Carey rolls to 3-0 start

Quarterback Ray Catapano completed 10 of 13 passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns, and called his own number for a rushing score, to lead Carey to an impressive 42-6 victory over previously unbeaten Long Beach. Matt Robison caught three passes, two for touchdowns, for 143 yards as the Seahawks improved to 3-0 in Conference II.

Carey scored on its second drive of the game, going 91 yards in two plays. After Catapano and Robison hooked up for a 59-yard gain, the pair did so again on the very next play with Robison hauling a perfectly thrown ball down the left sideline and taking it into the south end zone for a 31-yard score. The extra-point attempt failed.

With 59 seconds left in the opening quarter, Robison beat his man again and Catapano caught him in stride for a 51-yard touchdown reception. Nick Spillane took a direct snap and went around right end for the two-point conversion and a 14-0 lead.

Head coach Mike Stanley saw it as a matter of taking advantage of what was available. “We saw a favorable matchup that gave Matt one-on-one coverage and no help from the safety,” Stanley said. “We saw that as an advantage, and we executed the plays.”

Spillane made the score 20-0 when he finished off a six-play drive with a two-yard run. Junior Mike De Leo did most of the work on the drive, carrying the ball four times for 35 yards. Linemen Jorge Cerquera and James Kadnar made big blocks all afternoon. Kadnar was tremendous on both sides of the ball.

Carey increased its lead to 28-0 when Spillane found the end zone for the second time, scampering down the right sideline for 38 yards and a touchdown. Catapano hit Dylan DeMeo for the two-point conversion. DeMeo and Catapano added touchdowns in the second half to cap off Carey’s scoring.

On the defensive side of the ball, junior Conor Colasurdo showed why he’s been looked upon as one of the county’s top linebackers. Colasurdo had eight tackles, three for losses, and a sack. John Heyer and Thomas Gallant combined for another sack.

Carey will face archrival Garden City when they travel to take on the undefeated Trojans at 3 p.m. this Saturday. Garden City, which has won 20 Nassau titles, has ended Carey’s season the past two years in the county semifinals.