Islip's Brady Nash leads LI in NFF All-Star Classic

This wasn’t Ohio State vs. Michigan at the Big House. It just looked that way for a football game on an 80-something day in June at Hofstra’s big house, Shuart Stadium.

These were Long Island seniors in Ohio State-style white, gray and scarlet uniforms vs. New York City seniors in Michigan-style navy blue and maize. The color schemes were clashing Saturday in a special game, the inaugural National Football Foundation All-Star Classic.

Long Island stood out on both sides of the ball, beating the city guys 33-15.

“I think it’s talent on Long Island,” Garden City’s Michael Berkery said, talking about the offensive showing in particular, but he could have been talking about the defense, too. “Everyone underestimates us. It’s not called ‘Strong Island’ for no reason, right?”

Islip quarterback Brady Nash certainly played a strong game, going 10-for-14 for 177 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran for another. The New Haven commit also ran off with the Boomer Esiason Player of the Game trophy.

“Attention to detail,” Long Island/Garden City coach Dave Ettinger said. “He’s been focused through practice. He was voted captain. He’s been a leader in a short period of time. Watching him play just at practice, I wasn’t surprised that he had that kind of day that he did.”

The game basically marked a renewal of the old Empire Challenge that went on for 24 years under the auspices of the Boomer Esiason Foundation. But it ran a fade pattern, going away after the pandemic led to it being called off in 2020.

SEE PHOTOSPhotos: LI vs. NYC in All-Star Classic

“From the past week, I’ve heard how much it means to everyone else,” Nash said. “The last time it was played, we were in sixth grade. So definitely I had to learn more about it. As the week went on, it got more and more serious. And it definitely was a huge win for Long Island.”

College football’s traditional rivalries will be honored at these games now, hence the Ohio State and Michigan looks, complete with the helmets.

“It felt a little surreal seeing those Michigan helmets and Ohio State,” Berkery said. “It felt like a little bit of a usual Ohio State-Michigan game where Ohio State takes control.”

Long Island yielded a 28-yard field goal by Andrew Stosko to cap the first drive of the day after Garden City’s Blake Cascadden broke up a third-down throw.

Then “Ohio State” took control.

Long Island responded with an 11-play, 68-yard drive. Nash raced through a gaping hole for a 2-yard touchdown. Westhampton’s Brody Schaffer kicked the PAT for a 7-3 lead.

New York City went 1-2-3 punt, but Stosko didn’t get to punt. The snap sailed over his head on the first play of the second quarter. He was swarmed in the end zone for a safety.

Then Stosko got his free kick and Carey’s Christian Todaro returned the ball 26 yards to the NYC 35. Four plays later, Massapequa’s Tyler Villalta ran the ball in from the 2.

Lincoln QB Kory Reese, who went 12-for-27 for 181 yards with two TDs and one interception, fired to Solomon DeCoteau for a 12-yard score, cutting it to 16-9.

But 1:41 later, Long Island was back in the end zone. Nash rolled right, then hit an open Berkery on the left side, and he finished off a 37-yard touchdown.

Suffolk to Nassau.

And it was 23-9 at halftime.

“We didn’t have much practice time,” New York City/Erasmus Hall coach Danny Landberg said. “Making us come out here to Long Island was unacceptable.

“We drove two hours to get here every day [for four of the eight sessions] and we had a lot of distractions with the kids attendance-wise as far as being able to make practice.”

Schaffer booted a 24-yard field goal in the third and Nash threw for the game’s final TD in the fourth. He rolled right and found Jesse Brooks of Hills West in the right side of the end zone for a 21-yard score.

“I just know he has great hands and great tracking, so I put it out there for him,” Nash said.

Now some of these players will move on to college football or other college sports. But for Dylan Spano, this was his final game.

The first-team All-Long Island defensive end from Bayport-Blue Point is going to Binghamton just to study computer engineering.

He went out with a sack and a win.

“Definitely a little emotional,” Spano said. “I love this game. It was a lot of fun.”