH SIDE 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 17 ELMONT HEWLETT 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 17 Locust Valley PLAINEDGE 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 17 Bethpage WANTAGH 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 17 HEMPSTEAD Syosset 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 17 SEWANHAKA V.S. NORTH 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 17 V.S. SOUTH Division 7:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 18 CAREY CLARKE 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Oct. 18 MASSAPEQUA FARMINGDALE 1:00 pm.

Sat. Oct. 18 BALDWIN Roosevelt 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 18 MACARTHUR CALHOUN 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 18 LONG BEACH EAST MEADOW 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 18 EAST ROCKAWAY North Shore 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 18 KENNEDY Roslyn 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 18 MALVERNE LAWRENCE 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 18 LYNBROOK SEAFORD 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 18 New Hyde Park MEPHAM 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 18 Jericho V.S. CENTRAL 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 18 Hicksville UNIONDALE 3:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 24 SEAFORD Island Trees 5:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 24 SEWANHAKA Division 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 24 FARMIMGDALE Port Washington 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 24 FREEPORT OCEANSIDE 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 24 SEWANHAKA Division 6:00 p.m. Fri. Oct. 24 FARMIMGDALE Port Washington 6:00 p.m. Fri. Oct. 24 FREEPORT OCEANSIDE 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 24 HEMPSTEAD Plainview 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 24 HEWLETT Manhasset 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 24 EAST MEADOW Glen Cove 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 24 LONG BEACH MACARTHUR 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 24 PLAINEDGE MALVERNE 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 24 LONG BEACH MACARTHUR 7:00 p.m. Fri. Oct. 24 PLAINEDGE MALVERNE 7:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 25 WANTGH CAREY 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Oct. 25 CLARKE Floral Park 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Oct. 25 SOUTH SIDE V.S. SOUTH 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Oct. 25 V.S. NORTH ELMONT 1:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 25 BALDWIN MEPHAM 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 25 Garden City CALHOUN 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 25 EAST ROCKAWAY Locust Valley 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 25 New Hyde Park KENNEDY 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 25 LAWRNCE Oyster Bay 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 25 LYNBROOK Cold Spring Harbor 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 25 Roslyn V.S. CENTRAL 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 25 WEST HEMPSTEAD North Shore 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 25 Herricks UNIONDALE 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 25 Syosset MASSAPEQUA 3:00 p.m.

Thu. Oct. 30 KENNEDY MACARTHUR 6:30 p.m.

Thu. Oct. 30 Plainview FARMINGDALE 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 31 Oyster Bay EAST ROCKAWAY 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 31 North Shore LYNBROOK 6:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 31 SEAFORD PLAINEDGE 6:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 31 North Shore LYNBROOK 6:00 p.m. Fri. Oct. 31 SEAFORD PLAINEDGE 6:30 p.m.

Sat. Nov. 1 WANTAGH Floral Park 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Nov. 1 Division CLARKE 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Nov. 1 ELMONT SOUTH SIDE 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Nov. 1 UNIONDALE FREEPORT 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Nov. 1 HEWLETT SEWANHAKA 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Nov. 1 V.S. SOUTH Mineola 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Nov. 1 CALHOUN BALDWIN 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Nov. 1 MEPHAM EAST MEADOW 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Nov. 1 Carle Place LAWRENCE 2: 00p.m.

Sat. Nov. 1 V.S. CENTRAL LONG BEACH 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Nov. 1 C.S. Harbor MALVERNE 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Nov.1 Manhasset V.S. NORTH 2:00 p.m.

Sat. Nov. 1 CAREY Bethpage 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Nov. 1 OCEANSIDE HEMPSTEAD 3:00 p.m.

Sat. Nov. 1 Locust Valley WEST HEMPSTEAD 4:00 p.m.

NOTE: Home teams on right. Local teams listed in BOLD/CAPS

Mules banking on learning curve MALVERNE

By TONY BELLISSIMO

Replacing 20 players including a ton of starters from a successful 2023 campaign (7-3) proved too much for Malverne to overcome on the gridiron last season and the result was a 2-6 mark in Nassau Conference IV.

Now the Mules, seeded No. 8, must work around the unexpected departure of All-County running back/linebacker Isaiah Smith to Christ the King, to get back to the playoffs.

“It’s a tough loss we didn’t see coming but we’re still looking to compete for a playoff spot,” head coach Kito Lockwood said. “Last season was a rebuild. It’s a major blow graduating 20 guys, especially for a small school. Experience is always key and a lot of kids got a full season under their belts so that’s a good thing.”

The Mules are faced with a difﬁcult opener, travelling to face longtime Conference III staple Lynbrook, but also get East Rockaway, West Hempstead and North Shore in September. The second half of the schedule includes top-ranked Plainedge and No. 2 Seaford. “We can’t take anyone for granted and we need to take care of business against teams ranked below us and try to steal one of the games we’re not supposed to win on paper,” Lockwood said.

On the way to the semiﬁnals two years ago, Malverne defeated East Rockaway, West Hempstead and North Shore. The Mules only faced the latter of those last season and came up short in a tight 27-21 game.

The absence of Smith leaves Malverne’s ground attack in the legs of junior Jetin Teasley and sophomore Cameron Wesley. Teasley was a ﬁxture at offseason workouts and is 5-foot-11, 220 pounds, while the 6-1, 185-pound Wesley is a big, physical runner who’ll compliment Teasley’s speed. Both are also capable of starting at linebacker on a defense sure to be tested opening night.

Lockwood said the Mules will count

heavily on the efforts of junior Jace Richards

as a wide receiver in 2024 and has shown a level of defensive instincts this offseason never seed before and he’ll start in the

heavily on the efforts of junior Jace Richards on both sides of the ball. Richards started as a wide receiver in 2024 and has shown a level of defensive instincts this offseason never seed before and he’ll start in the secondary. “He wasn’t our No. 1 target but now he is and he has good chemistry with our quarterback [Jayden Jungra],” Lockwood said. “He has enough speed to get the job done and is just a talented football player. On defense, his level of anticipation has increased a lot.”

On defense, his level of anticipation has Jungra, a senior, has a full season as his on

a thrower than a dual threat. He’s a strong

Jungra, a senior, has a full season as a varsity starter as well as a full season running the JV offense under his belt. That experience has his head coach optimistic about putting points on the board. “Jayden can sling the pill downﬁeld and we’ll probably throw between 12 and 20 times a game,” Lockwood noted. “He’s smart and poised and a really good kid. He moves well enough to escape trouble but he’s more of a thrower than a dual threat. He’s a strong presence in the huddle and shows leadership.”

Some additional targets in the passing speedy

Some additional targets in the passing game include junior tight end/halfback Braylon Lewis, who got a taste of varsity mostly as a kicker last season, and speedy wideout Jahlil Ramnauth. “He’s quick and shifty and will likely be on special teams too,” Lockwood said of Ramnauth, whose brother Kris is expected to contribute at cornerback.

