Takeaways from this weekend's high school football
Ja'Quan Thomas of William Floyd gets tripped up by Tyler Blasco of Ward Melville during a Suffolk Division I football game on Friday, October 11, 2024. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
DIFFICULT DECISION
It’s no surprise that Paul Longo didn’t sleep well Friday night.
The long time Floyd football coach faced the toughest play call of the season in the waning moments in a battle of unbeaten teams against Ward Melville.
Trailing 22-21 with 22 seconds remaining and first place on the line, Longo chose a play-action pass on a two-point conversion play rather than send 6-2, 220-pound halfback Ja’Quan Thomas on a power run for the win.
“It was going to be all hats to Ja’Quan and I had a hunch the play action pass would be wide open,” Longo said. “I tip my cap to the kid that made a great play. We only run that play once or twice a year. I don’t show it, I save it.”
Longo said he flip flopped on his decision to go play action pass or run on the conversion attempt.
“I thought they were scheming to do one thing and that was to not let Ja’Quan get the three yards,” Longo said. “We had run the two-point conversion earlier and I was tempted to go back to the same play. Maybe I over-thought it and chose not to go with the safe call.”
Ward Melville’s Matt Hubbard knocked down the two-point conversion pass in the end zone and the Patriots held on for the exciting win.
“Ward Melville was tough on defense and very athletic,” Longo said. “Would I do it differently if faced with a similar decision. Honestly, I did like the play call.”
RECORD BREAKER
It has been confirmed that Shane Kiernan of Miller Place now holds the Long Island record for yards passing in a single game. The Panthers junior quarterback threw for 550 yards and six touchdowns in a 57-48 loss to Babylon. Wide receiver DJ Williamson had 17 receptions in the game — to tie the L.I. record set by Jack Melore of Smithtown West in 2023.
FOUR TEAMS NO LONGER UNBEATEN
Kyle Melkonian made a winning 28-yard field goal with less than five minutes left in the fourth quarter as Manhasset (4-1) gave Elmont (4-1) its first loss with a 17-14 win . . . And how about Centereach (2-3) knocking off intradistrict rival Newfield, 10-8, and knocking the Wolverines (4-1) from the ranks of the unbeaten? . . . There was Floyd’s first loss, a 22-21 heartbreaker to Ward Melville (5-0) . . . And Plainedge (5-0) had a big road win over previously undefeated Wantagh (4-1), 33-27.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
