High School Football

BY GREGG SARRA

Sachem East, Smithtown East, Connetquot, Harborfields and Miller Place rotated through a five-way scrimmage at the PAL Complex in Holbrook on Saturday. A pounding rain introduced players to the first full contact scrimmage of the new season. The turf soaked up all of the hard rain and made the footing fairly negotiable.

The scrimmage offered a quick glimpse of what individual teams can do this year. And it was an opportunity to preview players at different positions without a worry as to winning and losing. Does anyone really care about winning a scrimmage? Don't answer that -- because when I coached I always wanted to make an impresson in a scrimmage -- which meant I wanted my team to win -- which really means look better than the other guy.

Coaches got a view yesterday of some really outstanding players. Miller Place made a great impression as a whole. They tore up Sachem East, Harborfields and Smithtown East. They hung with Division I Connetquot. Tyler DeRosa ripped off a touchdown run against the T-Birds and Dean Haussel threw a long touchdown pass. Connetquot returned the favor as Joe Pellegrino raced to one of the T-Birds' two scores.

The individual players that really stood out:

Joe Botti of Sachem East. He is a do-it-all, two-way stud. He is an outstanding wide receiver, who blocks as well as anyone on the perimeter. He made the final block on two Sachem East scores. He was effective at quarterback. He made some nice open field tackles from his free safety position.

Adam Binder ran the ball well for Smithtown East. He was one of the bright spots on the Bulls offense. Haussel and Connetquot's Ryan Anderson both threw the ball well. Haussel benefited from an offense that featured a power running game behind Zach Buonaito and DeRosa and a variety of sure-handed receivers in Joe Mancini and Matt Dunn. Anderson's favorite target is a real good one in Matt Nason, who made at least two leaping grabs.

The three hour scrimmage ended with skies cleared and coaches checking off the "things to do list." Practice picks up again on Monday.

BY GREGG SARRA

They ring the victory bell after home wins in Riverhead. It's been a tradition for a long, long time. Senior halfback Miguel Maysonet, and no, he's not 23 years old, told me he's always dreamed of ringing the bell after a home win. "Ever since I was a little kid," he said. To which I replied, "But wasn't that such a long time ago. Because everyone thinks you're in your late twenties."

I guess that's what happens when a kid plays varsity football for a long time. In my guesstimation, there are some guys out there who think Maysonet's been playing varsity football for like 10 years. Dudes that are married with five kids swear they were tackling him years ago.

Maysonet laughs at the notion and all the attention. He said it comes with the territory of being around the varsity for the past four years. Great kid, great attitude and big time football player.

So there I was with Maysonet, senior quarterback Tim Velys, who's feeling excellent after off-season shoulder surgery, and senior linebacker Andrew Smith, a Division I blue chip prospect, who's getting all sorts of attention from big time colleges. And they showed me some pre-season bell ringing.

Top-seeded Riverhead expects to be ringing the bell often this year.

BY GREGG SARRA

Many have debated the St. Anthony's -- Floyd question -- so who's better? You wouldn't have found the answer in Saturday's scrimmage that also included Wyandanch and Bellport.

First of all, who invited Wyandanch, and why? It's tough enough on the coaching staff over there to keep that team positive -- but that's like bringing the lambs to the slaughter.

And Bellport is no joke either. But sources tell me that Bellport is very young and had a tough time against the Friars and the Colonials. But Wyandanch??? There was nowhere else for the Warriors to get some quality practice time?

The sidelines were in complete contrast of one another. St. Anthony's came with an army of more than 90 players. Wyandanch may have had about 25. I give the Wyandanch coaching staff a tremendous amount of respect for accepting the invitation. I just hope none of those players -- especially the ones who were getting their first exposure to varsity action -- think all opponents are like Floyd, Bellport and St. Anthony's.

So who got the better of whom? Well, we're only talking about first-teamers here. A reliable source with no rooting interest felt the Floyd running game was shut down by St. Anthony's but quarterback Steve Murphy was able to throw the ball pretty well, despite some miserable weather.

