Long Island football is officially underway, and opening weekend gave us a little of everything.
Massapequa looked every bit like a contender, Oceanside won a tough Conference I battle, and Shoreham-Wading River survived one of the wildest games of the weekend.
Massapequa opens with a statement
Massapequa wasted little time getting started, beating Port Washington 42-12 in its opener. The Chiefs controlled the game and immediately backed up the preseason expectations surrounding one of Nassau’s top programs.
The win was highlighted by Michael Castellano, who scored three touchdowns in his varsity debut. Newsday highlighted Castellano’s performance as one of Long Island’s top opening-week stories.
Oceanside gets past Farmingdale
One of Nassau’s best games came in Conference I, where Oceanside beat Farmingdale 37-29.
Chase Morris carried a major workload for Oceanside, rushing 34 times for 200 yards and two touchdowns. He also recorded an interception, making him one of the weekend’s most productive two-way players.
Shoreham-Wading River survives Babylon
Suffolk Division IV produced the weekend’s biggest shootout. Shoreham-Wading River outlasted Babylon 52-45, combining for 97 points in Paul Longo’s debut as SWR head coach. Quarterback Noah Gregorek accounted for seven touchdowns, leading SWR through a back-and-forth game that immediately made Division IV more interesting. Newsday identified his seven-touchdown performance as the centerpiece of the victory.
Around Long Island
Mount Sinai opened Suffolk IV with a 21-12 win over Glenn. Kevin Chartrand threw for 190 yards and two touchdowns, while Ethan Arita caught an 80-yard score and added 11 tackles defensively.
Miller Place also made an early statement, rolling past Harborfields 47-7, while Hampton Bays opened with a 39-6 win over Greenport/Southold/Mattituck.
Players Who Made Noise
Michael Castellano, Massapequa — Three touchdowns in his varsity debut as Massapequa opened with a 42-12 win.
Noah Gregorek, Shoreham-Wading River — Seven total touchdowns in a 52-45 shootout win over Babylon.
The Big Picture
Massapequa looked ready from the opening whistle. Oceanside survived an early test against Farmingdale. And Shoreham-Wading River may already have given us the most entertaining Suffolk game of September. It was only opening weekend, but Long Island football didn’t waste much time giving us something to talk about.
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