Nassau Conference II: What to watch for
James Napoli #40 of MacArthur, left, rushes for his second touchdown of the afternoon in the third quarter of a Nassau County Conference II football game against Mepham at MacArthur High School in Levittown on Saturday, March 20, 2021. Credit: James Escher
NASSAU CONFERENCE II
Coaching Spotlight
Tom Graef used to lead the Herricks offense, now he’s leading the whole team. The former Herricks quarterback is entering his first year as head coach at his alma mater, where he’s been an assistant in some capacity for five years. The 2012 graduate replaces Mike Yoo, his former coach.
"He’s been my biggest mentor," Graef said. "Just learning how to develop a program, connect to kids, and develop yourself as a coach. He was great at leading and our program wouldn’t be the same without him."
Must-see games
Herricks at Roslyn, Saturday, Sept. 11, 1:30 p.m.: Welcome back Bulldogs. This is Roslyn’s first varsity game in five years and it’s at home.
Carey at Garden City, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2 p.m.: See Carey quarterback Dean Metzger go up against the best team in the conference. Metzger is considered by many to be the best quarterback in Nassau II and Garden City is the defending champion.
Garden City at MacArthur, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2 p.m.: Not only is this a rematch of last spring’s championship game and a battle of the conference’s two top seeds, but it’s so late in the season that it may have MAJOR playoff implications.
Impact Players
Jack Cascadden, Garden City, RB, 6-3, 210, Sr. – Given his incredibly deep skill set, stopping him is nearly impossible. When a game-altering play happens, Cascadden is usually in the middle of it.
Dean Metzger, Carey, QB, 6-2, 190 – He’s widely considered to be the best quarterback in the conference. He’s athletic as they come with a strong arm.
James Napoli, MacArthur, RB/DB, 5-10, 170 – He rushed for four touchdowns and made 19 tackles on defense in the spring.