And St. Anthony's, with some key players banged up [oh, there it is -- the first excuse, I apologize] was able to move the ball on the Floyd defense fairly well. All in all, a less spirited scrimmage than expected, a bit of a letdown because of the weather. St. Anthony's scored twice and Floyd found the end zone once during the first team scrimmage. But with all the rules and parameters put on such a practice, it was really just a tease of what would be a great game.

Please schedule a real non-league game for 2009 and have the proceeds go to a charitable organization. Now that's a plan. Hope all of you enjoyed the first day of scrimmages -- I did.

In this week's episode, an underdog Floyd lineman fights to make it through the latest round of cuts.

BY BOB HERZOG

Whether it’s two-a-days during late summer, or prepping for the playoffs in late autumn, every day is a good day for tackling drills at Glenn.

“Even during the season, we practice tackling every day,” said Dave Shanahan, the vocal and enthusiastic coach at Glenn. “From now until November, it’s so important that we do it, no matter what time of year it is.”

Shanahan likes to vary the drills and mix in a little competition to break up the routines. So late Wednesday afternoon, Glenn’s players moved around in groups from station to station. Shanahan supervised one drill using “chutes” – lining up players in three-point stances between metal poles, blowing his whistle and having them take a step around the pole before driving low and hard into tackling dummies.

“We call this one the square-up drill and it gets them to move their feet,” said Shanahan, who frequently yelled, “Bite the bicep” to encourage his players to keep their heads up as they drove their shoulders into the dummies.

“Tackling is all about technique, that’s why we always practice it,” Shanahan said. Glenn’s technique was pretty good in 2007 as the defense allowed just 84 points in eight games. With eight of 11 defensive starters back, he hopes to improve on last season’s 4-4 record. Glenn is the No. 2 seed in Suffolk Division IV, led by defensive ends Malcolm Eugene and Nick Capobianco.

Eugene is also an outstanding wide receiver and favorite target of quarterback Mike Massa. On Wednesday, Eugene was the target of two defenders during one of Shanahan’s favorite tackling exercises. “We call it the open-field drill,” he said, staging a session for the benefit of this first-time visitor.

Eugene (above) took the football and went against two players in a fairly wide “box.” He was allowed to try any move to elude the defenders. On this day, Capobianco was able to bring him down with a high tackle. It was pretty fierce and pretty competitive, with players gathered around and cheering on all participants until the whistle blew.

On other days, Shanahan will have his players concentrate on forcing fumbles, using the strip drill. He said he has another one called the “eye-opener.” Not sure what that one was, and not sure I want to know. But I know it will end with someone getting tackled.

BY BOB HERZOG

Defense was the order of the day at Massapequa on Thursday morning, as coach Pat Nolan read from a couple of scripts.

“Down and distance” and “goal line” were the titles and that may not sound too exciting, but for the Chiefs’ coach, those chapters were must reading. His team was solid on defense in going 4-4 last season, but failed in some key situations. To challenge for the playoffs again in tough Nassau Conference I, Nolan knows he’s got to be better on third down.

“Especially third-and-long. We struggled there last year,” he said. “It was one of those things where our players were a little confused in those situations and that’s our [the coaches’] fault. So we’ve downsized our packages. We’re concentrating on getting better at less – fewer fronts and coverages. This year, we’re really emphasizing third-down defense.”

On Thursday, Nolan and his staff could be heard yelling out, “third-and-nine” or “three-and-eight” repeatedly during team drills. Starting quarterback Rob Von Bargen, who stands 6-8 and stood out even more in his red practice jersey when everyone else was dressed in blue, worked with a variety of offensive groups in running plays against the first defensive unit.

When Von Bargen turned a pitchout into a big gain on third-and-nine in one sequence, Nolan snapped in disgust, “First down, touchdown! We can’t let that happen this year. We’ve got to be a better team on third down.”

The coach is hopeful that the return of middle linebacker Sean Slattery (above fending off a blocker) will help. Slattery broke his leg in Game 2 against Farmingdale last year, and missed the rest of the season. He’s been in the middle of the action since practice began and calls signals for an experienced defense that also features free safety Dan Ebbeke and tackles Jim Peterson and Chris Vitrano.

“We want to be runners and hitters this year, not thinkers,” Nolan said. In other words, it’s time for Massapequa to write a new script.

