Farmingdale captures Rutgers Cup

BY GREGG SARRA | gregg.sarra@newsday.com

December 5, 2007

As the Nassau football coaches placed their ballots at Tuesday night's Nassau County Football Coaches Association Awards banquet, there was a strong sense that this would be one of the tightest votes ever for the Rutgers Cup.

"I believe this is one of those years where teams had outstanding regular seasons and the cup could go to anyone of them." Freeport coach Russ Cellan said.

Farmingdale ripped off 10 straight wins to claim this year's Nassau Conference I crown. Lawrence, Long Island's defending Class II champion, also won 10 straight on its way to a second straight Conference II title. Seaford rolled through Conference IV by posting eight shutouts in 10 games.

With no clear cut favorite and three teams that posted 10-0 records prior to the Long Island Championship games, even Bethpage, which knocked off top-seeded Wantagh for the Conference III championship, had a shot at the 78th Rutgers Cup. The award is given to the most outstanding football team in Nassau County.

For the seventh time since 1937, Farmingdale took home the Rutgers Cup as the Dalers accumulated 118 points, including 29 first place votes. Farmingdale (10-1) last earned the cup in 1991 after winning it five times in the 70's.

"It is an absolute honor to win the Rutgers Cup," Farmingdale coach Buddy Krumenacker said. "Our kids are very excited to be recognized with this award."

The Rutgers Cup win is the fifth for Krumenaker. He won it as the coach of Hempstead from 1984-86 and 1988

Lawrence (10-1), which took home the Rutgers Cup last year after winning the Long Island Class II title, finished second with 87 points, including 12 first place votes. Bethpage (9-2) was third with 49 points and Seaford (10-1) was fourth with 37 points.