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Floyd takes Rutgers Trophy

BY GREGG SARRA | gregg.sarra@newsday.com

December 4, 2007

There were three undefeated teams in Suffolk football this year. And all three could have made a case for the coveted Rutgers Trophy given to the top team in the county as voted by the Suffolk County Football Coaches Association last night at the Hyatt Wind Watch in Hauppauge.

There was Floyd, the three-time Long Island Class I champion, rolling through 11 straight opponents. The Colonials finished undefeated for the third straight season, setting the Long Island record for consecutive wins at 33 with a 42-0 win over Farmingdale in the Class I title game.

There was East Islip making its first appearance in the Class II title game and blowing out previously unbeaten Lawrence, which was trying to defend its Long Island crown. The Redmen took an impressive 35-7 win over the highly regarded Golden Tornado.

And then there was Islip. The gritty Bucs earned the school's first Class III title with a heart-thumping, 14-12 victory over Bethpage. It was Islip's ninth win of the season by seven points or fewer.

All worthy candidates. But only one Rutgers Trophy winner.

And for the third year in a row, Floyd captured the crown. No team had ever won the Rutgers Trophy with three straight undefeated seasons. "Of course, it is an extreme honor to be recognized by your peers for a job well done," Floyd coach Paul Longo said. "There were four Long Island champions from Suffolk and three of us were undefeated. There was excellent football out here. This was a year anyone could have walked away with this trophy. This is great for our players, coaches and the district."

Floyd totaled 39 first-place votes and had 129 points. East Islip finished second with 86 points and Islip was third with 43 points.