Roosevelt kicks off high school football season with 'midnight madness,' plus Wantagh and Connetquot camps

The high school football season has officially kicked off, and for the Roosevelt Rough Riders, they didn’t waste any time.

As soon as the clock struck midnight, the team marched onto the brightly lit football field, all wearing matching shirts, for what has become a cherished Roosevelt tradition for almost two decades. It’s known as Midnight Madness.

“It became a tradition that we’re going to be the first team on Long Island to start football,” said Coach Joe Vito. “We come out here - all in matching shirts - and start our practice. Everyone else will be starting tomorrow morning around 8 or 9 a.m.”

The night began at 9:30, with players gathering to enjoy pizza, play video games, and watch professional and college football film.

“There was food and we watched some film before this,” said junior wide receiver Tyrese Williams. “We’re just ready for our first week.”

“It’s great to be a part of this tradition, Coach Vito is a legend for starting this,” junior Tyreik McClenic said. “This gets us started, and it gets us ready for the season.”

Coach Vito first brought Midnight Madness to Roosevelt in 2006, and over the years, it has become a highly anticipated event that players look forward to each season.

“They’ve been doing this for years and years; there’s history behind it,” Williams said. “We were all excited for this, we had it on our calendars and coming here at night - it’s a lot of fun.”

“When you play in the Roosevelt program, you now know that one of the things that comes with that is Midnight Madness,” Vito said. “Roosevelt is a special place, and our kids deserve to do special things like this.”

Despite it being the middle of the night, the energy on the field was electric. The lights were bright, the music was blasting, and the players were buzzing with excitement as they hit the field.

“Playing here at night is just different,” McClenic said. “It’s really high-energy, everyone’s active and everyone's hyped up.”

But for Vito, the event is about much more than just football. It’s about teaching his players the lesson of preparation and dedication.

“We’re going to prepare before other people,” Vito said. “So in life, let’s try to be prepared before our competition.”

All eyes are on week one, where the Rough Riders look forward showcasing their skillset on the field.

“This team, everybody’s really young,” Williams said. “But we all decided, we’re ready to show what Roosevelt football is.”

“I’m very excited,” Vito said. “Don’t let the grey hair fool you, I’m just as excited as a young coach.”

- JOLIE KATZEN

Wantagh has a new roster

There was an overhaul to the Wantagh football roster. Only three starters from the reigning Long Island Class IV champions return to the Wantagh lineup.

The roster decimation would cripple most programs - but not Wantagh - where a winning culture has existed for more than two decades. It is more of a replenish than a rebuild.

"The toughest part is going to be the inexperience," Wantagh coach Keith Sachs said. "But these guys are committed and dedicated. People have to wait their turn, and this year is their turn."

The football season has officially started, and Sachs knows he's working with inexperienced players. He took the first practice to set the foundation and instill the Wantagh culture of commitment, teamwork, and playing your role.

"The first time you step on the field is always a great feeling," Sachs said. “It is the best part of the day. The kids are awesome, they learn, and they want to get better.”

Senior wide receiver Joe Nicholson, who caught a 17-yard pass in last year's championship game, is excited to start the season and bring that championship pedigree to the new roster.

"It'll be our first year together since we played junior varsity together," Nicholson said.

Ready to showcase his arm talent and leadership ability is senior Carter Loughman, who will start at quarterback.

"I've played quarterback my whole life," Loughman said. "It's my favorite thing about the sport, calling all the plays, knowing where everyone is going and being in control. This is the strongest I've ever been."

Winning games and remaining a dominant team will always be important but early on Sachs is more excited about this roster's improvement and camaraderie.

"We always try to win the whole thing, but our main goal throughout the years was to get better and improve," Sachs said. "We had a great summer. The first thing we have to judge is the commitment level, to see if they're going to be ready."

- JONATHAN RUBAN

Double duty in Connetquot

Meanwhile in Suffolk, Connetquot is using every minute afforded to it to get ready for the upcoming season by having two-a-day practices. On Monday, Connetquot coach Mike Konsevitch and his staff broke camp by using each practice window differently. In the 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. window, Konsevitch’s crew focused on conditioning before switching gears to defense and special teams. The 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. practice centered around offense.

Connetquot, who just dropped to Suffolk II after going 6-3 and making the playoffs in Suffolk I, is currently seeded fifth in its new division. The new slate of opponents brings its own set of challenges, but Connetquot’s first issue to tackle is its inexperience, as 25 players from last year’s team have graduated.

“We have some guys who are sophomores looking to fill big roles, so what I’m looking for today is that those kids don’t look like first-year varsity players,” Konsevitch said. “That’s the challenge of high school football. JV and varsity are two different speeds. I’m just hoping some of those sophomores and juniors will rise to the challenge.”

Konsevitch has lots of confidence in his team’s returning senior class, which is led by quarterback Vincent Feraca. Last year, he passed for 2,186 yards, 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions. Now with a firm grasp on his role on the field, Feraca is taking a step up in a leadership role.

His leadership flashed before the night practice even began, as he made sure his teammates were lined up and ready for their first drill.

“When I was younger, it was tough,” Feraca said. “We have a very young team now, and I want these guys to fit in. I want them to feel as if they’re all one. We’re in this together, we’ve just got to be focused.”

Much like all of its contemporaries, Connetquot’s goal is to contend for a Suffolk title. As of Monday night, Konsevitch and company were excited to be back at it and working towards that goal.

“There’s nothing better than high school football,” Konsevitch said. “Playing with your brothers. Whether it be your first time playing with them or your last time. It’s very exciting and we love it; we look forward to it.”

- MIKE ANDERSON