Up front, senior Christopher Tucker Jr. is the team’s lone two-way starting lineman back in the fold. He’s 6-4, 230 pounds and will look to make his presence felt as a tackle on both sides.

Up front, senior Christopher Tucker Jr. is the team’s lone two-way starting lineman back in the fold. He’s 6-4, 230 pounds and will look to make his presence felt as a

Senior guard Devondre Martin (6-1, 225) showed glimpses of dominance last season, Lockwood said, and drew some double teams as a defensive lineman. He’ll start at guard along with junior Montiel Morales, a varsity rookie. Junior Brian Major was the backup center a year ago but saw plenty of reps and has been a standout in camp. Junior Leelyn Green could slide into a starting tackle spot following a solid JV season.

Jayden Jungra

DEVONDRE MARTIN

CHRISTOPHER TUCKER JR.

JACE RICHARDS

Photos by Sue Grieco

Whether

Leah

Associate

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c.516.860.5784, 516.670.1700

leahtozer@danielgale.com

Kevin

Real

Long

c.917.299.5022, 516.670.1700

kevinkorotz@danielgale.com

Chiefs ready to write new chapter

By DYLAN BUTLER

It’s a new season for the Massapequa football team, but the message from head coach Kevin Shippos in August remained the same as it was last year.

“I said, 2024, even 2023 is over. Those seniors wrote their story, it’s time for the seniors of 2025 to write theirs,” Shippos said. “They can use those experiences to help them, but ultimately it’s going to come down to the 32 of them leading the team.”

Two years ago, 30 seniors guided the Chiefs to an undefeated Long Island championship season, one of eight perfect campaigns in the program’s history. The question last year was how successful Massapequa could be with that much roster turnover?

The answer was emphatic.

The Chiefs went 11-1 and won a second consecutive Long Island Class I title, defeating rival Farmingdale in an epic Nassau Conference I championship before beating William Floyd in a wild LIC.

Now new questions have formed.

How successful can these Chiefs be without Joey Diesso, the Don Snyder Award winner as Nassau’s top quarterback, who threw for 1,268 yards and 20 touchdowns and ran for 466 yards and nine touchdowns.

Also gone from that team is running back Tyler Villalta, who ran for 1,535 yards and 29 touchdowns and threw the winning touchdown pass to Diesso in overtime against the Dalers.

“Those guys are irreplaceable,” Shippos said. “But they had their story, and now we’re going to have new guys coming in.”

Andrew Pedalino, who backed up Villalta and was a slot receiver, will be the lead running back, while there’s a competition at quarterback between last year’s backup Luke Garguilo and Blake Seidenstein, who started on the junior varsity last fall.

“Luke is more of a runner, and Blake is more of a passer. Luke is longer, he’s taller, lankier. Blake is a little bit stockier, smaller,” Shippos said. “But both are good athletes, both have great dispositions and maturity levels, and they’ve been very hardworking

the entire summer, and they’re very coachable. It’s been fun letting them go out there and battling week to week.”

Cole Villalta is expected to be the lead wide receiver, and Tyler Byrnes, Joe Brooks, and Jason Larosa should also see touches.

The strength of this Massapequa team is up front, with Alex Van Schuyler, Nolan Wieczorek, and Tristan Tarasi all returning starters on the offensive line, with Van Schuyler, Tarasi, and Lucas Banushi back on the defensive line, joined by talented sophomore Jack Mulligan.

And when you factor in returning linebackers Wieczorek and Anthony DiNello, along with Giovanni Tarasi and Justin Farrell, who are competing for a starting role, Shippos believes he has an elite run-stufﬁng front seven.

“I feel teams are going to have a hard time running the ball against us because we have guys who are in there who are just active and strong,” Shippos said. “I challenge anyone on Long Island to have a better box than ours. Teams are going to ﬁnd it hard to run on us.”

In the defensive secondary, Villalta is expected to be the free safety, with Larosa and Dylan Milio competing for one corner position, and Michael Ippolito, who impressed over the summer at the other corner spot, and Brooks at strong safety.

Despite winning back-to-back county and Long Island titles, Massapequa is preseason No. 2 in Nassau Conference I behind Farmingdale.

A year ago, the Chiefs were preseason No. 3.

“We use it as motivation, but more so than anything, for the seniors, I always talk about football being the ultimate team game, and we go as far as the seniors will take us, and we’ve been blessed over the years,” Shippos said.

“They know how to push each other’s buttons in the right way, and they know how to get each other motivated, and it’s fun to watch and go along the journey with them. I’m excited to see what 2025 brings.”

Tristan Tarasi

ALEX VAN SCHUYLER

ANDREW PEDALINO

COLE VILLALTA

Photos by Michael Scro

MEPHAM

Pirates can fulfill high expectations

By DAVID WEINGRAD

Aconﬁdent Pirates football team will look to repeat last year’s success in Conference II after riding an elite defensive unit to a 9-2 record and a trip to the county ﬁnals.

Though faced with some modest senior turnover, primarily at quarterback and the offensive line, head coach Tom Mazeika has plenty of options to plug those gaps with impact players moving up from last year’s undefeated JV squad.

Mazeika noted it’s almost the same situation as last offseason – the Pirates had key seniors graduating but other players ready to step in and take on leadership roles.

“We’ve always had a next-man-up mentality,” Mazeika said. “You build off a good year and you come back with those guys who have been waiting their turn.”

Ranked second in the conference, Mazeika believes his defense can produce similar results this fall – last season the Pirates recorded ﬁve shutouts and allowed among the fewest points of any team in Long Island – while adding even more offensive ﬂexibility.

That defense will be anchored by senior linebacker James Quilty, who Mazeika considers one of the top linebackers in the county with his blend of sound fundamentals and elite ﬁeld vision. “He does an excellent job reading the blocks and gets to the ball a half-second before everyone else,” he said.

On offense, the Pirates must replace three-quarters of their receiving corps, which makes senior Mike Grizzard — last year’s leader in receptions — an even bigger focal point. Another key weapon is running back Lenny Achan, coming off a strong junior season where he impressed coaches with his ﬁeld vision. Achan had some big performances as a junior.

Up front, the offensive line remains in competition, but Mazeika knows he can lean on senior Tyler Kearney, who had a standout season and will help fortify a group featuring several varsity newcomers.

Other key two-way players include senior Shakhibek Davidov, a linebacker and running back who Mazeika said worked

hard this offseason to become one of the physically strongest kids on the team, and senior Jack Weber, another linebacker/running back hybrid whom coaches call one of the best athletes on the roster. “He runs on a different gear,” Mazeika said of Weber. “We say as coaches he moves differently than our other guys.”

Rounding out the defensive line is senior Erijon Kraki, whose physicality and athleticism offers him the chance to not only make an impact defensively, but as a wide receiver as well.

