Malverne grinds out victory

When Malverne and East Rockaway get together on the football field, the hitting is vicious and the emotion is unbridled. This year’s battle for Ocean Avenue bragging rights met all expectations, but in the end, the Mules’ ground attack was too much for the Rocks.

Senior running back Jackson Hayes gained 93 yards on 11 carries and scored two touchdowns to lead Malverne to a 27-12 victory over visiting East Rockaway in the Nassau Conference IV opener on Saturday afternoon. Hayes’ second score, a 36-yard run late in the third quarter, broke the game open for the Mules. Junior Cory Alexander added 94 yards and a score.

East Rockaway took a 6-0 lead in the second quarter on a one-yard run by junior Michael Castellano, but the Mules scored 21 consecutive points. Senior Jonathan Rogers chipped in 71 yards on the ground for the winners.