By STEVE SINISKI
The focus since a bitter end of the 2005 season at Hofstra has been to win a Nassau County Championship, the program¹s first since 1983, and the Jets (9-0) have one final hurdle to clear, No. 2 Freeport (8-1).
³We¹re preparing exactly the same way we did the first time,² East Meadow coach Vin Mascia said of the impending rematch with the Red Devils.
The championship game, set for this Thursday at Shuart Stadium at 7 p.m., marks the second time in three weeks Freeport and East Meadow will meet. On a rain-soaked home field on Oct. 28, the Jets took a 30-22 decision behind 132 yards rushing and four touchdowns by Alex Rivas. This time around the stakes are higher and both teams appear to be at their peak. Freeport rolled over No. 7 Port Washington and No. 3 Farmingdale by the combined score of 74-12, while the Jets enjoyed a 74-20 edge in wins over Massapequa and No. 8 Oceanside in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
The Jets semifinal matchup with Massapequa was never in doubt, as they took a 7-0 lead on their first offensive series. Andrew Rubenau started the scoreboard operator¹s busy day with a 44-yard touchdown run. After a fumble and punt on the next two possessions, Chris Bright scored from the Massapequa 5, opening the floodgates opened. Quarterback Mike Tracy punched home a 1-yard run to give East Meadow a 20-0 lead at halftime and completed a 22-yard scoring pass to Bright in the third quarter. Rubenau¹s second scoring run, from six yards out, gave the Jets a commanding 34-0 lead.
Tracy put together another efficient afternoon through the air, completing 4 of 5 passes for 98 yards, supporting a ground attack that ran for 222 yards.
But this game was about more than just another offensive explosion. The defense, as it has all season, kept the visitor¹s scoreboard with a goose egg until the game had long been decided. ³It doesn¹t get the credit but the defense is phenomenal,² Mascia said. ³After the third quarter [Massapequa] had 58 yards.
³The defensive line does a great job playing positional defense. That lets the [linebackers] run around and make plays,² he added.
The three-man starting unit of Rivas, Bright and Mike Hinchy comprise the Jets top three tacklers, a sure sign that gaps are being filled up front and open space created. And as much as the offense has generated headlines in scoring at least 30 points in all nine games, it¹s the play of the stop unit that could determine the outcome this Thursday.
The Red Devils scored more points (22) than any other East Meadow opponent, and quarterback Shannon Robinson had touchdown runs of 31 and 56 yards. He nearly engineered a game-tying drive in the final two minutes, but Hinchy broke up the final play of the game. ³They broke a few big plays,² Mascia said. ³A lot of plays happened where we were not in the right position.²
