Amazing Capobianco backs up his words
Lawrence quarterback Joe Capobianco (11) throws a short pass during the game. (Nov. 27, 2011) Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Ed Robinson offered subdued congratulations: voice hushed, followed by a hug that didn't linger. "You did it, man. You did it," the Lawrence wide receiver said. "You broke your own record."
He was talking to Lawrence sophomore quarterback Joe Capobianco, who, after learning his team would face record-breaking quarterback Steven Ferreira and Sayville in the Long Island Class III championship game, refused to be intimidated.
Capobianco said he would throw for 400 yards and break his own Nassau playoff record of 333. And he did it.
It's not the sort of talk that coaches appreciate out of their sophomores. Then again, Capobianco provided the sort of numbers coaches generally don't get from their sophomores.
He did everything but win Sunday as a young Lawrence defense came apart in a 78-61 loss to Sayville at Stony Brook's LaValle Stadium. Capobianco was 27-for-41 for 541 yards, a Long Island Championships record. He threw seven touchdown passes, a second LIC record.
Capobianco, who fell two yards short of the state record for passing yardage, added a 1- yard TD run in the third quarter.
"It doesn't even matter," he said. "I'd rather throw for 100 yards and get the win.
"With teammates like I have, [confidence] is not that hard," he said. "With [Sayville] scoring so many points, I knew I was going to get a lot of touches and throws."
One of those teammates, Robinson, broke an LIC record himself with 238 receiving yards. He had eight catches and three touchdown receptions. "We've got guys everywhere that make his job a little easier," coach Joe Martillotti said of Capobianco. "We've got great receivers."
Capobianco's highlights included a 79-yard TD pass that was tipped by Sayville's James Giattino into Tyler Fredericks' hands and a 43-yard scoring pass to Robinson on a deep post route that drew Lawrence to within 64-49 with 1:04 left in the third quarter.
"If you told me we were going to score 61 points and lose, I'd think you were crazy," Martillotti said. As for Capobianco, "Well, he said he was going to throw for 400, so at least he backed that up."