BY BOB HERZOG

It wasn’t easy for a first-time visitor to Seaford High School on Wednesday morning to figure out which players were doing what on the football field. That’s because veteran coach Rob Perpall doesn’t believe in numbers on the players’ practice jerseys.

So, unlike at other schools I’ve visited, every Seaford player wore black pants and green mesh jerseys, unadorned with numbers or names. “When I first got here [12 years ago], players started asking for their favorite numbers and complaining if someone else had it,” Perpall said. “Go make your own number famous. We don’t worry about uniform numbers or statistics.”

On game days, the Vikings don’t have players’ names on their jerseys, only numbers, in the tradition of old-school college programs like Penn State. “It’s a team thing,” Perpall said.

His team, which went undefeated last year until it lost to Amityville in the Long Island Class IV championship game, should again be tough in Nassau Conference IV. Seaford will be led by senior tailback/cornerback Nicky Barbuto (above), who gained more than 1,500 yards rushing last season, and senior quarterback Chris Rigoli, in his first season as a starter.

On Wednesday, in addition to full-team drills, Perpall spent some time working with receivers and defensive backs, emphasizing one-on-one coverage and fighting for position. The Vikings play mostly zone defense in the secondary, but as the coach noted, “When a receiver is in your area, it becomes man to man.”

So Perpall became agitated when a defender crossed his feet or let a receiver get behind him by failing to backpedal quick enough. “If he’s even, he’s leavin’!” Perpall said, a favorite rhyme the coach used to describe what would happen if a cornerback let a wide receiver get too close.

At least that cornerback’s identity remained a mystery to one observer on Wednesday.

Hewlett Senior Quarterback Andrew Cohen

By Marcus Henry

Hewlett quarterback Andrew Cohen can't wait for the season to begin. After all, his Bulldogs came out of nowhere last year as the sixth seed and made the playoffs after posting a 5-2 regular season mark.

This season Hewlett, the third seed in Nassau Conference II, won't be sneaking up on anyone. But that hasn't stopped the senior quarterback from thinking his team could be the last ones standing in the end.

"I definitely think [making the county championship] is a realistic goal," Cohen said. "Elmont's a good team and so is Garden City, but we definitely have a chance."

Adding to Hewlett's chances of a title is the lack of depth in Conference II. Lou Andre's powerful Lawrence team moved down to Conference III, while MacArthur moved up to Conference I. Add to that South Side's move to Conference III and you have a division that could be there for the taking.

"Losing Lawrence and MacArthur and South Side can only help the other teams in the conference," Cohen said. "I definitely think there are a good four or five teams that have a chance of winning the whole thing."

Hewlett coach Jay Iaquinta said he likes what he has seen from his team so far, especially on offense.

"The skill players are where we thought they would be," Iaquinta said. "We have an honorable mention All-County quarterback, an All-Conference fullback and an All-Conference wing back returning."

Overall, Iaquinta thinks his squad wil be in the mix. "We were seeded third and that's probably where we should be seeded," Iaquinta said. "The two teams above us [Elmont, Garden City] are beatable and there's certainly two teams below us that are capable of beating us."

But as confident as Cohen and the rest of the Bulldogs are, nothing is guaranteed, especially considering the fact that Hewlett must replace four starting offensive linemen from last season. Hewlett's only returning starter on the offensive line, Glen Gobetz, is moving from tackle to center. It is an important move for a team that runs the triple option.

"In the triple option every little thing has to work. Every read, every block," Cohen said. "The thing I'm telling everyone is to think about every step of the offense. Make the blocks you have to make. If you make the blocks, the running backs will run."

BY BOB HERZOG

If Hempstead coach Antoine Moore asked Terrell Williams to pack up the equipment for this week’s trip to upstate Hancock, it would have been appropriate. After all, Williams does everything else for the Tigers, the No. 2-seeded team this season in Nassau Conference I.

The senior running back/linebacker finished second to Alex Rivas of East Meadow in last season’s Thorp Award voting and has a good chance to become Hempstead’s first winner of the award for Nassau’s top player since Lamont Hughes in 1988. He led the Tigers in rushing with more than 1,000 yards (averaging more than 10 yards per carry), receiving (averaging more than 25 yards per catch), punt returns, kickoff returns, total yards (more than 1,800), touchdowns (18) and even punting. Ten of his touchdowns were on plays of more than 60 yards.

