Leading off today: Last December is feeling like a long time ago for defending NYSPHSAA football champions. Syracuse CBA opened with a loss to Iona Prep on Thursday, and two more titlists fell in their openers on Friday.
Averill Park toppled Bronxville 34-28 after running out to a 20-0 lead with the help of a Mason Phelps pick-six.
Meanwhile, Delhi piled up 442 yards of offense and rolled past Tioga 41-26. Cole Kivell completed 16 of 21 passes for 292 yards and four TDs to lead the way.
WEEK 1 FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD
New school, same results for coach
Former William Floyd football coach Paul Longo made his
Shoreham-Wading River debut and came away with a 52-45 victory over Babylon in Rocky Point.
Junior quarterback Noah Gregorek led the way with six touchdown passes and ran for a seventh score.
Longo won 253 games and five Long Island titles in 31 seasons with William Floyd. This game looked like a sure bet after SW-R raced to a 38-7 lead less than a minute into the second half.
"I've had a lot of big games, but this one was certainly one of the most exciting ones I've had," Longo told Newsday. "It's great to start off on the right foot. I'm very proud of the way they played tonight."
Gregorek threw two scoring strikes apiece to Gavin Cleary, who recorded an interception on defense, and Brandyn Bland.
St. Francis opens with strong showing
We may be looking at an Iona Prep-St. Francis rematch for the state CHSAA championship game. One day after Iona Prep defeated Syracuse CBA,
St. Francis opened strong by downing Buffalo Bennett 53-20.
Rutgers recruit Trent Buttles went 11-of-18 for 200 yards and three touchdown passes, tacking on 55 yards and another score on three carries.
Bennett struck first, but Domonic Cook Jr.'s 6-yard run gave St. Francis a two-score advantage before Bennett responded with a score. Buttles found Aiden Hopwood from 13 yards out for their second scoring pass and then the QB lofted a throw to Mason Anderson, who outjumped a defender, for a 36-14 margin at halftime.
Port Jefferson's appeal rejected
Port Jefferson's bid to form a combined football team with Rocky Point after having to drop its own program last week due to low numbers was
rejected by a Section 11 appeals committee on Thursday.
"We felt confident in our presentation, supporting our position with facts and strong arguments to allow the combined varsity football team with Rocky Point without penalty of post season play," Port Jefferson Superintendent Jessica Schmettan said in a letter. "This (decision) is incredibly disappointing to us. It is a decision that places procedure and rigid regulation above the best interests of students."
Section 11 Executive Director Tom Combs said Port Jefferson's request came too late.
"They could have combined before our placement meeting in February when we put everything together," Combs said. "They also have the ability to do it at this time but our rules state after our placement meeting that if you combine the program you are ineligible for playoffs."
Port Jefferson's problems went beyond graduation losses. Only seven seniors graduated from last fall's roster, but coach CJ Perrino told Newsday the Royals lost a handful of players to the school's soccer team and some other former players chose not to return.
"They knew they had a potential problem," Combs said. "We recommended that they investigate the possibility of combining with another school. There was enough time to do that. They didn't act on it and the program (folded). It leaves a void in the schedule, a forfeit every week for eight weeks."
