Long Island high school football games to watch and picks for Week 6

It is the most anticipated game in the regular season in Suffolk Division III football. Two powerhouse offensive units will be featured when Half Hollow Hills West travels to Sayville for a showdown of unbeatens at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Adding to the atmosphere will be all the pomp and circumstance that comes with the Sayville Homecoming Day crowd.

“It’s going to be a good show,” Sayville coach Reade Sands said. “It has all the makings for a great night of football. The fans are in for a real good one.”

Sayville eliminated Hills West in a 42-28 semifinal playoff win last season. The Golden Flashes have another balanced attack with junior quarterback Patrick Coan having a fine season. He’s thrown for 1,390 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushed for another six scores. Tommy McCann has 30 receptions and six TDs. And halfback Kyle Messina has 826 yards on 83 carries and 12 scores.

“We could play them on a rock pile, and it would be a great game,” Hills West coach Gerald Filardi said. “We are prepared to play on grass or turf. The turf will showcase the speed of the game and be exciting for the fans.”

The Sayville defense led by Mikey Sands, 51 tackles, including 12 for a loss and three sacks will be hard-pressed to contain the Colts offense.

Colts QB Joseph Filardi has passed for 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushed for another 533 yards and seven scores. Receivers Anthony Raio and Jesse Brooks have seven TD receptions each.

Buckle up — this promises to be a good one.

NASSAU IV

Cold Spring Harbor (5-0) at Plainedge (5-0), Friday, 6:30 p.m.: Plainedge is facing undefeated opponents in back-to-back weeks. The Red Devils beat previously unbeaten Wantagh, 33-27, on the road in overtime. They return home for another tough opponent in Cold Spring Harbor, a team they have never played. The Seahawks rely heavily on a ground game led by halfback Alex Bauer, who has 803 yards rushing and an astonishing 16 touchdowns. Plainedge is more balanced with halfback Dylan Fella (470 yards, six scores) and quarterback Jaxson Torres, who’s thrown for 832 yards and 11 TDs.

SUFFOLK I

Lindenhurst (4-1) at Longwood (4-1), Friday, 6 p.m.: The common denominator here is both teams have suffered one loss through five games — both were beaten by Floyd. Longwood relies on a power running game that features Davien Benjamin-Sheffey, who has 614 yards and five scores. Lindenhurst likes to pass with outstanding QB Reece Wrightington. He’s thrown for 882 yards and six scores — his top target is Christian Aquino, who has five TDs.

SUFFOLK IV

Babylon (5-0) at Bayport-Blue Point (5-0), Friday, 6 p.m.: Bayport-Blue Point has run roughshod over the division for three years and rolls into this game on a 28-game winning streak. The two-time defending Long Island champion has crushed Babylon for three straight years. Babylon coach Rick Punzone believes his star player Aidan Winter is a generational talent and with a solid supporting cast can end the Phantoms' streak. Winter has rushed for 953 yards and 12 TDs and halfback Kai Jankow has 433 yards on the ground and seven scores. Bayport-BP QB Cooper Fuller is back from a season-ending injury in 2023. He’s accounted for 11 TDs in mostly first half work thus far.

NASSAU I

Farmingdale (4-1) at Freeport (3-2), Saturday, 2 p.m.: These programs have a long history having played each other 50 times since the first meeting in 1982. Farmingdale leads the all-time series, 28-22, and has won the last five meetings. For Freeport to win they need to figure a way to stop QB Dennis Finkel. He’s completed 82 percent of his passes for 800 yards and nine scores.

NASSAU I

Port Washington (3-2) at Massapequa (4-1), Saturday, 3 p.m.: This is a pivotal game in Conference I. Massapequa stumbled early in a loss to Oceanside. The defending L.I. Class I champion will have its hands full with Port Washington and halfback Christian Sarchese, who has rushed for 468 yards and 11 TDs. Halfback Tyler Villalta leads Massapequa with 15 scores.

SUFFOLK I

Sachem North (1-4) at Floyd (4-1), Saturday, 1 p.m.: The preseason seeds made this a must-see game. Now it’s a game of survival for Sachem North. A win would give the Arrows enough power points to wipe out a tough start to the season and get a playoff berth. A loss and the playoffs are a long shot. Floyd is reeling after a 33-27 overtime road loss to first-place Ward Melville.

SUFFOLK II

East Islip (5-0) at North Babylon (2-3), Saturday, 2 p.m.: This is the preseason No. 2 at No.1, but the luster has gone from this game as North Babylon got off to a rough start. Halfback Jawara Keahey has 965 yards rushing and nine scores for the Bulldogs. East Islip has dominated all five of its opponents with stingy defense and a balanced offense led by the return of QB Thomas Costarelli, who sat out last week’s game, and halfback Ryan Parker, who has 11 TDs.

CHSFL

Cardinal Hayes (4-2) at Chaminade (6-1), Sunday, 1:30 p.m.: Chaminade is having an outstanding season. Hayes, the preseason No. 1 seed, averages 30 points per game but Chaminade has played fantastic team defense. Louis D’Agostino led the Chaminade defense last week with three sacks, three tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles.

With Andy Slawson

By Gregg Sarra

gregg.sarra@newsday.com@Gregg_Sarra

Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.