Win lifts MacArthur before playoffs

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MacArthur is heading into the Conference II football playoffs with momentum at its back after a convincing 28-7 win at New Hyde Park last Saturday to close the regular season.
The dominating performance came a week after the Generals suffered their first loss in a 49-7 setback at Garden City.  Longtime MacArthur head coach Bob Fehrenbach said the bounce back was an important lift for his team to gain confidence for the postseason.
“Any time you lose you want to play again and get back at it right away,” Fehrenbach said. “Hopefully we are trending upwards.”  
After a scoreless first quarter, the Generals (7-1) were sparked on defense by a Steven Weber 35-yard interception return to the New Hyde Park 4-yard line that set up a quarterback sneak touchdown from Ryan Muller. The senior quarterback finished with 79 yards rushing and three touchdowns to close a regular season in which he drove much of the offense with his athletic ability. 
“We’re using him to make some plays for us out of the backfield whether it be scrambling or designed runs,” said Fehrenbach, who noted that in past years most of the rushing gains came from running backs with little yardage out of the quarterback position. “He has given us another dimension this year.” 

Senior running back James Napoli’s 4-yard touchdown run in the second quarter extended the MacArthur lead to 14-0. Napoli finished with 71 yards rushing on just 17 carries two weeks after gaining 170 yards in a 41-28 win against Elmont. 
“It is great seeing him reacting after we score and it’s not him and is someone else, but it doesn’t matter he still has his hands in the air and is still celebrating with his teammates,” Fehrebach said of Napoli’s team-first attitude. “That’s good to see because he has been getting the lion’s share of the carries all year and as long as someone gets into the end zone he is OK with it.” 
The defense was in command all day with the starters holding New Hyde Park off the scoreboard led largely by linebacker Ryan Larkin and defensive end Connor Cullen. Larkin recorded seven tackles while Cullen forced pressure that resulted in Weber’s key second quarter interception. 
“It’ a pretty big statement for three and a half quarters for those guys to keep them out of the end zone,” Fehrenbach said.
The Generals earned the two seed for the eight team Conference II playoffs that kick off Friday night at 7 p.m. against Long Beach, who went 3-3 in league play. The game will mark a rematch of MacArthur’s season-opening 13-0 win against the Marines on Sept. 10 in which Napoli converted two fourth-and goal touchdowns after a scoreless first three quarters. 
A win against Long Beach would advance MacArthur to the county semifinals at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium on Nov. 13 versus the winner of Mepham-Valley Stream Central.  The Generals are looking to return to the finals stage again after falling to Garden City 14-7 last season.