A long list of title contenders in Suffolk Division IV football this season
KaRahn King of Glenn speeds past the Kings Park defense during a Division IV semifinal playoff game last season. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Bayport-Blue Point is looking to defend its Suffolk Division IV title after sweeping through the competition last season.
This year, however, the Phantoms may not go unscathed — or even win it at all. The division has about half a dozen teams that realistically could win the county championship.
“There is a lot of parity in the league as far as talent,” Glenn coach Dave Shanahan said. “From the first seed to the sixth or seventh seed there [are] definitely all quality teams. This is one of the deeper leagues we’ve had, especially in the last two years.”
Glenn will be one of the top challengers after losing to Bayport-Blue Point in last year's final.
“It was never easy losing the big game like that,” Shanahan said. “But I think it provides motivation. The kids see how close they were, especially when you had a lot of underclassmen. They want to return there, and they realize they’re capable of returning there.”
Adam St. Nicholas has been on Miller Place’s coaching staff since 2011, helping the Panthers become a top team in Division III. The Panthers then transitioned to Division IV to claim the 2017 county championship.
But the team seemed to slow down.
“[In] 2018-19, we hit a little lull with our program,” St. Nicholas said. “We just didn’t have the players to really compete there. We built it back up, and I think that we’re kind of getting back to that 2013-14-15 era.”
The Panthers finished 5-4 last season, falling to Bayport-Blue Point in the semifinals. Shane Kiernan, a sophomore, will start at quarterback in his first varsity season. Between Michael Giugliano, Logan LaMountain and DJ Williamson, Kiernan will have plenty of options to work with.
“This is probably the strongest team I’ve had at Miller Place since I’ve been the head coach,” St. Nicholas said. “I’m going into my fifth year. … We’re really big up front, and we also have a young quarterback who’s really good as well. I think our wide receiver group might be the best in the division.”
