High school football county semifinals preview
Longwood's Matthew Weiss blocks for Tahj Clark as Clark rushes for a touchdown against Northport during the Suffolk Division I football game on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Matt Weiss has waited a year for this week's playoff game. For it was in last season's semifinal round of the Suffolk I playoffs, that his Longwood squad collapsed in a 36-22 upset loss to Patchogue-Medford.
The Lions had run roughshod over the entire division for nine weeks only to crumble in the semifinals and watch as their Long Island Class I championship aspirations vanished under an avalanche of Patchogue's first-half points.
"I remember looking at the scoreboard and shaking my head," said Weiss, who last year became the first junior to win the Zellner Award as the top lineman in Suffolk in the award's 34-year history. "They jumped on us and we never recovered. We vowed to make this our year."
No. 2 seed Longwood hosts No. 3 Northport Friday night at 6 p.m. in a semifinal game. The Lions are in the same position as a year ago, only this year's team has one blemish on its record, a 26-7 loss to Lindenhurst in Week 4. "We learned a lot about ourselves from that first loss," Weiss said. "But we have business with Northport before we can even think about another team. The season ends if we don't get after it against Northport."
Longwood beat Northport on the road, 34-0, in Week 4.
Northport (6-3) has a quartet of playmakers. Quarterback Andrew Smith throws very well and complements the running game of Ryan Elliott, Rob Dosch and Dan Preston quite well. The line can dominate with James Clemente and Rob Fontana.
The Nassau games are all at Hofstra's Shuart Stadium.
(4) Connetquot at (1) Lindenhurst, Friday, 6 p.m.: Lindenhurst QB Ryan Hofmann led the charge in Suffolk I in Week 2 when the Bulldogs (9-0) erased a 20-8 deficit and came back for a 48-28 over the T-Birds (6-3). The Lindy defense is the key with LB Bobby Bove and D-back Gino Bonagura.
(2) Glen Cove vs. (3) Bethpage, Saturday, 10 a.m.: Glen Cove (7-2) hasn't scored less than 32 points in any game this year. But can the Big Red defense slow down Bethpage (7-2) enough to win. Bethpage beat Glen Cove in double overtime, 43-37, in Nassau III in Week 5.
(1) Plainedge vs. (4) Roosevelt, Saturday, 1:30 p.m.: Two of Long Island's top playmakers go at it in Nassau IV as top-seeded Plainedge (9-0) and QB Davien Kuinlan, the all-time rushing leader in Nassau, take on Roosevelt (6-3) and halfback Jude Innocent. Kuinlan ran all over Roosevelt for 371 yards and 6 TDs in a 56-28 win in Week 4.
(1) Oceanside vs. (5) Massapequa, Saturday, 5 p.m.: One point separated these teams in Oceanside's 28-27 win in Nassau I in Week 8. QB Vin Guarino scored on a 2-yard run to win it. Oceanside is 9-0 and don't be fooled by Massapequa's 5-4 record.
(4) North Babylon at (1) Newfield, Saturday, 1 p.m.: North Babylon (7-2) was missing three starters, including A.J. Sobotker in its 32-0 loss at Newfield (9-0) in Suffolk II in Week 7. The Bulldogs are healthy and will look to shut down Newfield's dynamic offense that averages a Suffolk-best 45 points per game.
(5) Miller Place at (2) East Islip, Saturday, 1 p.m.: Trailing 17-13, Miller Place had the ball with 48 seconds left at the East Islip 6 yard line and Redmen linebacker Jack Hannigan's strip and fumble recovery sealed the win in Suffolk III in Week 5. Panthers QB Stephen Farrell can make the difference here. East Islip (8-1) is healthy with the return of halfback Justin Taveras and Hannigan.
(3) Mt. Sinai at (2) Glenn, Saturday, 1 p.m.: Evenly matched semifinal where turnovers will decide the outcome. Glenn won 21-14 win in Suffolk IV in Week 8. Glenn halfback Chris Forsberg had 140 yards in the first encounter. His 72-yard TD run was the game-winner.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
