This week's Long Island high school football games to watch and picks

It has been one of Long Island’s backyard rivalries in high school football since 1975. In a battle of unbeatens, Massapequa will travel to play at Farmingdale at 2 p.m. on Saturday in a Nassau Conference I game.

The schools, located just five miles apart on the south shore of Nassau, have long been in contention for the conference title.

“These games never disappoint,” Massapequa coach Kevin Shippos said. “And in years like this, where we’re both doing well, there’s even more at stake.”

Massapequa is off to a 6-0 start even after the loss of starting quarterback Paul Dulanto to a knee injury early this season. They will march into Farmingdale with a vibrant ground game, scoring 35 points per game, with halfback Tyler Villalta, who leads Nassau with 982 yards rushing.

Farmingdale (5-0), the defending Long Island Class I champions, is on a 17-game win streak and will counter with a potent ground game of its own led by halfback Sal Posillico, who has nine touchdowns, including three last week in a 28-10 win over Oceanside.

NASSAU I

Oceanside (4-2) at Syosset (4-2), Friday, 6:30 p.m.: Oceanside had won 12 games in a row in the series before Syosset beat the Sailors 28-0 last year. Two excellent quarterbacks go head-to-head here with the Sailors' Shane Harmon and Syosset’s Mustafa Mozawalla in a game where a win guarantees a home playoff game.

NASSAU III

South Side (6-0) at Plainedge (4-2), Friday, 6:30 p.m.: Plainedge has won four of the last five Conference III playoff titles and has beaten South Side by an average of 30 points in the past five games. South Side has not been tested, crushing all six opponents, behind halfback Jack Lozito, who has 551 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Defensive tackle Bobby Galindo leads Nassau’s top defense, allowing four points per game.

NASSAU IV

Seaford (5-1) at Malverne (5-1), Friday, 7 p.m.: Malverne has been injury-riddled this season. The Mules talented wide receiver/defensive back, Penn State-bound Josiah Brown suffered a season-ending knee injury in last week’s 21-14 loss to Cold Spring Harbor. They’ll need to stop Seaford halfback Aidan Calvacca, who has 618 rushing yards and seven scores.

SUFFOLK I

Longwood (4-2) at Ward Melville (5-1), Friday, 7 p.m.: The teams split their two meetings last season with Ward Melville winning in the Division I final, 34-19, to give the Patriots their first Suffolk title in 35 years. The Longwood ground game with halfback Nnamdi Nwanyanwu needs to play ball control to have a chance to win.

SUFFOLK III

Half Hollow Hills West (5-1) at Smithtown West (2-4), Friday, 6 p.m.: Two of the top quarterbacks on Long Island square off in this contest. Junior Joseph Filardi of Hills West leads LI with 1.962 passing yards and 28 touchdowns. Smithtown West’s Brayden Stahl has thrown for 1,540 yards and 16 scores. Stahl has record-breaking wide receiver Jack Melore, who leads LI in receiving yardage (831) and receptions (49). This is their first meeting in seven years.

SUFFOLK II

Bellport (3-3) at North Babylon (5-1), Saturday, 1 p.m.: Bellport is the two-time defending Division II champion and beat North Babylon, 42-32, in the first round of the playoffs in 2022. Bulldogs halfback Jawara Keahey is LI’s leading rusher and scorer with 1,537 yards and 20 TDs. Caleb White is a dual threat for Bellport as a passer and a runner.

CHSFL

St. Anthony's (5-2) at Holy Trinity (3-4), Sunday, 1:30 p.m. This is their meeting since 2014. The Friars lead the all-time series 29-8 and have won the last 19 games. The Titans last defeated St. Anthony’s in 1992. St. Anthony’s is coming off a 27-21 upset loss to Farrell last week. The Titans will have to stop dual-threat quarterback Gary Merrill, who has 1,033 yards passing and nine TDs. He’s also rushed for 783 yards and eight scores.

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.