Will Garden City be able to slow down high-flying Elmont?

Elmont quarterback Aaron Ruthman has shredded three straight Nassau II opponents to open the season. He’s passed for a Long Island-leading 921 yards and 13 touchdowns in wins over Calhoun, Carey and Sewanhaka.

“He’s an incredible athlete and off to a great start,” Elmont coach Jay Hegi said. “We haven’t even unleashed our running game yet and we believe it’s pretty good. We’ll need to balance the run and pass to compete against Garden City.”

Elmont will host Garden City in a battle of 3-0 teams at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Ruthman and his Elmont offense, which averages 40 points per game, will face a different breed of defense this week. The Trojans allow a little more than a touchdown per week.

“We try not to give up big plays and that’s what they shoot for all the time,” Garden City coach Dave Ettinger said. “Ruthman can throw it and they have four guys that can go catch it. It’ll be a challenge for sure.”

Both teams have handled perennial playoff contender Carey already this season. Elmont has only captured the conference title once in the past 20 years, that accomplishment coming in 2008. Garden City has captured 10 titles in the same span and owns a six-game win streak against the Spartans.

Brutal weather is expected and that would play a factor in the outcome.

In other action:

Freeport at Farmingdale, Friday night, 6:30 p.m.: Farmingdale (3-0) is undefeated and balanced on offense with quarterback Tommy Donovan and halfback Jordan McLune in Nassau I. The one obstacle in the way of another Dalers undefeated season is Freeport’s electric quarterback Rashad Tucker, who has the Red Devils off to a 3-0 start. Tucker is a threat on the ground and through the air and he’s so athletic, he’s unpredictable. The Farmingdale defense has allowed one touchdown through three games and Freeport averages 36 points per game.

Ward Melville at Floyd, Saturday, 2 p.m.: Special teams will be the difference in this Suffolk I game. Ward Melville kick returner John Corpac has taken the opening kickoff back for a touchdown in two of the first three games. Ward Melville (2-1) is loaded with playmakers, with wide receiver Eddie Munoz, halfback Nick Messina and quarterback Wesley Manning. The Floyd offensive line can dominate and Nick Silva has emerged as the go-to back through a 3-0 start.

Port Jefferson at Wyandanch, Saturday, 3 p.m.: The second year of the rebuilding plan in Wyandanch is coming to fruition in Suffolk IV. Coach Dwight Singleton has the Warriors off to a 3-0 start buoyed by the running of halfback Christian Flowers. The last time they started 4-0 was 1994. Port Jeff is 1-2 and coming off a loss to Shoreham-Wading River. The Royals are on a 10-game win streak against Wyandanch since 2002.

Babylon at Miller Place, Saturday, 2 p.m.: Both of these teams are 3-0 and could supplant Shoreham-Wading River as the next Suffolk IV champion. Babylon wrecked the Wildcats 25-game win streak with a surprising 27-21 decision a week ago. And Miller Place dropped down in enrollment and right into the mix of the division contenders. Babylon quarterback Scott Sasso is equally good on the run and with the pass. Miller Place counters with quarterback Anthony Seymour, who threw three scoring passes to Kevin Gersbeck last week.

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.