“I tried to get him to break my school record last year,” Moore said of the 19 touchdowns the coach scored for his alma mater in 1987. “It’s a record I’m absolutely looking forward to Terrell breaking this year.”

Williams was busy at Tuesday’s afternoon session, returning punts, punting and leading the defense from his outside linebacker’s spot. He ran a few sweeps for the offense, too. “He’s a phenomenal athlete who dominated at his level last year. You need to do that to be a D-I prospect,” said Moore, who played at Rutgers. “He does more for his team than I ever did.”

Some Division I colleges have noticed, with Connecticut and Duke paying the most attention on the recruiting front. Those two schools have also showed interest in Hempstead’s two-way end Jahi Fields, a fierce speed rusher with good hands at tight end.

The Tigers return their entire offense backfield, including quarterback William Carmona. And they get a boost with Roosevelt transfer James McCleric, a talented tailback.

Moore hopes the team will bond this week at its four-day, three-night getaway, the first time the Hempstead football team has gone away for summer camp. “The kids are very gung-ho about it. Other teams in our conference, like East Meadow and Baldwin, have done it. It’s a chance to focus exclusively on football. It’s a very regimented program. And there will be no excuses for not being at practice.”

BY GREGG SARRA

Diashawn Miller rolled right, recognized the defense and took off upfield. The junior quarterback will be making those kinds of decisions all season at Elmont. His athleticism is what prompted coach Jay Hegi to move Miller to quarterback midway through last season. That offensive adjustment proved beneficial when the Spartans reached the playoffs for the fourth straight year at Hofstra.

Miller throws well and can spread the field. His ability to throw on the run and to get the ball deep will help stretch the defense and open the Spartans running game. The early morning Elmont football practice had a ton of enthusiasm as the top-seeded Spartans get ready for the Nassau Conference opener in a few weeks.

Senior halfback Justin Mayers is considered the top back in the conference. He is a slashing type runner with excellent vision. But don't be fooled, it didn't take more than a comment from the defensive scout team to see Miller bring it on the ensuing play. You could hear the popping of the pads in Garden City.

This Elmont team is huge. The offensive line operates behind senior tight end Nikita Josephs, a 6-foot-4 245-pound kid who can really move and tackle Kevin Michel, a 6-foot-3 290-pounder who likes to get downfield and lay people out. Practice was loaded with personality and chatter and these Spartans know they have a ton of talent. "The season can't start soon enough," said Miller. "We're ready to go."

The drive to the title was made a little easier when Lawrence, the conference champion, was moved into Nassau Conference III. But by no means is it a walk over. The Spartans know Garden City is a perennial title contender and Hewlett and Carey are also looking for their shot at the crown.

BY BOB HERZOG

With a wry smile and a twinkle in his eyes, partially hidden under the bill of a NASCAR baseball cap, Manhasset coach Bill Cherry sent his team on yet another jaunt around the football field near the end of Monday’s morning session. “It’s not like the Hamptons is it fellas,” he said, chiding his team for a sluggish performance and for perhaps stealing one last weekend on Long Island’s East End beaches. “Summer’s over now, boys. It’s time to get in shape.”

For football players all over the Island, that’s surely the case, as two-a-days heat up with full pads and more contact drills each day. At Manhasset, where the old high school building is undergoing some renovation but where the wooden bleachers in the gym and the door to the football offices are decades old and look their age. What tales that woodwork could tell. “Jim Brown probably knocked on that door,” Cherry said of Manhasset’s star running back from the early 1950s, who became more well known for his exploits at Syracuse University and the Cleveland Browns.

There are no future Jim Browns on this year’s Manhasset squad, but Cherry is confident his core veterans and young linemen can keep his team near the top of Nassau Conference IV. Quarterback is an important position, as A.J. Diaz (above) must run the Indians’ spread offense now that last year’s starter, Jeff Molinari, is out for the season with multiple concussions. Top placekicker/punter Zac Koufakis has a leg injury and also will miss the season as will three other potential starters. Diaz threw some nice passes Monday and looked comfortable running the offense.

