Long Island high school football games to watch and picks for Week 4

School enrollment forced significant movement in the high school football alignments in 2024.

And for the most part it wasn’t the middle of the road teams on the move — it was the powerhouse programs headed into uncharted territory.

But the change of scenery for Garden City, East Islip, Wantagh and Plainedge is just that: a change of scenery. Everything else remains the same — they just keep on winning.

All four schools are undefeated and on top of the standings.

East Islip, the defending Long Island Class III champion, moved up in class from Suffolk Division III and back into II, where they spent more than three decades before a drop in enrollment forced them into III for the past nine years.

“It’s all new because we’ve been out of Division II for so long,” East Islip coach Sal J. Ciampi said. “There’s more film work to prepare for opponents that we haven’t seen in some time. Although, it doesn’t really change what we do.”

What East Islip does is win. They’ve captured three Division III titles and a Long Island crown in nine years.

“They’ve been doing what we aspire to do,” Half Hollow Hills East coach Alex Marcelin said. “We haven’t been able to kick in that proverbial championship door. But we’re right there — we’re knocking and we’re knocking loud.”

Hills East (3-0) plays at East Islip ay 6 p.m. on Saturday. The schools meet for the first time in 16 years.

East Islip has outscored its opponents in the first half, 113-7. Hills East hasn’t allowed a first half point through three games.

Garden City moved from Nassau Conference II into III. The Trojans started 4-0 and extended LI’s longest winning streak of all time to 46 games. There had to be a sigh of relief when the Trojans exited II and a loud gasp when they entered III.

The three-time defending LI Class II champions had won eight straight titles in II and are rolling through III in the same dominant fashion winning by an average of 33 points.

Plainedge and Wantagh left Nassau III and dropped into IV. And that was too bad. It would have been exciting to see both schools challenge Garden City.

Instead, the two perennial title contenders jump into the mix in IV with playoff mainstays Seaford, Cold Spring Harbor and North Shore.

NASSAU I

Port Washington (3-1) at Syosset (2-1), Saturday, 3 p.m.

Both teams will compete for a playoff home game. For Syosset to win it needs to slow down Port Washington halfback Christian Sarchese, who has rushed for 468 yards and 11 touchdowns.

NASSAU II

Mepham (3-0) at Carey (3-0), Saturday, 11 a.m.

Carey sports an offense that averages 36 points per game. Mepham counters with stingy defense and for the first time in its 97-year history have shut out the first three opponents. The Pirates held Calhoun to less than 100 yards of total offense last week and recorded seven sacks against Roslyn/Friends Academy two weeks ago.

NASSAU III

Floral Park (2-1) at Elmont (3-0), Saturday, 3 p.m.

Elmont has played three close games and come away unscathed. Spartans quarterback Aiden Barnes has passed for more than 600 yards and five scores. Floral Park’s Tyreak Cobb has rushed for 513 yards and three scores and Rico Loftus has kicked three field goals for the Knights so far this season.

NASSAU IV

Cold Spring Harbor (3-0) at Locust Valley (2-1), Saturday, 2 p.m.

Locust Valley will need to find a way to stop Seahawks halfback Alex Bauer, who has 464 yards rushing and 10 TDs. The Falcons will counter with running back Liam Baker, who scored twice in a 42-0 win over Valley Stream South.

SUFFOLK I

Longwood (2-1) at Sachem North (1-2), Saturday, 1 p.m.

Sachem North has lost two close games in heartbreaking fashion. Longwood’s lone loss came against top-seeded Floyd in a game decided in the fourth quarter. Both teams will be in the mix for the county title. This showdown at the midpoint of the season will go a long way toward determining a home-field playoff game. Sachem North leads the all-time series, 20-17.

SUFFOLK II

Deer Park (0-3) at Newfield (3-0), Saturday, 2 p.m.

Newfield is off to its best start since 2015 when the Wolverines went 12-0 and won the LI Class II crown. The strength of Newfield lies in the defense, where end Chris Mastres set a school record with six sacks in last week’s win over Smithtown East.

With Andy Slawson

By Gregg Sarra

gregg.sarra@newsday.com@Gregg_Sarra

Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.