Passing fancy for Lawrence, Huntington in LIC Class III game
Lawrence quarterback Joe Capobianco completes a pass on fourth and long during the fourth quarter against Plainedge. (Nov. 23, 2013) Credit: James Escher
If the winds are calm Saturday, the air might be turbulent -- filled with flying footballs and the outstretched hands of leaping players as Lawrence and Huntington meet in the Long Island Class III championship game at noon at Stony Brook.
Defending champion Lawrence is led by Joe Capobianco, who broke Long Island career marks for passing yards and touchdown passes this season. Entering the final game of his three-year career, Capobianco has passed for 7,660 yards (2,615 this season) and 97 touchdowns (30 this season).
Capobianco's top receiver early in the season was Jordan Fredericks, but the junior was moved to running back, where he has become even more dangerous. Fredericks rushed for 233 yards and three TDs in Saturday's last-second 28-27 victory over Plainedge. He has scored 31 touchdowns.
Capobianco throws to various targets, led by Sean Moran, who caught a crucial 43-yard pass on fourth-and-10 Saturday to set up the winning kick, and Sam Locascio. Screen passes to Fredericks also have been a nice option for Capobianco.
Huntington's Ben Kocis, a 6-2, 190-pounder, has thrown for 1,611 yards. Christian Jamison has nearly 800 yards receiving. Like Capobianco, Kocis is not afraid to run out of the spread when the pocket collapses or when he sees an opening.
Kocis rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Blue Devils past three-time defending Suffolk III champion Sayville in Saturday night's county championship game.
Troy Greene and LeVar Butts give Huntington a potent outside-inside running tandem. Butts also is a tough linebacker.
The Golden Tornadoes are playing in the Long Island Championships for the third consecutive year, having lost to Sayville, 78-61, in 2011 in the highest-scoring game in New York state history and having edged the Golden Flashes, 21-20, last year.
Lawrence is playing in the LIC for the eighth time and has gone 1-0 in Class I, 1-2 in Class II and 1-2 in Class III.
Huntington is making its third appearance, having lost in 2003 and won in 2005.
The results of this one may arrive by air mail.
