Carey football wins Nassau II title behind Justin DePietro's 3 TDs, Billy Koutsoumbaris' game-changing fake punt

The Nassau II championship game was stuck in a tie Friday night at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium, and it was fourth-and 6 for Carey at its own 47 in the third quarter. Time to send the ball flying via a punt toward Mepham.

Or was it?

Punter Billy Koutsoumbaris took off through the middle, cut left and by the time his surprise run was over, the senior had traveled 29 yards to the Pirates’ 24. Five plays later, it became a turning point. Justin DePietro carried the ball in, and undefeated Carey was headed in the direction of the title.

DePietro ran 35 times for 187 yards and three touchdowns, and the top-seeded Seahawks’ top-shelf defense held up its end, allowing all of 14 yards in the second half.

And so Carey emerged with a 28-7 victory over third-seeded Mepham and claimed this football program’s first county crown since 2014.

“I’m just so happy for the kids,” coach Mike Stanley said. “They’ve worked so hard all season long. They were committed to the offseason. They did everything that we asked them to do and more. They’re a great group of kids, a special group of kids.”

They’re now an 11-0 group of kids.

The Seahawks — who fell in last season’s final against Garden City, which moved to Nassau III before this school year — advanced to the Long Island championship game against Half Hollow Hills East (10-1) at 4:30 p.m. next Friday at Hofstra.

“We’re hungry for another one,” Koutsoumbaris said. “We want it. We want it bad.”

They will bring a formidable lead sophomore running back in the 6-foot, 200-pound DePietro.

“He’s just different,” Stanley said. “The kid’s only 15 years old . . . I can’t say enough about that kid.”

Or a defense that also includes DePietro at middle linebacker.

Junior outside linebacker Christian Anaya led the group with nine tackles and two sacks. Carey stayed right on its average of allowing only seven points per game.

“First off, I think [assistant coach] Tom Aiello does an outstanding job of preparing them,” Stanley said. “. . . And the kids buying into that preparation — they were awesome tonight. They were locked in and prepared, and they executed.”

Or as Koutsoumbaris, who’s also an outside linebacker as well as a receiver, put it: “Me and my defense, we’re a great unit.”

It was 7-7 when the call came for Koutsoumbaris to run instead of punt. Stanley said the Seahawks were looking to “swing momentum.”

Koutsoumbaris swung it.

“I was just like pumped,” he said.

DePietro made it pivotal by running around the right side for an 11-yard score.

“We thought we were going to win the whole time,” DePietro said. “But they were a tough team.”

Then DePietro burst through the middle from the 1 on fourth-and-goal. It was 21-7 with 8:33 remaining.

“I think I’m pretty tough to bring down,” DePietro said.

Chris Obertis threw for the final touchdown, a 25-yard pass to Tristan Hickis.

“It’s hard,” Mepham coach Tom Mazeika said. “It’s a bitter pill to swallow. We had a great group of seniors. We had a fantastic season. Our guys fought hard to the end. We came up a little bit short today. Give Carey credit. They’re a great team.”

Carey scored the first time it had the ball. DePietro ran it in from the 6. Then Mepham (9-2) scored the first time it had the ball. Owen Heller, who threw for 121 yards, hit Nicholas Gampero for a 10-yard TD. But the Pirates couldn’t score again.

“It feels great to finally come out on top,” DePietro said. “And I’m glad to see we got one more game next week.”