At quarterback, a training camp battle was in full throttle between seniors Pat Cloudman, a mobile passer who threatens with his speed, and Ryan Radicone, a highIQ drop back passer. With the competition still ongoing, Mazeika said he’s conﬁdent the offensive will be in good hands either way.

Rounding out the list of impact players are senior Braeden Kehoe, expected to be a playmaker in the secondary, and junior Lucas Eagleston, a speedy receiver who made an impression last year as a late season call-up from junior varsity.

Mazeika said these weapons give him reason to believe the offense may have more ﬂexibility this season to complement his already elite defense. “We might have more options this year” he said. “The potential to be a little more explosive than last year with our growth of skill running backs.”

Looking ahead to the schedule, Mazeika said his team will be tested right away in Week 2 when it faces MacArthur, a team Mepham beat in the ﬁrst round of the playoffs last year, and the following week against a tough Long Beach squad. But the marquee matchup comes in Week 5, when the Pirates take on top-seeded Garden City, perhaps the greatest barrier between them and a county title.

While his team is focused on handling business week-by-week, Mazeika said their program’s recent success has led to a shared sense of high expectations.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” he said. “But they understand the pressure and welcome it. The kids expect to get to Hofstra.”

Mike Grizzard

LENNY ACHAN

TYLER KEARNEY

SHAKI DAVIDOV

Photos by Jeff Wilson

Dozen returnees lead Sailors’ hopes

By GARRETT D. URIBE

Preserving the heart of its league-leading offense – tops in Nassau Conference 1 scoring 38.6 points per game – Oceanside returns an All-County backﬁeld in senior quarterback Shane Harmon, a third-year starter, and junior Chace Morris, a second-year starter at halfback.

Harmon’s 20 touchdowns passing (against only three interceptions) and 1,842 yards through the air each ranked No. 2 in Nassau, while Morris led the Sailors scoring 13 touchdowns – all over ground – while averaging 6.6 yards per carry in gaining a team-best 745 yards rushing.

The potent pair, and 10 other returners, lead No. 3 seed Oceanside – which ﬁnished 8-2 last season – back into Conference 1 action.

“Shane has had a great progression the last three years, and a really great year last year,” Sailors head coach Robert Blount said of the Snyder Award ﬁnalist. “He does a lot of special things. We’re excited for his senior year and what’s going to happen.”

“With Chace,” Blount continued, “he’s just a very good scat back, one of the toughest pound for pound guys in our program. We’re really excited to see what he does in year two. Having both Chace and Shane back for us on offense is exciting.”

Returning at receiver are seniors Jacob Stern and Nick Carentz, who each surpassed a hundred yards receiving last season for Oceanside, while senior Jason Halpern starts a ﬁrst year at tight end.

“We have experienced guys coming back as receivers,” said Blount, whose club last autumn made its second straight county semiﬁnal, falling to eventual Long Island Class I champion Massapequa. “They understand the system and we expect good things.”

Not to be overlooked in Oceanside’s proven offensive arsenal is third-year-starting senior Ryan Pender, a two-time reigning All-State kicker whose 61 points on extra points and ﬁeld goals combined tied for tops in Nassau last season. Pender, over his career, has made 10 of 13 ﬁeld goals, with a long of 41 yards. On extra points, as Blount

notes, Pender’s been almost “automatic,” clocking in at 91 percent (including blocks) on his career.

“Ryan’s one of the most important pieces to our team,” Blount said. “He gives us good ﬁeld position defensively. And on offense, once we get inside the 25, we know we can score with him.”

SUNY Cortland commit Adrew Guida returns as a third-year-starting right guard, with fellow senior and O-line anchor Jack Grimaldi starting a second season at left guard for Oceanside. Junior Benny Jacofsky takes over at right tackle.

On defense, Carentz and senior Chase Bier – back from an early injury last year – return to man key backfield spots, with Jayden Belone (one interception) and Morris likely rotating at free safety. Grimaldi –second on the team with a pair of sacks, and fifth with 17 solo tackles – returns at right tackle, with Jacofsky joining the Sailors’ first unit at outside linebacker.

Brady Nardone (12 tackles, one tackle for loss), a senior, moves from outside to Mike linebacker, leading a crew of some ﬁve contenders for the position.

“We’re bumping Brady inside this year,” Blount said. “But we’ll pretty much have ﬁve guys battling for two spots. It’ll help us with depth, and hopefully keeps us fresh. But Brady’s the favorite for inside.”

Despite winning three of ﬁve of the teams’ most recent regular-season matchups, Oceanside, over the past ﬁve seasons, has lost to Massapequa in the playoffs. This conspicuous fact isn’t lost on Blount, who nonetheless said he believes it is merely matter of time before the tables are turned –a regression to the mean that the 18th-year head coach said could come as soon as this season.

“Look, we got a good system here,” Blount said. “But (Massapequa’s) been a bit of a thorn in our side. You know, teams go on runs. We just got to bring it back to how it was, when we always had their number.”

Oceanside starts Conference 1 play at Uniondale Sept. 13 and hosts No. 2 Farmingdale under the Friday night lights Sept. 19.

Photos by Eric Dunetz

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Red Devils ready to contend again

By MARC BERMAN

Plainedge is as dangerous as ever.

The Red Devils’ football dominance should continue as they bring back most of their top guns, losing only three guys who played signiﬁcant snaps. Plainedge will miss star receiver Alec Anderson (now at Johns Hopkins) but there’s so much to like about the red-clad 2025 edition.

Last season, running back Dylan Fella and quarterback Jaxson Torres led Plainedge to the Nassau Conference IV championship game at Hofstra where it fell to Wantagh, 43-21.

Fella is now a senior and Torres, stronger and bulkier, will be a junior. Both are expected to propel Plainedge as a major county championship title contender.

This is the 30th season for head coach Rob Shaver and he should spend the milestone racking up a lot more wins.

“I think we should be back in the ﬁnals again,’’ Shaver said. “We’re planning on winning the whole thing. We got all the pieces. If we can stay healthy, we should be right back there again.’’

It starts with Fella, who should be a candidate for the Thorpe Award for top player as running back/linebacker after an All-County season in 2024. He racked up nearly 1,300 yards a year ago and comes back even faster. Recently setting a longjump record in track, Fella is 5-foot-10, 195 pounds of fury. “He’s faster than he was last year and bigger too,’’ Shaver said. “He breaks a ton of tackles. He’s going to be a formidable opponent.’’

As will be Torres, who threw for nearly 1,800 yards last season. He’s grown to 6-4, 220 after adding an extra 30 pounds.

“I believe he is the best quarterback in Nassau County, in my opinion,’’ Shaver said.

Torres is a hot Division I recruit in baseball, but football is where he could win a Nassau County championship. Plainedge last won it in 2022 and is ranked atop Conference IV with Seaford and Lynbrook right behind.

“He’s a very good thrower.,’’ Shaver said of Torres. “He’s a much better runner now because he is bigger.’’

