Baldwin's rally falls short, Massapequa advances to Conference I final
The last time Baldwin appeared in a Nassau Conference I football final was in 2014. The Bruins were on the cusp of another appearance in the title game late Saturday night in Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium.
The Bruins rallied and climbed within 21-20 with 1:24 left in a Nassau Conference I semifinal against Massapequa.
They needed to convert the two-point conversion for the lead.
Sophomore quarterback Vaughdrea Johnson had capped a five-play, 58-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown run, his second score of the game.
And Baldwin coach Frank Chimenti chose to go for the two-point conversion and the win.
Johnson drove into the middle of the Massapequa line and was denied just short of the goal line. Game over.
"I would make the same decision and go for two in that situation," Chimenti said. "We wanted the ball in our best player's hands. Our kicking game has been inconsistent. Our guy had a read option and thought he cold stretch the ball across the goal line and the Massapequa defense came up with a big stop."
The big stop by the Massapequa defense earned the defending Long Island Class I champions a berth in the championship game against undefeated Farmingdale (10-0) on Saturday, at Hofstra University at 4 p.m.
Baldwin (7-3) had taken a 6-0 lead on a Johnson 1-yard run on the first possession of the game. Anthony Byron was stopped on the two-point conversion run.
Massapequa (8-2) was held scoreless until late in the first half. Junior quarterback Paul Dulanto found Ryan Fountain for a 50-yard scoring pass and Alex Chillemi added the extra-point kick to make it 7-6 with 2:21 left.
In the third quarter, halfback Michael DeLuca scored on two short touchdown runs of 1 and 2 yards to give Massapequa a 21-6 lead.
Baldwin battled back.
Johnson found Cedric Jean-Pierre with a 23-yard touchdown pass and added the two-point conversion run to make it 21-14 with 7:24 left in the game. The scoring pass capped an 11-play, 72-yard drive.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
