Senior Bowl showcase celebrates top Nassau football players
Joey Goodman #33 of Calhoun (Team Blue - Conferences II and III), right, gets congratulated by teammates after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter of the annual Nassau County Senior Bowl against Team White (Conferences I and IV) at Mitchel Athletic Complex on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. Credit: James Escher
The turkey and stuffing could wait for Nick Naumov.
The Valley Stream North quarterback shined among Nassau’s best seniors on Thanksgiving morning, completing 8 of 9 passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns to lead the blue team to a 26-19 win over the white team in the annual Nassau County Senior Bowl Classic at the Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale.
“It was an amazing moment, a moment that I just wanted to be a part of my whole high school career,” Naumov said.
The blue team featured seniors from Nassau Conference II and III; the white team had seniors from Nassau I and IV. An offensive and defensive player from each team were honored as game MVPs.
Naumov earned offensive MVP honors and Roslyn/Friends Academy defensive back Sean Shallat, who had four tackles and a pass breakup, earned defensive MVP honors for the blue team.
“It’s an unreal feeling,” Naumov said. “It’s a big accomplishment, and I’m just really happy to be here.”
Hempstead running back Dwayne Meadors had eight carries for 89 yards and two touchdowns to earn offensive MVP honors for the white team. Uniondale linebacker Luis Lizama was named the white team’s defensive MVP after making nine tackles, including two for loss.
“I wanted to break the record,” Meadors said. “But I didn’t get it, so I’m pretty mad about that, but we’re fine.”
Both teams had only three practices before the game, but Naumov did not have problems developing a rapport with his teammates.
“During the whole week of practice, it was like one of the most fun times I ever had playing football,” Naumov said. “And then just going out there, no stress, nothing like that.”
The blue team went ahead 13-0 in the first quarter after Calhoun running back Joey Goodman’s 2-yard touchdown run and Naumov’s 25-yard touchdown toss to Lynbrook wide receiver Ramon Calderon.
The white team scored 19 unanswered points in the second quarter, with Meadors’ two rushing touchdowns — a 37-yard run and a 2-yard run — and Malverne running back Branden McLaughlin’s 4-yard touchdown run.
Naumov’s second touchdown pass, a 29-yarder to Wantagh wideout TJ Carlo, put the blue team ahead 20-19 early in the fourth quarter. Lynbrook running back Michael Hendrickson had the exclamation point, a 2-yard touchdown run with one minute left.
“Coming from the first practice when you don’t know anybody to bonding with them for three days and becoming like brothers with them is amazing,” Naumov said. “Coming out on top and having a great game just topped it all off.”
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