Torres threw for 380 yards in a regularseason win over Wantagh but was held

to 210 passing yards in the championship game in wet weather. The rain likely cost Plainedge a better chance at another county title. “It was raining and we couldn’t throw it,’’ Shaver said.

This year’s squad is boosted by a savvy and large offense line in 6-foot, 250-pound Bobby Wescott, 6-foot 220- pound Jayden Camp and 5-11 205-pound Ryan Heffernan. All three linemen were plowhorses during last season’s 9-2 campaign.

“They lift weights pretty hard.’’ Shaver said. The defense features two excellent linebackers in Dimitri Vardemarkos, their leading tackler, and John Cynar. Other standouts include senior receiver Taylor Nitsch, running back/defensive back Dom Agovino and kicker Jon Luca Frucci, who improved his distance after working with a kicking coach. Others expected to contribute are linebacker/receiver Casey Auer and the Maher brothers, Sean and Brendan, both defensive backs.

Another big addition is assistant coach Dan Agovino, the former longtime Long Island championship-winning North Shore head coach who will join his son in the Red Devils’ program. Agovino will run the middle school football program too “He’s a tremendous help, great addition,’’ Shaver said.

Plainedge will face North Shore in its season opener in Glen Head. That means Dan Agovino will face his old school right off the bat. But Shaver points to his most interesting matchup being against Lynbrook Oct. 4 on the road. Lynbrook has fallen from Conference III to IV. Shaver sees a lot of players back from Lynbrook - the major unknown on the schedule.

Now that Wantagh is out of the conference, Plainedge still should have a clear path. The Red Devils face Seaford in the ﬁnale Nov. 1 and that could be a preview of the Conference IV championship game.

Plainedge won the 2021 Long Island title, lost in the L.I. championship in 2022 after winning the county crown. In 2023, it fell in the county semiﬁnals in a season in which three of its quarterbacks went down. Then came 2024’s march to the county ﬁnals in the rain.

But there must be something in the water in North Massapequa. “Football is important in our school - the best athletes come out to the team,’’ Shaver said.

Jaxson Torres

BOBBY WESCOTT

JAYDEN CAMP

TAYLOR NITSCHE

Photos by Michael Scro

SEAFORD

Vikings eye a different ending

By ANDREW COEN

Mike McHugh took over the Seaford football program last August just before preseason practices commenced and despite little preparation guided the Vikings to the verge of a county championship appearance in his rookie campaign as head coach. Now with a full offseason under his belt and a number of returning players, McHugh is looking to take another step this fall.

“Going into it with a full year and what I learned in the short time from last year I this this season’s going to be different from last year,” said McHugh, who prior to becoming Seaford’s head coach last year had served as a volunteer assistant under the Vikings’ former longtime sideline leader, Rob Perpall, before joining the coaching staffs at Calhoun and Mepham.

McHugh guided Seaford to a 4-4 regular season record to earn the five seed in Conference IV. After a 20-0 quarterfinal win against East Rockaway, the Vikings nearly upset top-seeded Plainedge in the semifinals before falling on a 38-yard Hail Mary touchdown on the final play of regulation to fall 33-27.

The heartbreaking end to last season at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium has served as fuel for a senior heavy roster entering the 2025 campaign.

“Participation in the off season has been if it’s not 100 percent it’s 98 percent and kids have bought into learning the system,” McHugh said. “I think leaving Hofstra the way we did it kind of made the kids soul search and realize that we all need to put a little more into this to get a lot more out of it.”

One of the key veteran leaders who has been pushing for championship success this season is senior Brian Falk, who rushed for more than 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior and averaged nine tackles a game on defense at linebacker. McHugh said Falk, who earned second-team AllState honors at linebacker last year, should be in conversation for Conference IV player of the year on offense with his power running style after putting in a lot of offseason work to get stronger.

Junior running back Michael Calvacca adds more versatility to the backﬁeld as a dual-threat weapon who has plenty of speed. The athletic Calvacca was the Vikings’ leading rusher on junior varsity last season.

Senior Michael Spinella returns as starting quarterback after progressing as a senior in helping the Vikings diversify the offense from its traditional run-heavy attack. Spinella, a co-co captain, threw for 1,243 yards and 13 touchdowns with a 59.7 percent completion rate as a junior.

Senior Michael Spinella returns as percent completion rate as a junior.

“All year he did nothing but improve,” McHugh said of his signal caller. “He made some tremendous throws to bail us out of a ton of situations.”

both made strides as juniors. Versatile seniors Jack Rosen and Peter Barone are also

Spinella will have receiving weapons to target in senior tight end Brian Hennessy and senior wide receiver Mark Villeck, who both made strides as juniors. Versatile seniors Jack Rosen and Peter Barone are also expected to be forces in the passing game.

The offensive line suffered some graduation losses but will have key leadership from senior Matt Kind, who was voted a captain along with Spinella. The line will also have veteran leadership from senior center Thomas Miranda and senior guard Carmelo Riccobono.

from senior Matt Kind, who was voted a captain along with Spinella. The line will

Versaile senior Ayden McNamara brings additional strength to the line after switching to the trenches from fullback last season.

“He’s a team guy,” McHugh said of McNamara. “He worked very hard in the offseason.

The defense will have straight upfront

The defense will have straight upfront with Falk and Miranda at linebacker along with Rosen and Kind at defensive end. McHugh said junior Ayden Das is ready to lead the secondary at safety after gaining valuable mentorship last year from Ayden Das, who is now on the sprint football team at Molloy University.

Seaford entered the season ranked second in Conference IV behind defending champion Plainedge and ahead of thirdseeded Lynbrook.

“Plainedge is a tremendous team with a great history, great coaching staff and very good players,” McHugh said. “We don’t fear them but we respect them a lot.”

Junior running back Michael Calvacca

Mike Spinella

MATT KIND

BRIAN FALK

THOMAS MIRENDA

Photos by Karen Millindorf

SEWANHAKA

Trenches will determine Ravens’ success

By NICK MONGIOVI

After a Sewanhaka that took multiple heavy blows in terms of injuries, a 2024 season that once had high hopes went from bad to worse in a matter of weeks as it ﬁnished 2-6 and at the bottom of the Conference III standings.

However, head coach George Kasimatis believes his squad can turn things around despite a very young roster with just seven returning starters.

“We’re looking for a big bounce back year,” Kasimatis said. “We’re going to be young, try to set the tone for upcoming years. We know that we’re young so we’re just going to keep getting better each game, each week, each practice and the kids understand that, too.”

The brand of football Kasimatis wants to play is hard-nose, ground and pound football. In order to accomplish that, the war needs to be won up front in the trenches.

“I would say our offensive line [will put Nassau County on notice],” Kasimatis said. “I know it sounds crazy but we’re really going to rely on those guys heavily this year. I think we have a really nice group of kids. They really put in a lot of effort and they’ve got a great bond between them.”

