HS football playoffs: game recaps

Wantagh holds off Elmont

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WANTAGH 24, ELMONT 21

By Tony Bellissimo

After forcing eight turnovers to spark a victory over Elmont during the regular season, Wantagh’s defense came through again with big plays down the stretch to secure a come-from-behind 24-21 win in a Nassau Conference II first-round playoff game on Saturday.

 

With the Spartans on the move just shy of midfield late in the fourth quarter, linebacker Ralph Sommer cemented the third-seeded Warriors’ trip to the semifinals with an interception with 1:24 remaining. Cornerback Nick Rodin picked off a pass at Wantagh’s 35-yard line to end No. 6 Elmont’s previous possession.

 

“It was a heck of a battle,” Wantagh head coach Keith Sachs said. “We really had to work and earn it. And if they would’ve won, they would’ve earned it.

 

“We made a couple of defensive adjustments in the second half and took away their favorite plays,” he added. “We got those big interceptions and held them off.”

Peter Brasile’s 40-yard touchdown burst up the middle with 6:58 remaining put the Warriors (7-2) ahead to stay. They’ll face nemesis and four-time defending county champion Garden City, the No. 2 seed, in the semifinals next Friday at Hofstra at 7:30 p.m.

The win was Wantagh’s fifth over Elmont in three years, and second in six weeks as the Warriors took a sloppy 14-7 affair on Sept. 28. The Spartans (4-5) were led by Kevon Chambers’ six receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown.

“We always play great games against these guys,” Elmont head coach Jay Hegi said. “It’s a shame we didn’t beat them because we finally got off to a good start. Last year they jumped on us 21-0 after six minutes, and this year it was 14-0 after two minutes. Today we were in the lead or close all the way.”

 

MASSAPEQUA 56, EAST MEADOW 21

By Andrew Coen

The East Meadow football team had its season ended Saturday for a second straight year by Massapequa in the opening round of the Nassau Conference I playoffs.

The third-seeded Chiefs jumped out to a 21-point halftime lead en route to a convincing 56-21 victory over the sixth-seeded Jets at Massapequa High School. Massapequa, which also defeated East Meadow in the 2012 quarterfinals by a 43-29 score, advances to meet No. 2 Oceanside in the Conference I semifinals to be held at Hofstra University's Shuart Stadium next Saturday at 8:30 p.m.

East Meadow (4-5) led Massapequa 40-35 during the teams' regular-season meeting on Sept. 21 before falling 48-40, but on Saturday the Jets were unable to muster enough offense to hang with the explosive Chiefs.

"We just didn't do enough things well today to be able to win," said East Meadow head coach Vinny Mascia, who in 2011 guided the Jets to a county championship. "We didn't get enough done."

 

LAWRENCE 42, SEWANHAKA 12
By Andrew McClure

Senior quarterback Joe Capobianco was 13 of 21 for 258 yards and four touchdowns to lead Lawrence to a convincing 42-12 victory over visiting Sewanhaka in the opening round of the Nassau Conference III playoffs on Saturday.

Junior Sam Locascio had four receptions for 117 yards, and pulled in a pair of touchdowns passes, including one on the final play of the opening half which gave the Golden Tornadoes a 34-6 lead.

Sophomore Marquan Williams ran for 75 yards on 11 carries to lead the Lawrence rushing attack. The top-seeded Golden Tornadoes will take on No. 5 Glen Cove at Hofstra University next Saturday morning at 10.

OCEANSIDE 35, BALDWIN 21
By Steve Siniski
Twenty four strong minutes from senior running back Tariek Harris, plus two forced fumbles  by its defense and a blocked punt by the special added up to a 35-21 victory for No. 2 Oceanside (8-1) over No. 7 Baldwin (3-6) in the first round of the Nassau County Conference I football playoffs.

Harris, who had just one carry for five yards in the first half, kick started a Sailors run of 28 consecutive points in the third and fourth quarters with a 1-yard plunge just after halftime. The one-play drive followed up a blocked punt and return to the Baldwin 1 by senior Ryan Hertling.

Harris finished with 104 yards rushing on 13 carries and three touchdowns and supported a defense that kept Baldwin off the scoreboard in the second half until Bruins quarterback Tyler Warner threw his third touchdown pass of the game with just 1:01 remaining.

“He sets up 90 percent of their plays,” Baldwin head coach Steve Carroll said of Harris, who ripped off runs of 59, 23 and 20 yards in the second half.

Oceanside advances to the semifinal round at Hofstra this Saturday where it meets No. 3 Massapequa.