LIC Class I: Farmingdale's unbeaten, but Ward Melville is upset specialist
Tomaso Ramos #1 of Farmingdale evades a tackle during the Nassau County football Conference I final against Massapequa at Shuart Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. Credit: James Escher
To envision Farmingdale as the favorite against Ward Melville in Saturday’s Long Island Class I championship game isn’t much of a stretch.
The undefeated Nassau champion Dalers have put more points on the board than any other football team on the Island this season and have won by an average of more than 35 points. Featured back Tomaso Ramos has rushed for 25 touchdowns and quarterback Anthony Licci has thrown for 25 more.
The Suffolk champion Patriots are impressed but not awed. Taking down favorites has become a weekly event for them in this postseason. The fourth seed in the Suffolk I playoffs laid top-seeded Floyd low two weeks ago, and many thought a path had been cleared for No. 3 Longwood to wear the crown. Last week, however, was the Lions’ turn as Ward Melville captured its first county title in 35 years and earned its first trip to the Long Island Championships.
Now, Farmingdale (11-0) and Ward Melville (8-3) will square off at 4:30 p.m. at Stony Brook’s LaValle Stadium.
“A big key for us is going to be keeping their great athletes from making explosive plays,” Patriots coach Chris Boltrek said. “[Ramos] is explosive with his ability to break tackles or reverse the field. And they have a bunch of big-play receivers. We can’t let them get momentum.”
And that’s not even mentioning Licci, who is 24-for-27 passing for 474 yards and six touchdowns in the past two games.
“We’ve made explosive plays all season because we have the guys,” Farmingdale coach Buddy Krumenacker said. “We may have to show everyone we’re capable of grinding out a win as well.”
After turning a county playoff on its ear, the Patriots have earned the right to contemplate what could be.
“We have a chance to do something awesome, to do something this [program] hasn’t done before and be the top team in Long Island football,” said Ward Melville quarterback Andrew Belli, who has thrown for 23 touchdowns and run for seven more. “Our players are pumped, but the opportunity has made everyone focused on what we have to do to combat a team like that.”
This is the 30th LIC since its inception in 1992 (it was not played in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic), and Farmingdale is making its 10th appearance. But the Island’s premier gridiron event has not been kind to the Dalers. They’re 1-8, capturing their only crown in 2001.
“These guys weren’t around for that,” Krumenacker said. “This is their team.”
Boltrek said one key for the Patriots will be time of possession because “they have a lot of two-way players and we want them expending a lot of energy playing defense.”
The big concern for the Dalers could be slowing the running game of Belli and Nick Gaffney, who has run for 13 TDs.
“Their backs will win the game for Ward Melville if we don’t contain them,” Krumenacker said. “This game could be won in the trenches.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