Some notable offensive and defensive lineman that’ll dictate the direction the Ravens go are seniors Preston Ligonde, Ephraim Boloumi, Alexander Florez, Tony Rodriguez, Erik Ayala and juniors Joelle Matheson and Aiden Jacob. Kasimatis says these guys will be the “linchpin” of his team.

Running behind that offensive line will be senior running back/linebacker and captain Adrian Ayau. Senior Daniel Richards will also get some carries and be a key starting linebackier.

“Our No. 1 guy is going to be Adrian,” Kasimatis said. “He’s the leader of our team. The kids all look up to him. He does everything the way it should be done. He serves this team well – the team always comes ﬁrst and he’s the type of kid that when we set up the ﬁeld, he’s not telling the kids what

to do, he’s doing it himself. He’s leading by example. We know he’s always got the team’s best interest at heart.

“He’s a good downhill runner, tough to bring down – a little bit of old school in him,“ Kasimatis said.

The offensive line makes the engine run, but the difference in the quarterback will decide how far the car goes. There’s an ongoing quarterback competition that began this summer. “We have two underclassmen, one junior and one sophomore – right now they’re neck and neck,” Kasimatis said.

It’ll be between junior Mahmood Kamal and sophomore Lance Williams, who together split time on the JV.

Another positional group with a returning starter that shows promise for Kasimatis is his linebacker core.

“We got a couple of big kids on the JV last year that were very impressive that we’re hoping could step up as 10th graders and take the reins, that’s for sure,” Kasimatis said. “Chayce Clanton, he’s a big tall long kid, very smart football player for his age. He’s a very responsible young man and he’s a pretty good athlete.”

Clanton won’t be limited to one position – it looks like Kasimatis has a vision of him playing all over the gridiron. “He could be one of the quarterbacks, he could be a running back, he could be a H-back, he could be a receiver, he’s got great hands,” Kasimatis said

A pair of sophomore wide receiver/ defensive backs in Nnamdi Amadike and Justin Moreau who are athletic can become gamechangers, the coach noted.

Sewanhaka will open against Floral Park in a battle of the same zip code. While each team would love to start its season in the win column, it’s a friendly competition with their buildings being down the block from one another.

“We have kids that live on the same block that go to two different schools,” Kasimatis said. “Their coaches are all friends of ours. One of them was on my team years ago. It’s a big happy family.”

Adrian Ayau

EPHRAIM BOLOUMI

JOELLE MATHESON

DANIEL RICHARDS

Photos by Erik Lee

SOUTH SIDE

Cyclones seek championship return

By ANDREW COEN

South Side began to hit its stride toward the end of last season reaching the county semiﬁnals at Hofstra as a largely new team gained varsity experience. Now longtime Cyclones’ head coach Phil Onesto is looking for many returnees to take that next step.

The Cyclones, who brought back only one full-time starter from the 2023 team that captured the program’s ﬁrst county title since 2001, went 2-6 in the regular season before putting the pieces together in a 3113 ﬁrst-round playoff win against Elmont.

“The goal every year is to get to Hofstra and give yourself a chance at a championship,” said Onesto, who was a wide receiver and captain on that 2001 title-winning team. “The fact that after the regular season that we had to get that team back to Hofstra was extremely important.”

Junior running back AJ Magaraci will be a key component of the Cyclones’ offense following the graduation of All-County running back Justin Singh. The versatile Magaraci, who is also starting strong safety, backed up Singh last season and is expected to be utilized plenty in the passing game in addition to the rushing attack.

Sophomore running back Ethan Johnson will also contribute in the backﬁeld after starting on junior varsity as a freshman.

The offensive line powering the running game will be anchored by Johnson’s older brother, Jayden Johnson. The senior offensive tackle is also a standout linebacker who has an offer from Wagner and Onesto expects more college offers to ﬂow his way.

“He had two interceptions and a pass deﬂection in the playoff game at Elmont which was a springboard he needed to build his conﬁdence to take it into the off season,” Onesto said of Johnson, whose father Chris was a fellow captain on the 2001 championship team. “I think he’s going to be one of the top defensive players in our conference and possibly even the county.”

guard and defensive tackle, has a chance to win the Martone Award given to Nassau

The offensive line also boasts Ryan Healy, Patrick Lamparello, Jaylen Fletcher and Jack Sciallis. Onesto said Healy, a senior guard and defensive tackle, has a chance to win the Martone Award given to Nassau County’ top lineman.

entering varsity returners Connor McNulty and Stellan Zangari both in the mix. JV starter Ryan

The starting quarterback spot was up for grabs entering preseason practices with varsity returners Connor McNulty and Stellan Zangari both in the mix. JV starter Ryan Solomon and Rob Cesario, who started on the freshman team at Kelleberg last year, are also options to run the offense under center.

One of the top receiving targets for whoever is the signal caller will be senior

One of the top receiving targets for whoever is the signal caller will be senior right end Jack Mullin, a three-sport athlete who also shines in basketball and lacrosse.

“He is a nice big target for us,” Onesto said of the 6-5 Mullin. “He had four or ﬁve touchdowns for us in the red zone last year.”

said of the 6-5 Mullin. “He had four or ﬁve in

Onesto also sees potential in the passing game from returning wide receivers Brendan Vetter, Jack Boyens, Tyler Korten and Owen Marigliano. Sophomore Kieran Vetter, the younger brother of Brendan, also could be a receiving weapon after shining on JV as a freshman.

Vetter, a three-year starter at cornerback who was part of the 2023 championship run, is one of six captains named shortly after last season to provide leadership on and off the gridiron. The other captains include Jayden Johnson, Boyens, Healy, Mullin and Magaraci.

South Side enters the 2025 season seeded third in Conference III. The Cyclones, who fell to Garden City in last year’s county semiﬁnals, will not have to contend with the Trojans this season, but the league will feature Carey and Wantagh, who last year captured the Conference II and Conference IV titles, and Long Island crowns, respectively. The conference also consists of Elmont and Floral Park, a rival South Side has had playoff battles with over the past three seasons.

“It’s a very deep conference,” Onesto said. “We expect to have some close games with all of those team and we’ll see where the cards fall.”

Jayden Johnson

BRENDAN VETTER

RYAN HEALY

JACK BOYNES

Photos by Jeff Wilson

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Knights aim for overall growth

By DYLAN BUTLER

Like every other football team in Nassau County, goals have been set for Uniondale — but these go beyond the usual measurables.

“It’s more than wins and losses, it’s growing these kids into real men and doing the right thing in society and bringing the community together,” second-year head coach Adrian Berry said. “Those are all things that are extremely important to me, a huge emphasis in what I’m trying to do with this team.”

Berry grew up in Uniondale, often hanging out on the sideline while his father, Andre, served as an assistant coach under the late Noel Epps.

“I was the little kid running around the sidelines following behind,” Berry said.

Now he’s the guy at the helm in his ﬁrst full season on the job after taking over on an interim basis midway through last year.