Versatile Jack Meyer will switch from H-back to center because of injury to a starter and all-County running back/corner back Jeff Izzo returns with designs on improving on last year’s totals of 924 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns.

Manhasset has some toughness inside led by all-County guard/middle linebacker John Duvnjak and defensive end/offensive tackle Brendan Denihan who played most of last season with a dislocated shoulder before having surgery.

“I’m optimistic about the season with the guys we’ve got coming back,” Cherry said.

Until the games begin, however, his players know that preseason practices will be no day at the beach.

BY BOB HERZOG

On Friday morning, I got to see a heavy dose of the vaunted Spread Offense that has taken Long Island by storm in the last five years. Amityville coach Chris Taylor, one of several disciples of Freeport coach Russ Cellen’s high-octane system, had scheduled team offense and I had a first-hand look at the “it” offense in college and high school football.

True, there was no tackling, as the players wore only their “uppers” (helmets and shoulder pads). And it’s also true that quarterback Marcus Gardner, who ran for more than 1,500 yards in guiding Amityville to the Long Island Class IV championship last year in its first full season using the spread, has graduated. But it was still pretty dynamic to watch.

Running back Cornell Warrick (above, waiting for a pitch from quarterback Gavin Kretz), should be this year’s offensive star and has the quickness to excel in a formation that creates a lot of favorable lanes for running backs. Kretz and Chris Allen, both juniors, will share the quarterback role unless one of them wins the job outright. Kretz appears to be the better passer but Allen is the quicker runner, giving Taylor some nice choices.

A proven two-way star is senior tight end/defensive end Steven Medard, a vocal leader who goes hard in practice and has already been offered a scholarship to Hofstra. “He and Cornell are both good kids with good work ethics who set a good example for our young players.”

That’s a good thing for Amityville because Taylor said his entire offensive line will be comprised of first-year players. “We’ll be competitive, but we’ll be playing a lot of good teams in our division so anything can happen.”

The same can be said about his Spread offense.

BY BOB HERZOG

For Fitz McKinnon, a former star quarterback at Wyandanch, the school’s 24-game losing streak was hard to watch. “As an alum [class of ‘88], seeing them get killed every week, you’re either part of the problem or you’re part of the solution.” McKinnon, who played four years at quarterback for Penn, opted for the latter.

When Wyandanch lost its varsity team for the 2007 season, McKinnon coached the JV. He lost his first game then won his last seven. That’s what he’s emphasizing in his role as varsity coach at his alma mater, which returns to Suffolk Division IV this season. “We have a 24-game losing streak at the varsity level, but as far as the program is concerned, we’re on a seven-game winning streak.”

That kind of optimism is necessary for a school where the goalposts are bent, the tackling sleds are rusty and about 35 kids are trying to fill a varsity and junior varsity this year. The JV will get a boost from the eighth and ninth graders once school opens, but depth will not be the team’s strength.

However, McKinnon brings a lot of know-how and experience. He delivers passes during the drills. He is well connected to the Stony Brook University varsity, having played for Seawolves head coach Chuck Priore, who was Penn’s offensive coordinator in McKinnon’s senior year. That gives his players some advantages in terms of exposure to a college program and some of its teaching methods.

“For me, knowing how football helped get me to the next level at Penn and get me out of Wyandanch, that’s what I tell the kids,” McKinnon said. “Football was my ticket.”

Some players he believes will be worth the price of admission include senior Rashaud McQueen (above in a running backs drill), a speedy tailback/cornerback; senior running back/free safety Mark Granville; senior wide receiver/cornerback Charles Petty, and senior two-way tackle Matt Bryan.

“I’m pretty impressed,” McKinnon said. “They’re buying into what I’m telling them -- commitment and hard work. Our motto last year [on JV] was ‘bring the pride back.’ This year it’s ‘don’t back down.’ ”

A new video series by the N-Zone chronicles the season of Division I contenders Brentwood.

BY BOB HERZOG

It’s a little tricky for a visitor to get a close-up view of the Babylon football team during practice these days. That’s because a couple of entrances to the field are blocked off with yellow “crime scene” tape.

