By TONY BELLISSIMO
"We've played well at times, but we haven't made the key plays when we needed to," coach Dan Quinn said. "The record has everybody down because we had higher expectations. But we've got a good team and we're not giving up.
"The next two games are real tough. Both teams are 2-0. Syosset has beat us two years in a row and Freeport is clearly the class of the conference."
Cutting down on mistakes is the first place Long Beach must start if it wants to climb into contention for a playoff spot. Twenty-nine penalties in eight quarters of football isn't a formula for winning.
"We're constantly fighting an uphill battle," Quinn said. "We interrupted anything we got going. It's hard enough putting good plays together and moving the ball. But instead of six or seven good plays, we're forcing ourselves to come up with nine or 10."
Despite the penalties and a few turnovers, the Marines hung tough with East Meadow to the end. The Jets led 7-0 at the half, thanks to Matt DeLuca's 2-yard touchdown run.
"We knew they had three standouts we needed to contain," Quinn said. "We did a decent job, but they did a better job against our top guys."
Senior Ben Cortes lit a fire under the Marines when he brought the second-half kickoff back 85 yards for a touchdown. Senior Mike Palacio added the extra-point, and Long Beach was back in business at 7-7.
"Ben's play put us right back in the game and we felt ready to take over," Quinn said. "Unfortunately they brought back the ensuing kickoff to our 20 and we were trailing by seven again before we knew what hit us."
Charlie Occhipinti returned that kick and also put East Meadow ahead to stay for good with a 5-yard touchdown plunge. Matt Bright's 13-yard touchdown with 4:20 remaining in the fourth put the Marines' deficit at 20-7.
"We had our chances in both halves," Quinn said. "We blocked a punt in the second half and had first-and-goal from their 9-yard line and second-and-goal from the 3, but we didn't score."
Senior Paul Solomon, who rushed for 60 yards, scored from 15 yards out with 1:25 left to get Long Beach within a touchdown. The two-point conversion failed, and the on-sides kick that followed rolled out of bounds.
It was that kind of night.
There's no looking back now, not with the home opener on Friday night at 7 p.m. at the Middle School on tap. Syosset will try to play spoiler after beating Massapequa, 17-14, and Plainview, 24-14, to open its season.
"We're going to come out and play our best game yet," Quinn said.
Home Opener
Long Beach vs. Syosset
Friday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m.
Long Beach Middle School
Carnival begins at 6 p.m.
Last Week
Long Beach 0 - 0 - 7 - 6 13
East Meadow 0 - 7 - 7 - 6 20