One of Berry’s ﬁrst tasks was reaching out to Uniondale football alumni, inviting them back to talk to the current crop of players at the ﬁnal preseason practice and then having them on the sideline for a Week 1 clash with Oceanside.

“I really want to bring the community together, have these kids have somebody to look up to,” Berry said. “I know how much it meant to me growing up, so just giving those kids that same opportunity is deﬁnitely something that we want to do here.”

Berry is also taking over as the new offensive coordinator, which means a lot of on-the-job learning in preseason camp. But the response from a young team, Berry said, has been overwhelmingly positive.

“The kids are working extremely hard,” he said. “We have a pretty much new coaching staff, all on the younger side, so the coaching staff is bringing a ton of energy, and the kids are completely locked in and buying into it. It’s amazing to see.”

Leading the charge on the ﬁeld is second-year starting quarterback Abelardo Peralta, who Berry praises for being “extremely vocal,” which is the opposite of

his persona in the halls of Uniondale High School.

“The second he steps between the lines, he’s commanding the team,” Berry said. “He’s dictating where everybody should go. If there are any questions, kids don’t even feel like they need to ask the coaches because they know he has a complete understanding of everything going on.”

Berry said the offense will ﬂow through Peralta along with running back Marquis Lawrence and slot receiver Jaden Garland, who both started last year as sophomores. Senior Justin Holness will also be one of Peralta’s targets.

The offensive line is anchored by three seniors in Carlos Perez, Ethan Thomas, and Thierry Robergeau, while junior center Noah Raymond and sophomore Jayden Armstead will have the keys to the line next year.

“They’re going to be those guys that the offense runs through next year,” Berry said. “They’re picking up and they’re not falling behind, making any excuses that they’re younger, they’re ﬁring and keeping up with those senior guys.”

While there are some new faces on defense, there’s also a handful of returning starters from a team that kept the Knights in almost every game in what was a 2-6 campaign a year ago.

They include Garland and Lawrence as outside linebackers, while Thomas will start at middle linebacker, alongside either senior Jason Cruz or junior Kasim Alty, and Robergeau and Perez will start on the defensive line.

After Week 1, Berry expects competitive games against the likes of Hicksville and Plainview-JFK, the team’s two wins last season, as well as Westbury and Herricks/ Wheatley, for a Uniondale team preseason ranked No. 11 in Nassau Conference I.

“We’re looking to get our offense really going, hoping to average around 28 points a game. That’s a tall task, especially with a young team, but I deﬁnitely think we can get that accomplished,” Berry said. “And if our defense can hold teams to between 14-21 points a game, I think we’ll be OK.”

Abelardo Peralta

THIERRY ROBERGEAU

MARQUIS LAWRENCE

JADEN GARLAND

Photos by Eric Dunetz

V.S. CENTRAL

Eagles banking on work ethic

By NIKO SCARLATOS

Valley Stream Central enter the new football season with renewed energy and optimism under the leadership of head coach Tom Schiavo.

Now in his fourth season at the helm of the Central program, Schiavo brings with him a deep well of experience, having previously coached for 23 seasons at nearby Valley Stream North. That trust and familiarity within the Valley Stream football community has helped create a strong foundation, one the Eagles are hoping will translate to success on the ﬁeld this fall.

Valley Stream Central ﬁnished 2024 with a 3-6 overall record, going 2-6 in conference play. But despite the results, Schiavo sees plenty of reason for excitement.

“We’ve worked so hard,” Schiavo said. “The kids give us everything we asked from them. We went ﬁve days a week over the summer practicing, and the coaching staff has just been tremendous. The preparation is going to be the biggest key.”

Schiavo acknowledges that not every player on the roster has varsity experience, but he believes the intensive offseason will help those newcomers catch up fast. “We’re banking on the guys who have been through it,” he added. “But the ones who haven’t are going to get there. They’ve been putting the work in.”

At the center of that effort is senior standout Nelson Frias, a four-year, two-way starter and three-year captain. “He has earned the right to be talked about as one of the best players in Nassau County,” Schiavo said. “His leadership on and off the ﬁeld sets the tone for the program.” At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Frias is a dominant presence at both running back and linebacker. “Nelson’s the kind of kid every coach wants,” Schiavo said. “He’s physical, smart, and respected by everyone. He leads by example.”

Another valuable talent is senior Nicolas Lebron. “He’s so versatile for us, which is huge,” said Schiavo. “He contributes at both

skill positions and on the offensive line.”

The Eagles also return several other key players, including seniors Ryan Icart, Zamir Labranche, Alex Bisnath, and Chris Srour. Steve Lubin will be counted on to lead the halfback group alongside Frias.

At quarterback, junior Evan Nelson is currently the leading candidate to take the reins of the offense surrounded mostly by seniors in skill positions. Wide receiver Jaden Hack provides a downﬁeld threat, while the secondary is anchored by Darrell Agustin, a versatile defensive back who can play both corner and safety, and Justin Cruz. Despite rigorous practices, usually running from 2:30 to 7:00 p.m. each day, with a shift to morning sessions beginning Aug. 27, Schiavo says the kids have remained locked in and positive. “They’re such humble and coachable kids,” he said. “Whatever is wrong with the world isn’t wrong at Valley Stream Central. It’s always team ﬁrst, me second. You wouldn’t know if we were 0-8 or 8-0. They’re just great to be around.”

Schiavo also praised the inﬂux of new coaches to the staff, noting their commitment and alignment with the team’s culture. “A lot of new faces, but they’re all in,” he said. “The rosters are big, which is a good sign. It shows the kids are buying in.”

Schiavo has earned the trust of the community, which he says is critical to building a lasting program. “I’ve been coaching in this town for a long time. The parents trust me with their kids, and that means everything,” he noted.

As the Eagles prepare to open the season, the results on the scoreboard remain to be seen. But one thing is clear: the foundation at Central is strong. With hard work, a tight-knit culture, and dedicated leadership, the Eagles are ready to take the next step forward.

The schedule will be a challenge, beginning Sept. 13 against visiting MacArthur. Then, after back-to-back road games the Eagles return home to face Baldwin under the lights Oct. 3 to complete the ﬁrst half of the slate.

Frias

NICK LEBRON

RYAN ICART

STEVE LUBIN

Photos by Donovan Berthoud

V.S. NORTH

Challenges await upstart Spartans

By BRIAN KACHARABA

For Valley Stream North, the 2025 football season represents another chance to reverse a decade-long trend. The Spartans haven’t posted a winning record since 2014, and even reaching the .500 mark has proven elusive. This fall, their path doesn’t get any easier.

Six of North’s eight opponents qualiﬁed for the playoffs last year, including reigning Long Island champions Wantagh and Carey. The Spartans open Sept. 12 against Wantagh before hosting Carey later in the season, setting up daunting matchups with two of Nassau’s most accomplished programs.

The schedule closes with Manhasset, a team that advanced to last year’s Nassau Conference III championship game. With such a rugged slate from start to ﬁnish, the Spartans will need consistency, resilience and perhaps a few surprises if they hope to snap their winless streak and begin righting the ship.

