Sayville quarterback Jake Tripptree commits to UConn
Jake Tripptree of Sayville, runs for a gain during a Suffolk Division II football game against Half Hollow Hills West at Sayville on Nov. 11, 2023. Credit: Neil Miller
Sayville quarterback Jake Tripptree announced that he will be playing his collegiate football at the University of Connecticut. The two-year starter threw for 3,771 yards and 45 touchdowns with nine interceptions while leading the Golden Flashes to the Long Island Class III championship in 2022 and the Suffolk Division III title game in 2023.
“UConn is getting a gritty player with character and integrity,” said Sayville coach Reade Sands. “I won’t be surprised if he makes an immediate impact, both on the field and in the locker room. Jake has trained with some of the best quarterback coaches in New York and is ready for this next level.”
Tripptree was also a threat run the ball for the Golden Flashes. He ran for 1,029 yards and 10 touchdowns on 162 carries.
“Jake will be sorely missed,” Sands said. “I am so excited and happy for him as he takes this next step and follows his dream. I know everyone in Sayville will be watching and rooting him on.”
Tripptree had a 22-0 record as a starter and Sayville averaged 37 points per game with him at the helm. He completed 221 of 352 passes, a completion percentage of 62.8. He led the Golden Flashes to a 33-7 win over Plainedge in the 2022 LIC. He suffered a left shoulder injury in a 42-28 win over Half Hollow Hills West in last season's Suffolk Division III semifinal. The injury forced him out of the Suffolk Division III final, a 17-7 loss to East Islip, the eventual Long Island Class III champion.
“Jake was our Mitch Cangelosi No. 9 winner this season,” Sands said. “We give that out to the most valuable player each season.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
