Redemption chances abound in first week of Long Island football playoffs

Nothing stings like suffering a close loss. Little is as coveted as a chance at making up for that loss. The first week of the Long Island football playoffs has plenty of opportunities to go around.

And it might also be the place where the contenders separate themselves from the Cinderellas.

Massapequa (5-3) is the No. 4 seed in Nassau I and will host No. 5 Uniondale at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Don’t think the Chiefs have forgotten all the turnovers that led to them losing, 15-14, to the Knights in Week 6 on that very same field. Running back Angelo Petrakis (13 rushing touchdowns) and quarterback Kenny Galvin (seven passing TDs) lead Massapequa. Quarterback Rolando Meyers-Turner, who has run for nine touchdowns and thrown for three, will pilot the Knights as they try to show Week 6 was no fluke.

It’s a similar story in many places, though one particularly enticing matchup is in Suffolk I, where No. 4 seed Longwood (5-3) hosts No. 5 Commack (4-4) at 6 p.m. Friday. The Lions also were the host in Week 5, when the Cougars beat them, 34-29. Commack quarterback Aiden McCarty threw for nearly 300 yards and three touchdowns and Blake Behlen caught two scores and returned a kickoff for another in that one. This time, the Lions must make performances like the one by Elrich Bowlay-Williams (12 rushing TDs), who ran for 171 yards in the loss, stand up.

The postseason also has a way of bringing upstart stories to halt. South Side went from a preseason No. 11 to go 6-2 and Kings Park from a preseason No. 9 to also finish 6-2, but both Cinderella stories had to feel like they’d reached the 11th hour last week in humbling losses to Wantagh and Sayville, respectively.

South Side, the No. 6 seed in Nassau III, and quarterback Will Pickett (12 rushing TDs) strive to show it is no flash in the pan against No. 3 Roosevelt and Kevon Hall, who has run for nearly 2,000 yards and 22 scores. Kings Park, the No. 5 seed in Suffolk III, has Vince D’Alto (13 rushing TDs) and Kevin Decker (13 passing TDs) and will try to make time stand still at No. 4 East Islip (5-3). The Redmen feature running back Dylan Rigo, who has rushed for eight touchdowns.

Suffolk II

No. 5 Bellport at No. 4 Centereach, Friday, 6 p.m.

Bellport fell at Centereach, 18-15, in Week 3 as Liam Webber ran for a touchdown in the final minute. Fueled by that, the Clippers (5-3) and quarterback Ka’Shaun Parrish (12 rushing and six passing TDs) reeled off four straight wins and now will look to tap back into that disappointment. Centereach (5-3) seeks to show the order has not changed behind the trio of Devin Demetres, Webber and Eric Harrington.

CHSFL

Moore Catholic at Holy Trinity, Sunday, 1:30 p.m.

Quarterfinals don’t get much better than this. Holy Trinity (7-1) finished second in AA East and is on a seven-game winning streak. Moore Catholic (6-2) was third in AA West and suffered its two defeats when it was hit hard by injuries. The Titans offense is led by quarterback Ryan Razzano (11 rushing TDs), running back Spencer Nixon (six rushing TDs) and wideout Jalen Rivers (four receiving TDs), and its defense features end John Stroughn, who has 58 tackles. The Mavericks’ Justin Lacks has run for 17 scores and quarterback Vincenzo Scarola has thrown for 11.

Nassau II

No. 8 Valley Stream Central at No. 1 Garden City, Friday, 3 p.m.

Trevor Yeboah-Kodie has run for 14 touchdowns and Colin Hart has thrown for 11 touchdowns, and they will lead Garden City (8-0) as it seeks a Nassau-record 33rd straight win. These Trojans tied early-1990s Bethpage’s mark of 32 last week. Valley Stream Central (3-5) will try to halt the streak behind Armani O’Brady, who has run for nine touchdowns and thrown for three.

Nassau IV

No. 6 Mineola at No. 3 Cold Spring Harbor, Friday, 6 p.m.

In unpredictable Nassau IV, it seems every game is anybody’s guess. Cold Spring Harbor (6-2) will try to rebound from last week’s 34-21 loss to Clarke behind Ray Costa, who has run for nine touchdowns and thrown for six. Jason Eccher has 10 touchdown passes for Mineola (6-2).

Nassau III

No. 5 Bethpage at No. 4 Wantagh, Saturday, 3 p.m.

Wantagh (5-3) is looking to make up for a 14-7 regular-season loss to the Golden Eagles (4-4) with a stingy defense that has given up seven points or less four times and a tough-running quarterback in Nick Teresky. Bethpage has backs that can score in T.J. Hart, Christian Castles and Kyle Gabrinowitz.

Suffolk II

No. 6 North Babylon at No. 3 Northport, Saturday, 2 p.m.

North Babylon (4-4) got the better of Northport (6-2) in Week 5 at home. The Bulldogs will try to repeat the feat on the road this time with top rushers Dylan Diaz (11 TDs), Ross Tallarico (eight TDs) and Craig Jackson (five TDs) leading the way. The Tigers haven’t lost since and are led by go-to runner Justin Gerdvil (13 TDs).