Northport shuts out Lindenhurst; Mike Raio, Owen Johansen score TDs
Northport's Mike Raio celebrates his touchdown during a Suffolk Division II football game against Lindenhurst in Northport on Saturday. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Suffolk Division II is as competitive as it gets in Long Island high school football. The playoff picture is no clearer four weeks into the season as it was on opening day.
The Northport defense saw to it that no team would be left unbeaten at the midpoint of the season. The Tigers took out previously undefeated Lindenhurst in dominant fashion with a 19-0 shutout on a raw, rainy Saturday afternoon in East Northport.
Both teams are 3-1 and tied atop the standings with Bellport and West Islip. Bellport edged previously unbeaten West Islip, 22-17, on the road Friday night.
“Our division is brutal week in and week out,” said Northport coach Pat Campbell. “We have a dogfight every week. We felt North Babylon kicked our butts and embarrassed our defense last week and we got away with a 28-27 win. Our kids took it to heart. We felt like we hadn’t played a complete game yet this year.”
Northport played complimentary football yesterday. The Tigers offense picked up the defense and vice versa and the special teams picked up both. They played an almost flawless game.
“Today we played a complete game,” Campbell said. “We executed on both sides of the ball.”
The defense set the tone on the opening possession forcing Lindy into a three and out for minus -3 yards.
“We had an added incentive as it was Lindy that eliminated our team from the playoffs in last year’s semifinals,” said Northport quarterback Owen Johansen. “It was heartbreaking. We were in good position to win up by 14 in the fourth quarter and we let it get away. We don’t want regrets like our junior season.”
Yesterday they had none.
Northport drove 53 yards in nine plays for the opening score. Johansen capped the march with a 16-yard touchdown romp and the 7-0 lead with 6:59 left in the first quarter. He keyed the drive when he rifled a 13-yard pass for a first down to Aidan Bolger on a fourth down and three throw to the 23.
Behind an athletic offensive line of tackles Mason Hecht and Matt McGovern, guards Tim Cleary and Justin Macke and sophomore center Connor Henigmann, Northport took a two-score lead early in the second quarter.
Mike Raio scored on a 4-yard run to cap a seven-play, 97-yard drive. Johansen fired 29 yards to Nick Valenti and Christian Raio rumbled 39 yards for another first down in the march for the 14-0 lead. Northport extended the lead with a third-quarter safety and Bill Griffiths kicked a 33-yard field goal.
“Our offensive line played amazing and executed and against a very strong opponent,” Johansen said.
So how impressive was the Northport defense in the first half. Lindenhurst ran the ball eight times and six of those plays resulted in negative yardage. The eight total carries netted a minus -11 yards. The Bulldogs finished the half with 30 total yards on 17 plays.
“We did a good job reading our keys and stuffed the run,” said Johansen, who also plays strong safety. “We had a great gameplan. Guys played to the level that we thought they could.”
Lindy QB Christian Capogna fared no better as the Tigers defensive scheme shut down the passing game. He completed seven of 21 passes for 97 yards and an interception. The run game was non-existent. The Bulldogs rushed 16 times for minus -11 yards finishing the game with 86 total yards in 37 plays.
Two circus catches by Lindy wide receiver Chris Carson accounted for 68 yards. He beat triple coverage for a 33-yard gain and double coverage for 35 on the final drive.
Take out the Carson catches and Northport allowed 18 yards in 35 plays — that’s championship football.
“For most of us this is our last time playing football as seniors,” Johansen said. “Every moment counts.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
