Oceanside's running complements Charlie McKee's passing in 43-13 win over Syosset
Andres Duran of Oceanside rushes during the second quarter of a Nassau Conference I football game against Syosset on March 19, 2021. Credit: James Escher
From the moment that Oceanside quarterback Charlie McKee burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2018, the Sailors have been synonymous with the passing game. Now, two seasons later, there is much more to them than just the aerial assault. Syosset is a vastly improved team this season, but they found out the hard way on Friday night that Oceanside has developed into a team that can beat you with more than the pass.
The host Sailors unveiled a lethal three-headed running attack to blend with its potent passing game and powered past Syosset, 43-13, in a Nassau Conference I football game. Two games into this season truncated by the coronavirus pandemic, Oceanside is 2-0 and wearing the conference’s top seeding nicely.
Andres Duran rushed 20 times for 93 yards and touchdowns of 3 and 9 yards, Thomas Flavin ran for 84 yards including a 3-yard TD on 12 carries and McKee ran it six time for 54 yards and scored on runs of 50 and 1 yard as Oceanside rolled up 262 yards on the ground in the victory.
"Especially playing in March, we felt we had to be able to run the ball," Oceanside coach Rob Blount said. "Not having that facet was a little bit of our downfall the past two years. But our line has really developed and is playing well together and with a bunch of different guys who can run the ball, we keep coming at [opponents] with fresh legs.
"And as you could see, we still have the passing game."
McKee was 17-for-25 passing for 158 yards and a 28-yard TD to Logan Lyson. It was the 53rd career touchdown pass for the junior, leaving him three shy of surpassing Tommy Heuer’s school record.
"The running attack is a new element in our game and it makes all the difference," McKee said.
"We feel like we have a bunch of different guys who can make a big play for us," Duran said. "With that we feel like we can be great."
The Sailors kept the Syosset defense on the field for virtually the entire first quarter, sandwiching a successful onside kick between a 12-play drive for Duran’s 3-yard touchdown run and 13-play drive that stalled at Syosset’s 13-yard line.
Syosset, however didn’t look weary when it finally got to snap the ball. On its fourth play from scrimmage, Stephen DeStefani came off a play-action and found Luca Cutolo with a screen pass on the right side that he took 72 yards for a TD. The two-point conversion run failed and Syosset led, 8-6.
The Sailors went up 15-6 with a 65-yard drive on their first possession of the second quarter. McKee completed five passes for 40 yards in the drive and Duran capped it with his 9-yard score behind the blocking of Giff Stiansen and Michael Furst.
Syosset had a chance to make the Sailors uncomfortable right before halftime but DeStefani’s 57-yard touchdown pass to Matt McPhee was called back for an illegal-motion penalty.
Syosset fumbled on the opening drive of the second half, and three snaps later McKee burst through a huge hole behind Stiansen and Furst for his 50-yard score. The die was cast later in the third when Oceanside scored on a flea-flicker in which Ronnie Kramer threw the ball back to McKee and his pass went off the hands of Sailors receiver Matt Roesler and into the hands of teammate Lyson for his 28-yard score.
"I was throwing to Roesler, but it ended up working out," McKee said. "It was a heads-up play and it sent us on our way."
Jayson Singer of Syosset rushed nine times for 74 yards and a 6-yard touchdown and also recorded 12 tackles. DeStefani was 7-for-10 passing for 126 yards and the 72-yard touchdown for Syosset.
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.
