Carey, Half Hollow Hills East share a winning flair
Daniel White of Half Hollow Hills East reacts after scoring in the second quarter during the Suffolk Division II finals game on Friday, November 22, 2024 at Stony Brook University. Credit: Dawn McCormick
The Long Island Class II football championship is a clash of styles.
Carey, the Nassau Conference II champion, rules with a rugged ball-control offense that likes to eat clock and run over defensive units.
Half Hollow Hills East, the Suffolk Division II titlist, is an explosive team with big playmakers.
Both teams play inspired physical defense with athletic linebacking units.
Half Hollow Hills East (10-1) is making its first appearance in the LIC after a 41-14 drubbing of top-seeded East Islip in the Suffolk title game.
Undefeated Carey (11-0) has captured the LIC in both of its championship appearances in 2013 and 2014.
It is a classic showdown of different philosophical coaching strategies. Half Hollow Hills East travels to meet Carey for the Long Island Class II title at Hofstra University Friday at 4:30 p.m.
“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,” Half Hollow 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 quarterback Nick Sevilla has wide receivers Lucas Martin, Tyler Sanders, Logan Soler and tight end Max Drehweng as go-to options that have also keyed the drive to the school’s first LIC appearance.
“Our defense has five shutouts and they get overlooked,” Marcelin said. “And we wouldn’t be here without our offensive line.”
Carey is a mirror of Hills East stat wise. Carey scores 35 and allows seven points per game. Hills East scores 34 and allows nine per game.
The Seahawks also have a dynamic runner in sophomore Justin DePietro, who has 1,019 yards on 14 scores. Quarterback Chris Obertis has matured from game manager to playmaker over 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?
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 tried 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.
