Striano brothers play their final football game together at Cold Spring Harbor
Cold Spring Harbor quarterback Richie Striano runs against Seaford during the Nassau Conference IV football championship game at Shuart Stadium on Nov. 23, 2019. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The Striano name has become synonymous with Cold Spring Harbor football.
Even after the graduation of Danny Striano last year, coach Jon Mendreski knew he still had a strong foundation for this season’s team — if for no other reason than three players with the last name Striano were back: Richie, Dom and Peter.
“They are a couple of the guys that helped turn this program around the last 3-4 years,” Mendreski said. “We knew they were special when they were sophomores up on varsity with us. They’ve been monsters for us.”
The trio strapped their helmets and shoulder pads on together for the final time for Cold Spring Harbor in a 14-8 loss to Seaford in the Nassau Conference IV championship game Saturday at Hofstra. But with identical twins Dom and Peter as anchors on the line and Richie, a fraternal triplet, at quarterback, the Seahawks stayed resilient to the final play.
Cold Spring Harbor's offense was held off the field much of Saturday because of Seaford's ball-control offense, but Richie Striano helped orchestrate an eight-play, 80-yard drive culminating in a 21-yard touchdown pass to Casey Reynolds with 2:18 remaining. He then ran in the ensuing two-point conversion to cut Seaford’s lead to six points. He was 8-for-15 passing for 165 yards with the TD and three interceptions on the day. But the ensuing onside kick was unsuccessful, so the Strianos had played their final prep offensive drive together.
“The best coaches, the best group of guys, we all love each other so much,” Richie said. “I know it wasn’t the way we wanted it to end, but there’s no other group of guys — especially playing with my brothers — that I would ever want to play with."
Cold Spring Harbor ended its season 8-2 after winning the Long Island Class IV championship last year. And although the triplets will play lacrosse together in the spring, falls might never be the same.
“Every week, we just love sitting around the dinner table talking about the next big Friday night or big Saturday afternoon game like today, it’s just what we do,” Dom said. “Our family, we love it. We love football.”
“I’ve made so many great memories with the guys, I’m going to miss the team for sure,” Peter said. “The team is just something special.”
