Brian Haeffner leads Conference II/III all-stars to Nassau Senior Bowl win
Garden City running back No. 22 Brian Haeffner carries for a gain during a Nassau County varsity football Conference II semifinal against Wantagh at Hofstra University on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. Wantagh won by a score of 18-13. Credit: James Escher
Tim Schmelzinger took the snap, dropped back and fired down the field for a 40-yard gain on the game's opening play. On the next play, Schmelzinger handed off to Brian Haeffner, who ran for 7 tough yards.
It was nothing new for the longtime Garden City teammates, who led the Conference II/III all-stars to a 31-0 victory over the Conference I-IV all-stars in the Nassau Senior Bowl Thursday morning at Mitchel Athletic Complex.
"I've played with Tim in every game for the last 10 years,'' said Haeffner, who ran for 92 yards and two touchdowns and was named offensive MVP of the Conference II/III team. "It was special to have him next to me all the way from game one to this last one.''
Haeffner, Garden City's all-time leading rusher, opened the scoring with a 3- yard run and added a 14-yard TD run.
"That first drive was just like being back at Garden City,'' Schmelzinger said. "Me and Brian started our career together and now we ended it together, and there's nothing better than that.''
"We had a lot of fun today,'' Haeffner said. "I just wanted to come out and play, and then whatever happened would happen. I think everybody deserves an MVP today because these are the best kids in Nassau County.''
Joe Gardella of New Hyde Park capped the II/III all-stars' second drive with a 14-yard run. Gardella set up his score by going 39 yards with a screen pass from Lynbrook's Zach LoCicero.
Nick Carlino of Bethpage gave the II/III stars a 28-0 lead at the half with a 16-yard run late in the second quarter.
"This game is a great time,'' Schmelzinger said. "Everyone here deserves it and they're all really great guys. We got really close over the last four days -- even us and the Carey kids became good friends after all we've been through.''
Bethpage's Anthony Sforza, who made six tackles and recovered a fumble that set up Haeffner's second touchdown, was named the II/III defensive MVP.
Will Hogan of Syosset and Vinny Messina of West Hempstead won MVP honors for the I/IV all-stars.
"All the guys deserve credit," Sforza said, "and it's just nice to win your last game ever.''
Gene Morris joined Newsday's sports department in September 2012 and covers high school sports. He earned a journalism degree from Stony Brook University in 2010.
