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

This could be the year South Side football marches to a Long Island Class III title. The hurdle has been three-time champion Plainedge, which has dominated the conference for most of the past decade.

Plainedge (3-1) was beaten handily by Wantagh earlier this season, 23-6, and will not go quietly in the postseason. But Wantagh’s big win set up a showdown of unbeatens when they travel to South Side for a Nassau Conference III game Friday at 6 p.m.

South Side (4-0) is coming off a .500 season in Nassau Conference II, but has a bevy of experience with nine three-year starters in tow. The Cyclones have opened the season in impressive fashion, shutting out four consecutive opponents.

“They’ve certainly started out as the team to beat,” said Wantagh coach Keith Sachs. “They’re a big play team and we have to avoid allowing those game-changing plays.”

The South Side offense is led by quarterback Owen West, who’s thrown for eight touchdowns.

Wantagh (4-0) will counter with three-year starting halfback Jake Martini, averaging nine yards per carry, and junior halfback Dylan Martini. Wantagh is averaging just below 37 points per game.

“This is another big test,” Sachs said. “We played extremely well against Plainedge. We’ll have to play at that level again to be successful.”

SUFFOLK I

Floyd (4-0) at Longwood (3-1), Friday, 6 p.m.: Six miles of the William Floyd parkway separate these two schools, dubbing this matchup the 'Parkway Bowl.' Floyd leads the all-time series, 39-18-2 and has won the last nine meetings, including a 13-7 victory last year.

“We’re so close in proximity and these games are always for bragging rights,” said Floyd coach Paul Longo.

Halfback Jaden Montalvo has rushed for 584 yards and five touchdowns for the Colonials. Nnamdi Nwanyanwu leads a young Longwood team with 313 rushing yards and two scores.

Ward Melville (3-1) at Lindenhurst (2-2), Friday, 6 p.m.:

Ward Melville is riding high after beating previously unbeaten Sachem North last week, 29-7. Griffin Kramer had a monster game for the Patriots with 11 tackles, two sacks, and a pick-6. Lindenhurst is coming off a 41-21 loss to Floyd and needs a win to remain in contention for a home playoff game. Halfback Christian Capogna has 663 rushing yards and six scores for Lindenhurst.

SUFFOLK IV

Babylon (4-0) at Center Moriches (4-0), Friday, 6 p.m.: Center Moriches is 4-0 for the first time in its 17 years of varsity football. Babylon has won all games against Center Moriches, including 11 by double digits. Is this the year the Red Devils take down Babylon? Aidan Winter has 654 rushing yards and six scores for Babylon. Matt Albino has rushed for 620 yards and 11 TDs for Center Moriches.

NASSAU I

Hempstead (4-0) at East Meadow (3-1), Saturday, 3 p.m.: Hempstead comes off a thrilling 21-20 win over Freeport. The Tigers are led by halfback Dwayne Meadors, who has rushed for 658 yards and six TDs. Can the Jets prevent Hempstead from reaching 5-0 in the first meeting between these teams since 2014?

NASSAU II

Manhasset (5-0) at Calhoun (3-1), Saturday, 3 p.m.:

These teams have only played each other once – Manhasset won in 2019. Calhoun’s Joey Goodman would like to even the score. He leads Nassau in rushing yardage with 771 and touchdowns with 14. Jack Mulholland of Manhasset leads on both sides of the ball.

SUFFOLK II

West Islip (4-0) at West Babylon (4-0), Saturday, 2 p.m.:

Inclement weather is expected Saturday afternoon setting the stage for a physical showdown between these two unbeatens. Quarterback Elijah Outlaw is a fantastic athlete and has thrown for 554 yards and six scores, leading West Babylon to a 4-0 record for the first time since 2011. West Islip will counter with Rocco Carpinello, who’s rushed for 561 yards and eight scores.

Centereach (1-3) at Newfield (1-3), 2 p.m.:

Newfield leads the all-time series in this intra-district rivalry, 12-9-1. The Wolverines won last year’s game, 35-12. Wolverines halfback Kenny Petit-Frere rushed for 315 yards and four scores in last week’s win over Copiague. Centereach will need to bounce back after the Cougars dropped a last-minute, one-point heartbreaker to Deer Park.

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.