East Meadow loses playoff opener

After East Meadow struggled against the run in its loss to Syosset in the final week of the regular season, the Jets prepared for a similar game plan in a rematch between the two teams in the Nassau Conference I quarterfinals last Saturday.

But Syosset decided to put the ball in the air — in a big way. 

Quarterback Daniel Ventricelli, who recently converted from wide receiver, threw for 236 yards and five touchdowns in the visiting Braves’ 44-10 thumping of East Meadow.

He started the aerial attack with a 27-yard touchdown pass to James Cohan on the opening drive to put his team ahead 6-0. Cohan caught four touchdown passes on the day, and finished with 182 yards receiving. 

“All of a sudden they started chucking the ball deep and were just running behind our guys,” East Meadow coach Vinny Mascia said. “I don’t have an explanation for it.”

East Meadow was unable to answer Syosset’s quick strike, turning the ball over with a fumble on its first offensive drive. The Braves quickly responded with another touchdown pass, 37 yards from Ventricelli to Cohan, which extended the lead to 12-0. 

Syosset took advantage of two interceptions thrown by Jets quarterback Dylan Curry, scoring on both ensuing drives. 

Down 24-0 at the end of the first quarter, the deficit turned out to be too much for the Jets to overcome.  

A Jets drive in the second quarter was thwarted by a goal-line stand at the two-yard line by the Braves. However, Syosset immediately turned it back over to East Meadow with a fumble recovered by Jets linebacker Adam Suchocki. 

Three plays later, senior running back Sean Hinchy put the Jets on the scoreboard with a two-yard touchdown run to make it 24-7. 

But once again, Syosset (5-4) struck quickly. This time, it was on the ground, with a 57-yard touchdown run by Joe Morris, who scored twice and had 93 yards rushing. 

The Jets added a 32-yard field goal by Hector Guerrero, who cut the lead to 31-10. But two more touchdown hookups between Ventricelli and Cohan completed Syosset’s lopsided victory. 

Ventricelli “really stepped up and played within himself,” said Syosset coach Paul Rorke.

For East Meadow (5-4), Curry compiled 50 yards passing and 24 yards rushing, while James D’Elia ran for 49 yards. John Posillico had seven solo tackles for the Jets. 

Though several starters were injured, Mascia said there was no excuse for the result.

“I can sit here and cry the blues about us,” Mascia said. “The bottom line is those guys came in and they performed.”

Clarke falls to North Shore

In a rematch of the season opener, Clarke lost at North Shore in a Nassau Conference IV quarterfinal playoff game. 

The Vikings soared to a 42-21 victory. The Rams (4-5) tied it at 7-7 in the second quarter with a five-yard touchdown run by Mike Quintella. In the second half, Anthony Gomes caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Mike Martiello and Brandon Abbott added a five-yard touchdown run.