Carey, Half Hollow Hills East share a winning flair
Daniel White had 4 TD runs for Hills East against East Islip on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. Credit: Dawn McCormick
The Long Island Class II championship game is a clash of styles.
Carey (11-0), the Nassau Conference II champion, rules with a rugged ball-control offense that likes to eat the clock and run over defensive units.
Half Hollow Hills East (10-1), the Suffolk Division II champion, is an explosive team with big playmakers.
When Hills East meets Carey for the Long Island Class II title at 4:30 p.m. on Friday at Hofstra University, it will be a classic showdown of different philosophical coaching strategies.
“We’re a physical team that can control the clock with our size and strength of our front,” Carey coach Mike Stanley said. “They’re a fast team and we have to eliminate the big plays and get their running back on the ground.”
Open-field tackling will be the key to a Carey win. If they let junior halfback Daniel White run out in space, it’ll be trouble for the Seahawks. White ripped off four touchdown runs, including a 70-yarder, and rushed for 273 yards against East Islip.
“I don’t think teams should overlook some of our other playmakers,” Hills East coach Alex Marcelin said. “Daniel White is an amazing athlete and football player, but we’re so much more than one player.”
Marcelin noted that quarterback Nick Sevilla has wide receivers Lucas Martin, Tyler Sanders and Logan Soler and tight end Max Drehweng as go-to options who have helped key the drive to the school’s first Long Island Championships appearance.
“Our defense has five shutouts and they get overlooked,” Marcelin said. “And we wouldn’t be here without our offensive line.”
The Seahawks also have a dynamic runner in sophomore Justin DePietro, who has 1,019 yards and 14 touchdowns. Quarterback Chris Obertis has matured from game manager to playmaker during the course of the season and has thrown for 933 yards and 16 TDs.
When it’s all put on the line, can the Seahawks and linebacker Christian Anaya contain White?
Carey is a mirror of Hills East stat-wise. Carey has scored 35 points and allowed seven points per game. Hills East has scored 34 and allowed nine.
Both teams play inspired, physical defense with athletic linebacking units.
Hills East recorded a 41-14 drubbing of top-seeded East Islip in the Suffolk title game.
Carey has captured Long Island titles in both of its appearances in 2013 and 2014.
The Seahawks have beaten all 11 opponents this season by double digits. White, who’s rushed for 2,062 yards and 24 touchdowns, will have something to say about that as he tries to lead the RedHawks to the school’s first Long Island crown.
HALF HOLLOW HILLS EAST ROSTER
No. Player Grade Pos.
0 Leo Ruiz 12 LB
1 Adrian Merchant 11 WR/DB
2 Daniel White 11 RB
3 Noah Chlap 12 RB/LB
4 Tony Keahey 9 RB/LB
5 Lucas Martin* 12 WR/DB
6 Logan Soler* 12 WR/DB