Other than routinely obliterating opponents – Babylon has reached 12 straight Suffolk County championship games – there have been no crimes committed at the field hard by the Babylon train station. No, the yellow tape marks off areas of dirt still being filled in around the new light stanchions. Yes, Friday night football has come to Babylon.

“We’re playing three night games there this year and we’re very excited about it,” coach Rick Punzone said of the permanent fixtures. His school had played the occasional Friday night game in the past using portable lights, but now can make that a regular portion of future schedules.

Babylon should again be in the spotlight in Suffolk Division IV this season. They will be led by returning All-County star Bryan Schweitzer, a running back/middle linebacker, and 270-pound fullback/defensive tackle Sean Melow (above in orange shorts, shedding a blocker during drills on Wednesday). Quarterback/defensive back Greg Griffo and wide receiver/defensive back Alex Grandal also are veterans.

“We are very experienced and very good at the skill positions,” Punzone said. “We inexperienced but big and strong up front.”

With three Long Island championships and seven Suffolk titles in the past 12 years – and just one losing season in the last 29 – those Friday night games ought to be the talk of the town.

Next stop: Wyandanch.

BY BOB HERZOG

The best thing about Thursday morning’s practice at Suffolk Division I contender Longwood – and undoubtedly throughout Long Island – was that it was the first day teams were permitted to wear shoulder pads and that some contact was allowed.

The worst thing about Thursday morning’s practice? That pads were on and that some contact was allowed. Inevitably, an overzealous player would go a little too far and bring a ballcarrier or receiver to the ground in drills where only modest contact was called for.

So while the Longwood coaches could be heard yelling, “Run to the ball! Eleven hats to the ball!” none of those coaches wanted any of his defensive charges to totally level an offensive player. But, oh, the temptation sure was there. Especially since the Longwood kids were feeling frisky in their spiffy new practice jerseys replete with numbers, purchased through the team’s fund-raising efforts.

“It’s football. It’s physical and it’s the first day the kids have pads on,” Longwood coach Chris Meyer said. “The hardest thing is to control them. They want to go full bore. But we still have got to teach them the fundamentals. When the full pads go on and full contact is allowed [on Monday], it’s even worse. They’re harder to control.”

Meyer hopes to challenge Floyd for Division I supremacy with his third-seeded squad that is led by quarterback Eddie Wess (above, left), cornerback/wide receiver Nick Esposito, linebacker/tight end Nick Mauceri and the team’s best player, Moses White, a hard-hitting fullback/linebacker (above, right).

“We’ve got very good seniors, but only 15 of them,” Meyer said. “It’s a junior-laden team and we’ll have to rely on them. Can we get the juniors to understand what we’re doing? They’ll have to play.”

They’ll just have to wait, like everybody else, to really start hitting.

Next stop: Babylon.

BY GREGG SARRA

The third day of training camp took us to Suffolk's south shore where we checked in with West Islip. The Lions have been one of Long Island's hottest and winningest programs over the past 10 years. They've been a Big Four finalist in each of the past three years, losing to the Long Island Class II champion twice and once to the Suffolk titlist in those playoffs.

There is no question that West Islip is all about success. But when does winning only mean something -- when you win the big one? That's the motivation behind this year's West Islip squad. They are tired of being beaten in the county final or the semifinals. They want more. And the Lions believe they can achieve that goal as the team is loaded with experience at key positions.

Coach Tim Horan spent some time with me discussing the program's success. He talked about how close the Lions came against cross town rival East Islip in the Suffolk Division II championship game and how that experience will serve as fuel and motivation for this year's playoff run. Horan is more than comfortable taking it one game at a time. He certainly won't look past Newfield, in the season opener. The Wolverines were a playoff team last year and offer an early season test that will give Horan an idea of where these Lions stand.

Senior wide receiver Kyle Gelling scored his first touchdown in last year's championship game against East Islip and he's looking forward to the season. Gelling ran routes and sounded very optimistic about the Lions outlook. He told me that the Lions will take no opponent for granted and that they are well aware of top-seeded Riverhead and its explosive team. Gelling is one of a host of talented skill positions guys at West Islip. He's a 6-4, 210-pound kid with great speed and reliable hands. Senior halfback Nick Cestaro brings speed to this backfield and he looked great slashing in and out of the scout defense. Senior wide out Mike McCormack is the perfect compliment to Gelling and that gives senior quarterback Scott Mattera plenty of options on offense.

