Suffolk Division IV football team previews
Bayport-Blue Point receiver Jameson Smith against Miller Place, Saturday, April 3, 2021. Credit: George A Faella
1. BAYPORT-BLUE POINT (4-1)
Coach: Michael Zafonte
Five Key Players: Jameson Smith, WR/DB, Sr.; Brady Clark, QB/DB, Jr.; Gavin Locascio, WR/DB, Sr.; JJ Aiello, RB/LB, Jr.; Derek Varley, TE/DE, Jr.
The Phantoms: They bring back a talented team that just missed the playoffs because of a tie breaker. The top seed in 2021, Bayport-Blue Point will look to Clark to lead the offense along with talent in Locascio and Aiello at the skill positions.
2. SHOREHAM-WADING RIVER (6-0)
Coach: Aden Smith
Five Key Players: Max Barone, RB/SS, Sr.; Anthony Giordano, FB/NT, Sr.; Dylan Kiely, TE/OLB, Sr.; Aidan Clifford, OT/DE, Sr.; James Provencher, C/DT, Sr.
The Wildcats: They are the defending Suffolk IV champions and will look for a repeat behind a powerful running back in Barone (518 yards on 88 carries) and veteran offensive lineman in Clifford and Provencher.
3. MILLER PLACE (2-3)
Coach: Adam St. Nicholas
Five Key Players: Aidan Glynn, OT/DE, Sr.; Owen Connolly, WR/OLB, Sr.; Justin Klein, QB, Sr.; James Duffy, OT, Sr.; Anthony Bartolotto, WR/DB, Sr.
The Panthers: They add two impact running backs in Scotty Seymour and Joe’ll Spagnuolo who return after transferring away last season. They’ll be running behind an experienced offensive line led by Glynn.
4. MOUNT SINAI (3-2)
Coach: Vin Ammirato
Five Key Players: Joey Spallina, QB/LB, Sr.; Gavin Takacs, TE/LB, Sr.; Alex Day, OL/DL, Sr.; Chris Kit, OL/DL, Sr.; James Carretta, RB/LB, Sr.
The Mustangs: The offense will be led by Spallina, a dual threat who ran for 360 yards and threw for 290 yards in five games last season. Day and Kit are two-year starters that will anchor both lines.
5. BABYLON (6-1)
Coach: Rick Punzone
Five Key Players: Joe Young, QB, Sr.; Elijah Kneeland, TE/DE, Sr.; Kevin Mroczka, OL/DL, Sr.; Brady Winter, OL/LB, Jr.; Andrew DiPalma, RB/LB, Jr.
The Panthers: They return one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in Suffolk in Young (786 rush yards, 10 TDs and 381 passing yards and 12 TDs) and a two-way force in Kneeland (eight receiving TD’s and 51 tackles and six sacks). They’ll be supplemented by five sophomore starters.
6. GLENN (4-2)
Coach: Dave Shanahan
Five Key Players: Joe LaCorte, RB/LB, Sr.; Christian Szokoli, OL/LB, Sr.; Mario Bento, RB/LB, Jr.; Chris Franzese, QB/S, Jr.; Julien Bush, OT/DT, Soph.
The Knights: They will rely on LaCorte (35 tackles), Bento (32 tackles) and Szokoli to lead a fast and hard hitting defense and on Bush (15 tackles, two sacks) to continue to make an impact as an underclassman.
7. CENTER MORICHES (2-4)
Coach: Leonard Wright
Five Key Players: Judah Williams, RB/DB, Sr.; Paul Loguercio, OL/DL, Sr.; Colin Magill, OL/DL, Sr.; Joel Treadwell, OL/DL, Sr.; James Schildt, OL/DL, Sr.
The Red Devils: The return a deep and experienced line that will look to control the line of scrimmage and open running lanes for the talented Williams. Looking to win the first playoff game in program history.
8. PORT JEFFERSON (2-2)
Coach: Andrew Cosci
Five Key Players: Luke Filippi, QB/LB, Sr.; Stephen Bayer, WR/LB, Sr.; Peter Murphy, C/DE, Sr.; Brady DeWitt, RB/S, Jr.; Kyle Yannucci, WR/CB, Sr.
The Royals: They will look to Filippi (11 TD’s and 45 tackles) and Bayer (four TD’s and 41 tackles) to be linchpins on both sides of the ball. Port Jeff returns a lot of depth all over the field and will be looking to make and win a game in the playoffs.
9. EAST HAMPTON (1-4)
Coach: Joe McKee
Five Key Players: Finn Byrnes, RB/LB, Jr.; Danny Lester, TE/LB, Jr.; Melvin Molina, OL/LB, Sr.; Mike Moret, RB/LB, Sr.; Mike Hill, WR/DB, Sr.
The Bonackers: They are looking to continue making a steady improvement after fielding a varsity team for the first time in two years last season. Sophomore quarterback Charlie Corwin is a newcomer who can have an impact on the offense.
10. GREENPORT/SOUTHOLD/MATTITUCK (N/A)
Coach: Tim McArdle
Five Key Players: Dominick Giovanniello, OL/DL, Sr.; Hunter Anderson, TE/DE, Sr.; Scott Ferguson, OL/DL, Sr.; Danny Breen, RB/LB/K/P, Sr.; Rudy Bruer, WR/OLB, Sr.
The Porters: They will rely heavily on players that led the JV squad to a 4-0 record last season after not fielding a team. Giovanniello, Anderson and Feguson will lead a strong group up front that will look to control the line of scrimmage.
11. WYANDANCH (0-3)
Coach: William Harrison
Key Players: Antoine Ruddock, WR/LB, Sr.; Deandre Smith, RB/LB, Sr.;
Wyandanch: They will look to Ruddock and Smith to lead a defense that they believe can carry the team to victories this season.
12. HAMPTON BAYS (1-3)
Coach: Sean Gil
Top Five Players: Cooper Shay, FB/LB, Sr.; Stephen Sutton, WR/CB, Sr.; Timothy Kraycar, OL/DL, Sr.; Nicholas Velasquez, TB/LB, Sr.; Logan Grismer, TB/LB, Sr.
The Baymen: They have a senior core at key positions as Shay and Velasquez look to key the running game behind the 6-foot-4, 285 pound Kraycar on the offensive line.
Gene Morris joined Newsday's sports department in September 2012 and covers high school sports. He earned a journalism degree from Stony Brook University in 2010.