7 Reinaldo “RJ” Peters 10 WR/DB
8 Gianluca Damico 11 TE/LB
9 Najeh Sexil 12 HB/DL
10 James Bruno 12 QB
11 Nick Sevilla 11 QB
12 Jesse Porter-Bell 12 WR/DB
13 Tyler Sanders* 12 WR/DB
14 Jayden Bryan 9 RB/LB
15 Jake Pagliaro 11 LB
16 Marco D’Agnese 12 K
17 Niko Job 11 WR/S
18 Robbie Kapovic 12 WR/DB/K
20 Gianpierro Nicolia 11 WR/LB
22 Jahlil Watts 11 WR/DB
24 Chris Culen 11 LB
25 Akio Johnson 11 LB
26 Mike Oswald 12 WR/DB
27 Guerlando Pierre 12 K
28 Alex Floropoulos 11 WR/LB
33 Adonis Owen 10 RB
34 Husayn Lewis 10 WR/DB
40 Derell White 10 LB
42 Kaylib Merchant 9 RB/DB
44 Gabe Proulx 10 WR/DB
50 Derek Drehwing 9 QB
51 Brian Bisnauth 10 LB
52 Dante Milano 11 OL/DL
55 Sebastian Damis 11 OL/DL
56 Jacob Giannattasio* 12 OL/DL
60 Alex McDowell 10 OL/DL
61 Arron Owen 12 DE
62 Rafael Hernandez* 12 OL/DL
65 Khyle Nelson 10 OL/DL
66 Alex Phifer 10 QB
68 Robert Culen 12 OL/DL
69 Jayden Jimenez 10 WR/LB
70 Lance McCalla 11 OL/DL
71 Keith McDowell* 11 OL/DL
72 Luis Ruiz 12 OL/DL
75 Michai Crump 9 OL/DL
76 Cole Weiss 12 OL/DL
77 Trevon Cole-Jenkins 11 OL/LB
78 Simon Cho 11 OL/DL
79 Derek Mishkin 10 OL/DL
80 Jayden Webb 10 WR/LB
85 Chase Lamkin 9 TE/DL
88 Max Drehwing* 12 TE/DL
99 Evan Axelrod 10 WR/DB
Head Coach: Alex Marcelin
Assistant Coaches: John Ruggiero, Brandon Brightman, Brian Hanover
* Denotes Captains
CAREY ROSTER
No. Player Grade Pos.
1 Michael Verderosa* 12 WR/DB
2 Jonathan Millan 12 WR/DB
4 Max Wright 12 WR/DB
5 Vincent Ginex 10 WR/DB
6 Justin DePietro 10 RB/LB
7 Joshua Palomino 12 K
8 Anthony Corette 11 WR/DB
9 Billy Koutsoumbaris* 12 WR/LB
10 Chris Obertis* 12 QB
11 Tristan Hickis 11 WR/DB
12 Sal D’Amato 10 QB/LB
13 Ayden Baez 11 RB/LB
13 Ed Flaherty 10 WR/DB
14 Michael Agostino 11 QB/LB
16 James McGrath 11 WR/DB
17 Zachary Montante 11 RB/LB
18 Dean Martucci 11 WR/DB
19 Christian Todaro* 12 WR/DB
20 Joncarlo Carbone 11 RB/DB
21 Nicholas Medoro 12 WR/DB
24 David Avila 10 RB/LB
25 Christian Korszloski 12 WR/DB
27 Ethan Pelzer 11 WR/DB
28 Luca Cirotti 12 RB/LB
30 Kennedy Nguyen 11 WR/DL
32 Mark Vera 11 RB/LB
42 Johnwood Altenor 12 WR/LB
44 Paul Brito 12 RB/LB
48 Dan Petruzzo 10 RB/LB
51 Robert Mantone 11 OL/DL
52 Michael Lucsczynski 12 OL/DL
55 Mason Stojanowski 12 OL/LB
56 Christian Anaya 11 RB/LB
57 Dominic DeLuca 12 OL/DL
58 Kelvin Persuad 11 OL/DL
59 Matthew Smith 12 OL/DL
61 Michael Carollo 10 OL/DL
62 Richie Metzger 12 OL/DL
62 Dara Milner 10 OL/DL
64 Howie Silverstein* 12 OL/DL
66 Joseph Conforti 11 OL/DL
68 Stephen Klein 11 OL/DL
72 Matteo Squillante 12 OL/DL
73 Christian Castellar 11 OL/DL
77 GianCarlos Suarez-Oubina 11 OL/DL
78 Ali Jouida 12 OL/DL
79 Sean McNamee 12 OL/DL
80 Vincent Vicari 10 WR/DB
87 Theodoros Andrikopoulos 11 WR/LB
88 Logan Alvizures 10 WR/LB
Head Coach: Mike Stanley
Assistant Coaches: Tom Aiello, Mike Cellan, Russ Cellan
Assistant Coaches: Anthony Catapano, Mike Soto
* Denotes Captains
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.