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Mostly Cloudy Locust Valley ends Rocks season
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East Rockaway's Nick Ulip tries to break the grasp of Locust Valley's Philip Merenda during last Saturday's Conference IV playoff game.
Chavon McIntyre/Herald
A dominant performance in week 8 clinched a berth for East Rockaway in the Nassau Conference IV playoffs. But, it was one and out for the orange and black. The Rocks ran into a red hot Locust Valley team, and were beaten soundly by the third-seeded Falcons 47-0 in a conference quarterfinal game last Saturday.
Senior running back Marc Mauro ran for 209 yards and scored three touchdowns. Mauro’s 61-yard touchdown run on the team’s first play from scrimmage started the rout. Locust Valley held the Rocks to 73 total yards, as the Falcons’ defense increased its scoreless streak to 10 consecutive quarters. Robert Alfano led Locust Valley with nine tackles. East Rockaway finished the season with an overall record of 4-5.
Rocks coach Russ Pajer wasn’t pleased with his team’s effort in the finale, but gave Locust Valley plenty of credit. “They played at a higher level than we did,” Pajer said. “We came out flat, and they took it to us. Mauro is a tremendous football player.”
A week earlier, the Rocks earned the sixth seed in the conference playoffs with a convincing 27-0 home victory over Cold Spring Harbor. It was the team’s first shutout of the season. After consecutive losses to Seaford and Clarke, the latter in overtime, East Rockaway needed a victory to assure itself of a trip to the postseason. Both teams entered the game with identical 3-4 records.
The Rocks wasted no time showing who would be the superior team. Paced by two touchdown runs by senior Joe Barbaro, East Rockaway ran out to a 20-0 lead. Barbaro ran for 57 yards on nine carries. The Rocks also found the end zone when sophomore Nick Ulip scored his first touchdown as a varsity player from four yards out. Ulip finished the day with 49 yards on seven carries.
Senior Brian Lantz, 13 carries for 60 yards, capped off the scoring by running it in from eight yards out. East Rockaway ran for 209 yards on the day. Junior quarterback Andrew Bashford was 3-for-4 for 88 yards through the air.
Four Rocks picked up postseason honors. Junior lineman Doug Draude was the team’s All-County recipient. Barbaro, Lantz and junior Mike Castellano all picked up All-Conference honors. Castellano led the team with seven touchdowns. Lantz (five) and Barbaro combined for nine touchdowns, all on the ground.
East Rockaway’s JV team, coached by Wayne Smyle and Ed Reicherter, closed out a successful season with a 32-0 win over Cold Spring Harbor. The JV finished with a 5-3 record.
Pajer was pleased with the overall performance of his team, and likes the future of the program. “We’re going to miss this bunch,” he said. “Guys like Brian Lantz and others just loved to play football. We have a nice bunch returning, next season, and I’m very happy with the way the JV played.
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