Domenico Moscato, Plainedge fight off tough test from Floral Park
Plainedge's Domenico Moscato cuts between the Floral Park defense in the second quarter during a Nassau Conference III football game on Thursday at Plainedge. Credit: Bob Sorensen
Plainedge is not used to trailing late in games, let alone losing. So when the winners of the last two Nassau III Conference football titles were trailing with less than five minutes to go, it required a rare comeback.
On third-and-6 from the Floral Park 30-yard line, Plainedge quarterback Domenico Moscato found running back Stavros Vardamaskos for a 29-yard catch. On the next play, Moscato scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak to provide the go-ahead score for host Plainedge in its 23-16 win over Floral Park Thursday night.
Plainedge won its 24th straight game against Nassau opponents, and it was the Red Devils' first conference game decided by single digits since the spring 2021 Nassau III title game.
“In the first half we were a little shaky, we didn’t know what to expect,” Moscato said. “But in the second half we just toughed it out. We really came together as a team. We haven’t really been with each other for a long time. So it was really special to see these guys just come together and fight together.”
Moscato (two interceptions) completed 7 of 14 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed 12 times for 98 yards and score.
The senior opened the scoring with a 14-yard rushing TD on the first drive and Plainedge took a 7-0 lead. With 56 seconds left in the first quarter, Floral Park's Rico Loftus made a 37-yard field goal to make it 7-3.
Floral Park shutout Plainedge in the second quarter and forced a key turn over late in the half. Defensive lineman James Driscoll intercepted a Moscato screen pass, giving Floral Park a short field to capitalize on. On the third play of the ensuing drive, quarterback Ryan Connolly launched a high-arching throw over the defense to wide receiver Joshua Lewis for a 27-yard touchdown to give Floral Park a 9-7 lead at halftime.
“The fortunate thing for us is that I’ve been around a couple of days," said Plainedge coach Rob Shaver, who is in his 27th season at the helm. "It's not my first rodeo. So we knew we had a couple things we had to change, we had to make a couple adjustments … Fortunately experience is the best learner.”
Plainedge opened the second half with a touchdown on its first drive. On third-and-11 from the Floral Park 15, Moscato scrambled and lofted a ball to Vardamaskos, who made an athletic grab for the score. Moscato ran in the ensuing two-point conversion to put the Red Devils up 15-9.
Floral Park regained the lead with 10:52 remaining. Connolly capped a six-play, 84-yard drive by calling his own number for a 26-yard rushing touchdown to tie it at 15. Loftus made the ensuing extra-point to put the Knights ahead. Connolly completed 12 of 19 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown and had six carries for 68 yards and a score.
Following its go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter, Plainedge (2-0) forced a three-and-out to seal its 13th consecutive victory over Floral Park (1-1).
“I like how we didn’t give up,” Vardamaskos said. “We went into the locker room at halftime, kept our heads up and turned it around.”
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
