Rory Connor, Manhasset roll past Floral Park, setting up title rematch with Plainedge
Rory Connor #15 of Manhasset celebrates after scoring a touch down with teammates Jad Baki #2 and Aidan Doherty #51during the football game on April 24, 2021. Credit: Anna Sergeeva
If there was any question about how fixated Manhasset is on ending a football title drought more than two decades long, it didn’t take long to come through in their Conference IIII semifinal against Floral Park on Saturday.
Manhasset had three touchdowns at the end of the first quarter, scored on five of their six first-half possessions and rolled to a 35-7 victory over the Knights at their own Ed Walsh Stadium.
Manhasset (7-0) will be going for its fourth county championship and first since the autumn of 1996 when it hosts Plainedge this coming weekend in the title game. That could be a tough 48 minutes, given that the Red Devils (6-1) are not only the two-time defending county champions but also are looking to avenge a 13-7 regular-season loss to visiting Manhasset.
"We really brought our ‘A’ game to this week and you saw that in the first half," Manhasset coach Jay Iaquinta said. "We are not that much better than Floral Park, but our ‘A’ game is not easy to deal with. I expect Plainedge will be ready for it. It would be wrong to expect anything else.
"It’s been too long for our school," Manhasset quarterback Rory Connor said. "We think this is a special group here and we have a real shot to be county champion for the first time in a long time."
Connor certainly did his part. He was 2-for-3 passing and the completions, both to Aidan Mulholland, went for touchdowns of 24 and 28 yards. Connor also had a 7-yard touchdown run.
"Rory is a truly awesome teammate," Mulholland said. "He makes sure everyone is in the right mindset. And this year’s team has a lot of athletic players and he knows how to use them."
But the interesting thing about Manhasset’s triple option-style offense — with all its misdirections and pitches — is that it truly is an ensemble effort.
Blaze Conlon ran 11 times for 85 yards and had a 5-yard touchdown. And Tyler Roszco ran it eight times for 61 yards and an 8-yard touchdown; Roszco was a terror at linebacker, piling up several big stops.
Floral Park sabotaged itself with interceptions and penalties in the early going. In fact, its first possession had a more than 40 yard run by Jack Nolan nullified by an illegal block in the back. Its next two possessions ended in inteceptions by Manhasset’s Ahmad Crowell and William Cargiulo. Jordan Gangaram also had an interception for Manhasset.
Floral Park scored in the fourth quarter when Christopher Naronis hit Matthew Ollen for a 31-yard touchdown.
"I have no doubt that Plainedge will have a chip on its shoulder when we meet. That’s a great program," Roszco said. "We’re going to have a chip, too, though. I think it sounds like a great game."
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
