Massapequa football captures its first Rutgers Cup since 1994
Massapequa poses with the Long Island Class I championship trophy at Hofstra's Shuart Stadium on Nov. 24. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Two of Long Island’s top football programs steeped in winning traditions finished undefeated and earned Long Island championships this fall.
Massapequa and Garden City both finished 12-0 and won in resounding fashion in the LIC. Massapequa pounded perennial Suffolk champion Floyd, 35-7, to win the Class I title.
Garden City cruised past North Babylon, 38-7, to capture the Class II crown. The win enabled the Trojans to tie for the longest win streak in Long Island history at 42 games.
Both schools were worthy of earning the coveted Rutgers Cup, presented to Nassau’s most outstanding team. And both coaches agreed it was a 50-50 chance for either school.
But for the sixth time in school history, Massapequa earned the Rutgers Cup with a total of 30 first-place votes and 126 points. Massapequa last won the Rutgers Cup in 1994.
Garden City finished second with 18 first-place votes and 111 points. South Side, the Nassau Conference III champion, was third with 42 points.
“We played with an edge and with a swagger all season,” Massapequa coach Kevin Shippos said. “We were resilient and confident in each other but not overconfident. This is such an honor, the first one since 1994.”
The turning point in the Massapequa season came when Shippos made the decision to go for a two-point conversion on the road against neighborhood rival Farmingdale, the defending champion.
Halfback Tyler Villalta powered his way into the end zone for the two-point run and a wild 15-14 win. Massapequa blew out its next five opponents, including four in the playoffs.
“We were two undefeated teams playing for first place,” Shippos said. “That was the turning point in our season. We’re a close group and that closeness is what helped us be resilient and overcome a few obstacles. I’m proud of these guys.”
Garden City, which has won the Rutgers Cup seven times, was disappointed with the outcome of the coaches’ vote but took solace in that no one has been able to beat them on the field.
“It’s always a tremendous honor to be selected by the other teams in the county,” Garden City coach Dave Ettinger said. “We were right there with Massapequa. We knew it was a 50-50 shot to win it again this year. Both teams had great seasons.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
