Long Island high school football quarterfinal games to watch, plus picks

The quarterfinal round of the high school football playoffs is set to begin. The round of eight usually offers little more than a few competitive games and a bevy of blowouts. However, the significance of this year’s quarterfinal round should see one of Long Island’s powerhouse programs make New York State history.

Top-seeded Garden City, can set the record for the longest winning streak in New York State history with a win over the eighth-seeded Baldwin Bruins (3-5) in a Nassau Conference II game. Garden City (8-0) handled Baldwin, 56-7, in Week 2. They host Baldwin on Friday at 2 p.m.

The Trojans can stand alone with a 63rd straight win over the past six years. The win will move Garden City past Maine-Endwell of Binghamton, which had 62 consecutive wins between 2011-2015.

“It’s not something we like to talk about,” Garden City coach David Ettinger said. “Of course, it’s a great accomplishment and this is the group that gets to play for the actual record-breaker. But there’s been so many players over the years responsible for making this a possibility.”

The Trojans have not lost since they dropped a 14-13 decision to Lindenhurst in the 2019 Long Island Class I championship. These seniors were in the sixth grade at the time.

“The pressure to continue the streak builds every year,” Ettinger said. “We say there’s no pressure but in actuality no team wants to be the one that loses ending the streak.”

Garden City is averaging 44 points per game with halfback Anthony Asaro and quarterback Brayden Robertiello. The Trojans defense yields only six per game.

NASSAU I

(5) Syosset (4-4) at (4) Port Washington (5-3), Friday, 6 p.m.

This is the first home playoff game in Port Washington’s history. The Vikings host Syosset, whom they have not played this season. Both teams feature top quarterbacks. Syosset’s Ethan Dizon has passed for 1,302 yards and 15 touchdowns. Harry Eynon of Port Washington has thrown 1,503 yards and 20 scores.

NASSAU IV

(5) Locust Valley (4-4) at (4) Cold Spring Harbor (5-3), Friday, 6 p.m.

This rivalry has produced some intense defensive battles. The Seahawks beat Locust Valley in Week 5, 23-6. Locust Valley needs to stop Chase Cody for a shot at a win. The winner advances to Hofstra and a semifinal game next week.

SUFFOLK I

(5) Whitman (5-3) at (4) Longwood (4-4), Friday, 6 p.m.

Whitman beat Longwood, 15-14, in Week 6. The Lions had won the previous three meetings. Longwood’s Kyon Sarwari rushed for 831 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. The Whitman defense needs to shut down Sarwari for the win.

SUFFOLK III

(6) East Hampton (5-3) at (3) Islip (7-1), Friday, 6 p.m.

These teams did not meet in the regular season. Islip quarterback Jack Rao leads Long Island in passing yardage (2,266) and touchdowns (29) and he has a trio of talented receivers. Jake DeGennaro (41 receptions, 624 yards and five scores), Jack Halpin (26, 508, 7) and Alex Morales (29, 485, 12) are a difficult bunch for any secondary.

Quarterback Theo Ball has passed for 757 yards and 10 scores for East Hampton. The Bonackers need to run it with halfbacks Alex Davis, Jackson Ronick, and Jai Feaster to keep Rao and company off the field.

NASSAU III

(5) Clarke (6-2) at (4) Wantagh (5-3), Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

Clarke wiped out a 16-point third-quarter deficit to come back and beat Wantagh, 36-34, earlier this season. Wantagh, the defending Long Island Class IV champion, has had a Jekyll and Hyde kind of season. Wantagh has won 18 consecutive first-round playoff games. So which Wantagh team shows up to try and corral Clarke quarterback Matt Kurz and his Rams?

SUFFOLK II

(6) North Babylon (4-4) at (3) Huntington (6-2), Saturday, 1 p.m.

Huntington beat North Babylon in a wild 40-34 game in Week 2 — but that was a long time ago. Huntington has found balance on offense with halfback Yasir Jones, who has 1,085 yards and 19 touchdowns, and quarterback Jacob Guzik, who’s passed for 1,173 yards and 12 TD. North Babylon will Ground-N-Pound with halfback Dominic Prestano, who has 1,221 rushing yards and 16 TD. Stop the NB ground game and win the game.

(5) Bellport (5-3) at (4) Northport (7-1), Saturday, noon

The Clippers and the Tigers will meet for the first time this season. The Bellport defense will get its first look at Northport’s outstanding quarterback Simon Blissett. He torched defenses for 1,653 passing yards and 21 TD. His go-to wide receiver is Greyson Cabrera. Bellport quarterback Brayden Cipp has thrown six TD passes to Elie Malcolm.

Andy Slawson contributed to this story.

By Gregg Sarra

gregg.sarra@newsday.com@Gregg_Sarra

Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.