Football practice around the corner

Posted

On Aug. 15, all 55 Nassau County public high school varsity football teams will begin preparations for the upcoming season, scheduled to open Saturday, Sept. 3 for eight teams in Conference I due to an unbalanced schedule. The first full week of action will begin the following Friday evening with a handful of games.

Farmingdale (I), MacArthur (II), Plainedge (III) and Locust Valley (IV) won county championships in 2015. Farmingdale and MacArthur are seeded at the top once again, while Plainedge is a No. 3-seed and Locust Valley a No. 2.

“I’m sure everyone will want to take their shots at us,” MacArthur head coach Bob Fehrenbach said. “Our junior class is deep and will have to grow up fast. We’re deep on the offensive and defensive lines, but return only one skill position player.”

MacArthur opens its title defense at Carey, which won the previous two Conference II and Long Island Class II crowns, as well as back-to-back Rutgers’ Cups. The Generals’ opponent in last year’s title game, Wantagh, moves to Conference III this season due to a slight drop in enrollment and was handed the No. 1 seed, ahead of Lawrence, which won four straight county championships prior to last season, and Plainedge. Wantagh visits Plainedge in Week 1.

“We have so much history in Conference III,” Wantagh head coach Keith Sachs said. “When our program rose from the bottom to the top, it happened in III. We’re able to renew some serious rivalries with Bethpage and Plainedge. Wantagh-Bethpage football is considered one of the top rivalries on Long Island.”

Seaford, which comes off an appearance in the finals, is ranked No. 1 in Conference IV. The Vikings open at North Shore.

The first three days of practice are non-contact, with helmets and cleats the only equipment permitted. Protective pads and blocking devises can be used beginning Aug. 17, and game scrimmages can be held after the completion of 12 days of practice.

Conferences reshaped and relief remains for low seeds
After a two-year experiment with a Developmental League designed to create relief for programs such as Port Washington, Great Neck North, Great Neck South, Roslyn, Jericho and Friends Academy, Nassau County returned to its traditional four, 14-team conferences in 2014 with a bit of a twist. Teams seeded No. 14 face the No. 13 and 12 seeds twice apiece, and play seeds 8-11 once apiece. No. 13 also gets No. 11 twice.

The absence of 14 teams in Conference I for 2016, with Port Washington’s decision not to participate at the varsity level, created some schedule conflicts. As a result, eight of the 13 teams will begin the season a week earlier than the rest of the county. The top five seeds will get a bye on opening week, and the other eight teams will each get a week off during the remainder of the regular season.

Eight-game schedule continues
Nassau went back to an eight-game regular-season schedule in 2008 after playing only seven games each year from 2003-07. It needed approval from New York State since teams advancing to the county championships play an 11th time. Most games will be played on the traditional Saturdays, beginning Sept. 10. Each week will include a handful of Friday night contests.

Conference hoppers
Eight teams have switched conferences for the upcoming season. Great Neck North and Great Neck South move from Conference IV to II, Herricks joins II from I, with Westbury jumping to I. Wantagh and New Hyde Park flipped from II to III, while North Shore (III) and Roslyn (IV) traded spots.

Rivalries renewed

There’s never a shortage of rivalry games on the docket, though Wantagh’s move from Conference III eliminates a potential rematch with MacArthur. Elmont’s first two games are against district rivals Sewanhaka and Carey, Wantagh will face Division, however, on Oct. 1. In Conference I, Baldwin and Freeport renew their storied rivalry on Sept. 24. Two weeks later, Baldwin faces Oceanside. Freeport and Oceanside meet after not playing in 2015. In Conference III, Hewlett and Lynbrook meet in Week 1 after not facing each other a year ago, and Lawrence travels to Hewlett on Oct. 1.

10 Games To Watch
Sept. 10: MacArthur at Carey
Sept. 10: East Meadow at Freeport
Sept. 17: Clarke at West Hempstead
Sept. 24: Roosevelt at Wantagh
Sept. 24: Baldwin at Freeport
Oct. 1: Lawrence at Hewlett
Oct. 8: Oceanside at Baldwin
Oct. 8: Locust Valley at Seaford
Oct. 15: East Meadow at Farmingdale
Oct. 29: Garden City at Mepham