“We’re looking to surprise Wantagh at the start, and then win the games that we have to,” coach Mike Paolillo said. “And then we’ve got Carey on a Friday afternoon at our place. So hopefully we’ll catch them tired. They’ll have to come to us after school. We’ll see what happens. We can play with anybody. That’s the way we’re hoping.”

There are reasons for optimism. The Conference III No. 8 seed found its footing late last fall, winning four of its final six games after dropping the first three by a combined score of 93-38. Building on that turnaround could give the Spartans the confidence they’ll need against a loaded 2025 schedule.

“That ﬁnish was tremendous,” Paolillo said. “We got back our starting quarterback. He had moved away and came back for the last four games, and we went 3-1 with him as a starter. Hopefully things will continue.”

That quarterback is senior Tyler Malyah, who spent two seasons on the JV and brieﬂy played for Seaford last year before returning to the district. In the 2024 ﬁnale against crosstown rival Valley Stream South, Malyah

threw for 54 yards and scored his second rushing touchdown in the third quarter to help North rally for a 34-20 victory.

“He’s extremely smart,” Paolillo said. “He knows football very well. He’s got a good arm. He can run the ball as well. We plan on running him a little more this year.”

Malyah will be supported by a threeback rotation of seniors Izaiah Hill (933 yards, nine touchdowns), Aidan Munro and fullback Dominick Verso, who scored twice against South. Junior Adebayo Kayode is also expected to contribute.

“Without a doubt, and hopefully sooner than later,” Paolillo said of Hill reaching 1,000 yards. “Aidan Munro has come back in tremendous shape with extreme speed, and Dom Verso is just a beast offensively and defensively. In the preseason workout, he benched 225 pounds 22 times. He’s so strong, and he’s going to anchor our defense big time and play fullback for us.”

Seniors Marco DiCostanzo and Joe Capolino are slated to be the wideouts, while 6-foot-2 junior Jeremiah Taylor can impact games with his “great vertical leap,” Paolillo said.

“He’s a speedster,” Paolillo said of Capolino. “He’s a little guy, but he’s a speedster and catches everything. He’ll catch anything thrown to him,” Paolillo said.

Munro will also see time as a slot receiver.

The offensive line appears set with senior Mike Posillico shifting to right guard and junior Eddy Turcios at left guard. Twins Anthony and Sean Nuzzi will bookend the line at tackle, and Alex Walsisch is expected to start at center.

Defensively, Strojan and senior Anthony Vitucci will join Posillico and Turcios up front. Verso, Munro and seniors James Romano and Karim Waly will lead the linebacker corps, with Hill and junior Sean Smiley at cornerback and DiCostanzo, Capolino and Kayode also in the secondary.

Hill showed his defensive playmaking ability last season with a 68-yard interception return for a touchdown against Mineola on Nov. 2, which proved to be the difference in a 20-13 victory.

Izaiah Hill

AIDAN MUNRO

DOM VERSO

MARCO DICOSTANZO

Photos by Brian Ballweg

V.S. SOUTH

Falcons optimistic after strong finish

By MARC BERMAN

Athree-game winning streak to end 2024 and a returning star in running back David Brooks has created a wave of optimism for Valley Stream South.

A playoff vibe would be even stronger but South, due to a small increase in enrollment, has elevated from Conference IV to a tougher Conference III.

The Falcons finished 3-5 last season after losing their first five games, then went on a scorching tear to close with wins over Lawrence, Oyster Bay and upset of Malverne. “I started a lot of 11th-graders last year,” head coach Joe Guastafeste said. “As an old coach told me, it takes 3, 4 games for kids to get used to the varsity. That was never as true for me as last year.’’

That also was never more true for senior quarterback Daniel Casey, who started every game as a junior. While Brooks is a proven star, the X-factor to a successful season is continued progress of Casey, who made 44 completions for 503 yards and 6 touchdowns. He also rushed for 160 yards.

“He’s where I saw the most improvement,” Guastafeste said. “At the beginning, the game was too fast for him, but the second half of the year, I saw tremendous amount of improvement from ﬁrst game to last game. That’s carried over to his leadership this year.’’

A three-year starting pitcher for baseball, Casey sports a strong throwing arm. But he’ll spend a lot of time handing the ball to Woods, an honorable mention All-County. Brooks, who also plays linebacker, is 5-foot11, 195 pounds and amassed 774 rushing yards and ﬁve touchdowns, He also notched 41 tackles.

“He’s a pretty big kid,’’ Guastafeste said. “He can run through people but his speed is what surprised me the second half of last year. It doesn’t look like he’s running fast, but he’s football fast.’’

Brooks is lo be featured so often that senior Emmanuel Williams decided to switch from running back to offensive guard. It was

his choice. Williams also starred at linebacker with 17 tackles.

“It’s a feel-good story,’’ Guastafeste said. “He’s wanted to be our running back since seventh grade. With Brooks, he’d be the second running back and (last year) didn’t play as much as he wanted. He knew we needed help on the offensive line. He made the move for the beneﬁt of the team.’’ Williams’ skill set is suited for guard. “In my offense, the guards pull a lot,’’ the coach said. “A running back moving to offensive line is perfect for that guard spot because of the good footwork.’’

At receiver is senior Peter Grief, a versatile pass-catcher. Last season, Grief broke a 97-yard touchdown run, taking the ball on a sweep. Grief is also gifted at running after the catch. In all, he totaled 408 scrimmage yards and two scores.

The talented Dyers – no relationshould make a big impact..

The older Dyer is Zach, a senior. Zach Dyer will play tight end and linebacker and is known for his football IQ. “He’s in the middle of our defense,’’ Guastafeste said. “He’s the leader of the linebacker group.’’

At 6-2, 190 pounds, Dave Dyer also lines up at tight end as a blocker. The younger Dyer joins the varsity as a junior. He was quarterback of the JV but moves to running back to optimize his presence.

The other guard playing opposite Williams will be junior Hunter Rush, who is athletic, tough and vital to the Wing T/ Spread offense’s productivity.

Aiden Paris is a sophomore being brought up and he may see carries. Last season, he came up for the ﬁnal few games. The ﬁrst time he touched the ball, Paris scored from 30 yards out after breaking a tackle at the line of scrimmage.

Eric Kaneev is the trusty kicker after having a game last season in which he was 7-of-7 on extra points.

Getting back to the playoffs is a goal but won’t be easy. “We have to win the games we’re supposed to win and steal one of the top ﬁve games,’’ Guastafeste said.

ZACH DYER

DAVID BROOKS

EMMANUEL WILLIAMS

Photos by Donovan Berthoud

WANTAGH

Warriors revamp after county, L.I. titles

By TONY BELLISSIMO

Wantagh has been a pillar of strength on the Nassau County gridiron for the past three decades and last season claimed the Conference IV title in convincing fashion and defeated BayportBlue Point for the Long Island Class IV crown.

