Carey outlasts Long Beach, 55-54

With the scoreboard lit to the tune of 109 points and darkening skies about to become a factor, a big defensive play sealed an important win for Carey last Saturday and kept Long Beach from completing a perfect first half in Nassau Conference II football.

On an afternoon where points came fast and furious, including 47 in the third quarter, senior Dom Scorcia’s interception at Carey’s 33-yard line with 1:05 remaining allowed the host Seahawks to hold on for a wild 55-54 victory. Scorcia also caught one of four touchdown passes by senior quarterback Dan Conte, who threw for 198 yards and ran for 135 yards and two scores. 

Conte’s counterpart, Long Beach senior Sam Brown, had a video-game like performance with eight touchdowns — seven through the air to tie a Nassau County record and one on the ground — and 502 yards passing. He completed 31 of 45 attempts, however, his last pass landed in enemy hands.

“It’s probably the craziest game I’ve been a part of,” Carey head coach Mike Stanley said. “Any defensive stop we had today was huge. They do a great job calling their offense. We found a way with a big goal-line stand at the end of the first half and the interception at the end. 

“It was definitely a wild one, and we’re really glad to get the win,” he added. “We needed it.”

Seniors Thomas Rutherig and Vincent Deale, and sophomore Marquis Stephens had two touchdown receptions apiece for the Marines, who despite not allowing a point in the fourth quarter fell to 3-1. Senior Cole Hell added a touchdown grab.

“It doesn’t matter what play we call, Sam just makes great things happen,” Long Beach head coach Scott Martin said of Brown, who has 18 passing touchdowns on the year. “They dared us to complete the 1-on-1 stuff, and our receivers know how to get open and have good hands,” he added. “But, in the end, Carey was one point better than us today.”

The Seahawks (2-2) led 28-20 at halftime and scored two touchdowns in a span of 10 seconds early in the third quarter to build a 22-point cushion. After a 13-yard touchdown run by Conte capped the opening drive of the second half, Carey senior Antonio Roselli recovered the ensuing kickoff to put the offense back in business. Conte then connected with senior Shaheem Taylor-White (182 yards rushing) on a 41-yard touchdown pass and added a two-point conversion run for a 42-20 lead.

“Both quarterbacks were phenomenal,” Stanley said. “I’m so proud of Conte and how well he played. He split reps all week in practice, but he came out with a hot hand and we just rolled with him.”

Senior Tyler DeMeo had two long touchdown receptions and blocked two extra points, senior Zach Dente rushed for two scores, and senior Dylan Nagy had 1.5 sacks for Carey, which hosts Herricks next Saturday at 2 p.m. Long Beach will try to get back in the win column Friday with a 7 p.m. kickoff against Homecoming opponent Manhasset.