Vinny Guarino drives Oceanside into Nassau I title game
Oceanside quarterback No. 18 Vincent Guarino runs the ball on a keep during a Nassau County varsity football Conference I semifinal against Massapequa at Hofstra University on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. Credit: James Escher
Vinny Guarino winced when he was approached for a postgame handshake, as he pointed to blood on his tender right hand from a cut he suffered on the final play. That was about the only thing the Oceanside quarterback couldn't do Saturday night.
Guarino achieved a rare quarterback trifecta -- a touchdown run, pass and catch -- and ran for 198 yards on 25 carries to lead Oceanside to its first playoff victory at Hofstra and first trip to the Nassau I final since 1977 with a 31-22 victory over Massapequa.
The No. 1 Sailors (10-0) will face the winner of Saturday night's Farmingdale-East Meadow game for the Nassau I title next Saturday at Hofstra at 4 p.m. No. 5 Massapequa finished 5-5.
"He put us on his back," Oceanside coach Rob Blount said of Guarino.
Especially in a scintillating first quarter for the Sailors. Guarino hit Derek Cruz on a 39-yard touchdown pass on Oceanside's first offensive play and broke free for a 66-yard touchdown run before Blount reached deep into his playbook.
Guarino, in his customary shotgun alignment, handed to James Paczkowski, who pitched it to Ryan Penna on a flea-flicker . . . with a twist. The wide-open downfield receiver was none other than the quarterback. Guarino hauled in the pass to complete a 53-yard scoring play and provide a 20-0 lead.
"We put in a double pass on Thursday and Vinny dropped more than he caught in practice," Blount said. "But he made a terrific catch tonight."
Guarino, asked which type of touchdown he preferred, grinned and said, "I never had a touchdown catch before, so that was pretty cool."
The Chiefs made it 20-8 near the end of the first quarter when Phil Tesoriero caught Justin Lynskey's pass that was batted by a Sailor in the end zone and Anthony White converted the two-point conversation run.
On the second play of the second quarter, linebacker Dominick Corrao intercepted Guarino and returned it 23 yards to the Oceanside 9. Tommy Macri ran it in and Casey Kimmel's kick made it 20-15. Late in the half, Massapequa drove 66 yards in seven plays to take the lead 22-20 on Chris Bacotti's 1-yard run and Kimmel's kick. That drive was highlighted by a Lynskey to Tesoriero 41-yarder.
"I knew at 20-0 that something was going to happen. That's a good team," Blount said of Massapequa.
Paczkowski provided a third-quarter spark with an interception on the Massapequa 33. Eight plays later, Nick Mari, on a halfback option, passed to Aronis Espinal for an 8-yard touchdown and, after Paczkowski caught a two-point conversion pass from Guarino, a 28-22 lead.
The Sailors, however, didn't put it away until midway through the fourth quarter. A promising drive stalled at the Chiefs' 11 and Blount called time. He went up to Francesco Ancona, a sophomore soccer player, shook his hand and said, simply, "Relax."
Ancona delivered a 28-yard field goal to make it a two-possession game with 5:45 left.
"It's my senior year. We couldn't let it stop at Hofstra this time," Guarino said of the Sailors' four prior losses in the county playoffs. "We jumped the hump."