The Warriors have endured only one losing season in the past 30 years and failed to reach the county semiﬁnals only once since 1996. They return only three starters this fall, but longtime head coach Keith Sachs was encouraged by the offseason dedication and their performance in 7 on 7 competition.

“We lost about 20 guys and replacing an entire line like we’re tasked with doing is very tough,” Sachs said. “The large majority of the roster is unproven, but the kids have been working extremely hard and I think we have enough talent to win. Our goals don’t change whether we have 20 returning starters or three.”

Wantagh is back in Conference III and ranked No. 2 behind Carey, last year’s Nassau Conference II and L.I. Class II champions with a 12-0 mark. South Side, which won a county title two years ago, is ranked third.

“It’s weird us and Carey are coming from different sides of the alignment and both of us won last year,” Sachs said. “We don’t see them until late and I think that’s good because we have to ﬁgure out our strengths and weaknesses. Valley Stream North is a good opening test for us. They return something like 15 starters and there’s excitement there.”

A couple of three-sport starters will fuel Wantagh’s ﬁre, led by its only returning two-way starter in senior Joe Nicholson. A receiver/linebacker, Nicholson was highly instrumental in last year’s playoff run and Sachs considers him the best leader on this year’s roster. “Joe had 8 catches in one playoff game and 3 touchdowns in another,” Sachs said. “He’s a really good high-character kid and he’s our guy.”

Nicholson and classmates Devin Paccione and Carter Loughman as well as

sophomore Luke Martini were all major reasons Wantagh’s lacrosse team hoisted a championship trophy in the spring. Paccione is a scat back and home run hitter stepping into a starting defensive role as well. “We want to get the football into his hands a lot and he’s shown great defensive instincts during the summer,” Sachs said.

Loughman is 6-foot-4 and taking over the starting quarterback role after serving as the JV starter in 2023 and the varsity backup a year ago. He’s also a returning starting cornerback and will be backed at signal-caller by junior Max Avena. “Carter performed great 7 on 7 and we’re looking for it to translate to when the pads go on and we’re playing for keeps,” Sachs said. “He’s a strong lefty and we’re counting on him to win us games. He can throw and will be tough to bring down.”

Martini was dynamic when called upon as a freshman, scoring a handful of touchdowns on offense and special teams. “He’s outstanding in the weight room and a handful when he’s carrying the ball,” Sachs said. “We’ll also use him at linebacker.”

A few positions on the O-line were up in the air as camp kicked off but Sachs is expecting junior Pat Forthofer and seniors Shane Adee and Thomas Christoforidis to start and anchor the group. Forthofer is a guard and linebacker who last season contributed on special teams. Adee missed all of 2024 due to injury but was a strong JV player the previous year, and Christoforidis is ready to take the next step after gaining varsity experience. Senior Sam Evans is also in the mix to land a key role.

Aside from the aforementioned on the defensive side, junior Michael Amodio will contribute as an end/linebacker and could top the depth chart at tight end. Senior Luke Gonsowski will help the secondary and junior Joe Adamo is a ﬁrst-year varsity linebacker.

“Our kids always focus on the right things,” Sachs said. “This year it’s going to take some time for us to get where we want to be, but we’ll get there.”

Joseph Nicholson

CARTER LOUGHMAN

DEVIN PACCIONE

LUKE MARTINI

Photos by Karen Millindorf

By TONY BELLISSIMO

WRams have playoffs in sight

gelopoulos, who quarterbacked the JV in 2023 and opted to play volleyball last fall.

est Hempstead split its eight Conference IV games a year ago but fell one slot shy of qualifying for the playoffs, marking a second straight season of missing out after winning 10 games and playing for a county championship in 2022.

“If we beat East Rockaway in the last game, we’re in the playoffs,” Rams head coach Dom Carre said. “We played pretty well, but they just beat us. The loss we had to Island Trees was the biggest reason we fell short. We just didn’t play well that day.”

Ranked eighth this fall and with solid numbers on the varsity roster, West Hempstead is once again on the playoff bubble — on paper. It has leading contenders Plainedge and Seaford on a schedule that includes Carle Place, Locust Valley, North Shore, Lawrence, Island Trees and Malverne.

“Plainedge and Seaford will be very tough opponents,” Carre said. “There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be in every game. If the lines come together, we’ll be OK.”

Aside from two-way standout Joe Suarez-Ortiz, a senior who was a freshman on the 10-2 squad three years ago, there will be plenty of battles for starting jobs on both front lines. Suarez-Ortiz is a guard and defensive end in his fourth varsity campaign. “He’s a quiet leader who works hard and gets the job done,” Carre said. “He’s a strong kid who’s coachable and he’s very important on both sides of the ball.”

A scrimmage against Cold Spring Harbor, which isn’t on the Rams’ schedule for the ﬁrst time in many years, could determine how the offensive and defensive fronts look for the opener against Seaford. Some candidates include junior Rodrigo Quijada, up from JV, and seniors Christian Garcia, Dominic D’Agosto and Kevin Tator.

“The scrimmage will be a good test,” Carre said. “Both lines are a work in progress and we’re looking for who’s going to do the best job consistently.”

Under center will be junior Leo Papan-

Now he’s back on the gridiron and showed promise during 7 on 7s at Hewlett during the summer. “He threw the ball well and we’re hoping to spread the ball around more than usual this year,” Carre said. “He’s a smart, athletic kid with a good arm.”

Some of the targets in the passing game are also candidates to be part of the defensive secondary. The long list includes seniors Ryan Mitchell and Jonathan Houston, both varsity returnees, junior D’Andre Bailey, who’s new to the district, and junior Jayden Romeo, who’s up from JV.

Still, pounding the rock has long been West Hempstead’s bread and butter, and that won’t change. “I don’t love throwing the ball too much,” Carre said.

Senior Kevin Rivera tops the depth chart in the backﬁeld and is going to get the bulk of carries according to his coach. “He’s not big, but he knows how to hit the holes and has a burst,” Carre said. “He did a nice job for us last year and knows our system well.”

Junior Jamir Houston is the face of the defense at linebacker but also someone who’ll take some handoffs from Papangelopoulos. “Jamir will be our leading tackler,” Carre said. “He started last year on JV and then missed three games with an injury, but he’s an impact kid. He covers a ton of ground on defense and is a perfect double wing on offense.”

Another offensive weapon in the fold is senior speedster Jayden Higginson, a varsity returnee and track and field standout who’ll play cornerback. He can get some touches either in the run or pass attack and make things happen in the open field. “He can absolutely fly,” Carre said.

Fullback is another key position in the Rams’ scheme and both Garcia and junior Timmy Pendergast will contribute there. “They’re hard workers and gamers,” noted Carre.

WEST HEMPSTEAD

KEVIN RIVERA

JOE SUAREZ-ORTIZ

LEO PAPANGELOPOULOS

Photos by Brian Ballweg

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