The West Islip practice was as intense as one could be with players dressed in just their helmets, t-shirts and shorts. They start full contact drills on Thursday. Believe it, West Islip will be in the playoff mix at the end.

BY MARCUS HENRY

It was a simple scenario for Sayville senior offensive tackle Mike Maneri at practice Wednesday. Field a punt and the team wouldn't have to run "gasers" at the end of practice. For those who aren't familiar with the term gaser, it is a conditioning drill typically run at the end of practice. A team lines up on the sideline and runs the width of the field (53 1/2 yards) and back. But the team has to do it in a certain amount of time. Needless to say, it isn't a fun thing to do.

Maneri failed in his first attempt to field a punt. But Sayville coach Rob Hoss had a heart and gave the team an choice; run five gasers and call it a day or Maneri could have another shot at fielding the punt. If he dropped it, the team would have to run 10 gasers instead of five.

It took a little convincing, but the team opted to let Maneri try it again. And the senior prevailed, although it looked as if he might have trapped it. Nonetheless, it was a gratifying moment as Maneri's teammates mobbed him after making the catch.

"It just shows how much of a team we are and how much we rally together," senior running back Nick Meo said of the team's reaction to Maneri's catch."

Maneri was prepared for the moment as he practiced fielding punts before practice began yesterday. Needless to say Maneri was fired up by the team's reaction after he made the catch. "We're brothers, that's our motto; Brothers forever," Maneri said. "We're like one big family."

Hoss looked at it as a reward for his hard working team. "This is when kids come together," Hoss said. "When does a linemen go out and field punts. It shows team unity."

As for the season, practice was running smoothly for the Golden Flashes, who finished 6-3 last season and are the No.1 seed in Division III. With so much talent returning, including quarterback Dillon Boos and running backs Meo and Charlie Podguski, Sayville is ready to contend for the Division III title.

"I tell the kids all the time we have great expectations," Hoss said. "But we've been here before. We were the No.1 seed in 1998, 2004, 2005 and we are the one seed again. We want to be the No.1 seed."

BY GREGG SARRA

John Jansen -- remember the name. the senior linebacker at Wantagh led the Warriors in tackles in 2007 as the team won nine straight games before losing to Bethpage in the Nassau Conference III final. Jansen and a host of Wantagh teammates made it priority No. 1 to prevent a letdown in 2008.
"We're in a terrific conference with a lot of great teams and it's going to take an icnredible effort to win the county title," Jansen said during the morning practice session. "We're confident that we put in the time in the off-season to give us an edge."
Jansen said the team worked out as many as six times a week throughout the summer, including grueling beach workouts and passing scrimmages at St. Anthony's. The majority of the team participated over the first six weeks of the summer and it helped bring a strong carmarderie and pride to the unit.
"We pushed each other and we mixed some fun in there," Jansen said. "We have a common goal and everyone understands it's a team effort."
Speedy backs in seniors Vinny Polo and Joe Biscardi will make Wantagh a running threat at all times. And throw in the strong arm of junior quarterback Kyle Ambury, who told me he wants to throw it 20 times a game, and you have a dangerous offense. Ambury looked sharp throughout practice and his arm strength will allow head coach Keith Sachs to stretch the defense and find plenty of space for his receivers.
"Our offense will give defenses a headache," Ambury said. "We have quite a few weapons." These Warriors will score alot again this year -- but it's a matter of how they do it -- on the ground or through the air.
Wantagh is an excellent all around team but the conference includes some other heavyweights. We'll visit Bethpage and Lawrence over the next two weeks and give you the inside scoop on those powerhouse programs.

The N-Zone's new high school video series covers Floyd football, which enters the year on a 33-game win streak:

BY BOB HERZOG

The afternoon session of Brentwood’s two-a-day program emphasized special teams and defense when I showed up on Tuesday. But that doesn’t mean the speed that has coach Steve Perretta smiling this year was under wraps.

