Long Island football playoffs all about history, mystery
Sayville's Jack Coan drops back to pass in the third quarter during a Suffolk III football game on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, at Sayville High School. Credit: Bob Sorensen
A collision course of two of Long Island's most dynamic offensive players was set long before this season began. Both met the lofty expectations by leading their respective teams to undefeated regular seasons.
They are the quarterbacks of Plainedge and Sayville, Davien Kuinlan and Jack Coan. One is a pure runner and the other is an NCAA Division I passing prospect.
Kuinlan set the Nassau record for most yards rushing in a career yesterday when he ran for 114 in a little over a quarter in a 35-0 win over Floral Park. He surpassed the total of 5,841 set by Jerone Pettus, who played for Roosevelt and Freeport from 1996-99. Kuinlan has 5,878 rushing yards.
Coan, who is being recruited by many schools, holds the Suffolk record for yards passing in a career with 6,699. He also has 87 touchdown passes.
The one major difference between Kuinlan and Coan is graduation year. Nassau Conference III can finally breathe a sigh of relief because the Red Devils' signal caller graduates this year.
Coan is only a junior and has another year left to wreak havoc on his Suffolk Division III opponents and assault the all-time records for yards passing set by Joe Capobianco of Lawrence with 7,660.
It's no surprise that Plainedge and Sayville are both 8-0 and the top-seeded teams in their respective divisions. If all goes according to plan, they'll meet in what could be an epic Long Island Class III championship at Stony Brook University's LaValle Stadium at noon on Nov. 29.
The end of the regular season brings with it the birth of the postseason. Some thoughts on the eight individual conference/divisions:
By far the most interesting conference is Nassau I where Oceanside and Farmingdale both finished 8-0. Oceanside was a preseason seven seed and Farmingdale was a four. They did not meet during the regular season, setting up a potential showdown of 10-0 teams. But Massapequa, East Meadow and defending champion Syosset won't exit easily.
The last time Oceanside finished the regular season undefeated was in 1955. And this unbeaten run garnered them the top seed.
In Suffolk II, Newfield (8-0) went undefeated for the first time in school history. The Wolverines, behind record-setting quarterback Ryan Klemm, averaged 39 points per game. Klemm set school records for yards passing (1,655) and touchdown passes (20) in a season.
But as dominant as Newfield was this season, the high-powered offense of Half Hollow Hills West and quarterback Anthony Lucarelli will look for redemption should they meet the Wolverines again. Newfield went on the road to hand Hills West their only loss, 41-13.
In Nassau II, Garden City (8-0) rose above the competition with a disciplined defense and halfback Brian Haeffner, who scored 19 touchdowns. The Trojans just refuse to lose.
In Suffolk I, Lindenhurst, the defending champion, went undefeated in a parity-driven division. When Bulldogs quarterback Ryan Hofmann and his triumvirate of excellent receivers -- Jeremy Ruckert, Joe Palmieri and Steven Ramirez -- are in sync they are unbeatable.
But Longwood, Connetquot, Commack, Ward Melville and Northport have to be in the conversation in a division that has held many surprises this season.
In Suffolk IV, Shoreham-Wading River (8-0) is on a 20-game win streak and the Wildcats are looking for a second Long Island title.
In Nassau IV, Locust Valley (8-0) won every game by at least three touchdowns with the exception of a 33-20 win over Seaford. The Falcons have never won a Long Island title. Is this the year Locust Valley makes history?
It all starts next week.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