There was no contact in the drills, so watching senior Jamie Jennings return kickoffs was like watching a game of flag football where no one could grab the flag. The kid is that quick and that elusive. “A Reggie Bush type,” Perretta said. “He’s not an every down back but he’ll do a little bit of everything.” That includes play defense where Jennings’ quickness in coverage was also on display (above).

Perretta likes senior wide receivers, Gabe Manzuetta, Kevin Kuhlmeier and Alex Usera, who will give junior quarterback Alex Corporan a choice of targets. There’s also hard-running junior fullback Darius Allison. “Those two juniors could be the top players at their positions in Division I next year,” Perretta said.

But for this year, Corporan and Allison will complement a fast-paced attack that is a departure from Brentwood’s style of a year ago. “Our strength is our team speed. We run and catch the ball well. We’re real good at the skill positions,” Perretta said. “Last year, we were a big bruising team.”

Next stop on Zog’s tour of football camps: Longwood.

BY BOB HERZOG

There’s a lot to be excited about at Sachem North this year. The Flaming Arrows are the No. 2 seed in Suffolk’s Division I and have a legitimate shot at dethroning Floyd, which has not lost a divisional game in five seasons. They are led by quarterback Craig Geoghan (above, left), tailback Anthony Quezada and tackle Cong Tian.

You can see the bounce in the players’ steps when they run their drills, even though it’s only the second day of practice. You can hear it in the way they yell between exercises and encourage each other. You can tell they believe they are on the verge of something special. And coach Dave Falco doesn’t discourage that kind of optimism. “We’ve been working hard all summer and we’ve got a lot of talented kids back,” Falco said on Tuesday.

But the Sachem North football family received a jolting reality check last month. Senior starting fullback/linebacker Phil Mastrogiacomo (above, right) was seriously injured on July 15 when a car driven by his best friend, Geoghan, plowed into a parked construction truck. Geoghan, blinded by the morning sun as he made a turn en route to the high school for a morning workout, was uninjured. But Mastrogiacomo suffered a shattered femur, torn deltoid, dislocated clavicle, snapped tendons and ligaments in his shoulder, blood in his brain from a concussion that delayed surgery for six days and most serious of all, a lacerated liver.

Yet guess who was on the sidelines Tuesday, the first day on the field for the Flaming Arrows after Monday’s weight-room and check-in session? Mastrogiacomo, right arm in a sling and using one crutch, the scars on his leg still visible from the surgery, maneuvered among teammates and coaches, sometimes gazing wistfully at the practice field, other times engaging teammates and coaches in animated conversation.

“Football and wrestling have been my life forever,” he said. “I can’t even think about my senior year without one of them.” Though Mastrogiacomo says he dreams of being back for what could be a key showdown at Floyd on Friday night, Oct. 17, realistically, said Falco, the liver injury will likely keep him from returning to the football field. Still, Mastrogiacomo plans to attend every practice, go to camp upstate with the team next week and be on the sidelines for every game “unless I have a doctor’s appointment.”

He said, “The hardest part was hearing I couldn’t do sports,” yet Mastrogiacomo’s spirit and sense of humor are intact. “That’s my joke,” he said, with a grin. “When the players complain in practice I say, ‘I shattered my femur, stop bitching.’

Falco closed an impressive and active morning session on Tuesday by telling his players, “Today is about fundamentals and how do we practice.”

It was about something else, too. It was about showing as much fight as a fallen teammate.

Next on Zog’s tour of football camps: Brentwood.

BY GREGG SARRA

Two football coaches meetings in a week. Hold on, check that -- two very good coaches meetings in the past week. I proposed that the coaches in both counties get more involved in our Large and Small schools polls. And the majority voted that we will have two polls in 2008. We'll have our Newsday poll for media members only and we'll have a coaches poll. As Borat would say, "Very nice!!"

Now, here's something that can be even more exciting and add to our extensive coverage of high school football. We're going to try and produce the county leaders in several statistical categories. I always thought it was cool to see who the county leader was in rushing yardage. And everyone wants to know stats -- our very own Andy Slawson is famous for knowing every stat imaginable. Stats are fun. And I really think the football coaches want to give this their best shot.

So here we go. Rushing, receiving, passing leaders. Total touchdowns, rushing touchdowns, rece