By TONY BELLISSIMO
Williams, of Hempstead, and Maysonet, of Riverhead, combined for 234 yards rushing and three touchdowns to lead Long Island to a 31-14 victory before a crowd of 8,500 at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium on June 23. Maysonet, who had 116 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, was named MVP.
“The offense didn’t necessarily have to run the way we drew it up because those guys create so much on their own,” said Cellan, who guided Freeport to the Nassau Conference I championship and the Rutgers Cup Trophy in 2008. “When Terrell and Miguel get in the open field, they’re big-time threats,” he said. “They showed that tonight. They’re very talented running backs.”
The Long Island roster featured two members of Elmont’s Nassau Conference II championship team: running back/cornerback Justin Mayers and wide receiver James Myers, as well as Spartans coach Jay Hegi who worked with the receivers. Carey receiver Rob Braun and Baldwin offensive lineman Joe Doyle also contributed.
“It’s a real memorable couple of weeks,” Cellan said. “The kids were tremendous. The key to being successful in this game is getting everyone on the same page in a short time. Their chemistry was great and so was their desire to win.”
The purpose of the Empire Challenge, in its 14th year, is to raise money and awareness to fight cystic fibrosis and support youth football in the metropolitan area. It was created in 1996 by former NFL quarterback and East Islip product Boomer Esiason as a benefit for his own foundation, as well as the Gunnar H. Esiason Endowment Scholarship Fund at Hofstra and local youth football programs. Gunnar Esiason, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at the age of two, was one of three Long Island quarterbacks and saw action in the first and fourth quarters. “The positive impact that Boomer’s generosity has had on high school football has been felt from Montauk to Manhattan,” Empire Challenge Chairman Peter Blieberg said.
Nassau played Suffolk in the first two years of the game’s inception (1996-97) before it became a Long Island-New York City showdown starting in 1998. With last week’s victory, Long Island extended its lead in the series to 7-5. Every game has been competitive except for 2005 when Long Island rolled to a 44-7 triumph. New York City won last year’s game, 21-20. Nine of the 12 games have been decided by fewer than eight points, including four by one point.
Long Island opened the scoring two plays into its first possession when Williams (118 yards on eight carries) took a handoff from Esiason and blasted up the middle for an 87-yard touchdown. The lead was 16-0 at halftime after Maysonet’s 19-yard touchdown run and a Nick Ferrara (St. Anthony’s) 35-yard field goal in the second quarter. Tristan Akong scored both touchdowns for NYC, which closed to within 24-14 early in the fourth before Maysonet put the game away with a late touchdown.
“With the rain, it was a little tough to throw the ball early in the game but we were fortunate enough to have those two backs and a defense that gave us great field position,” Cellan said.
Locals Braun and Myers each had a catch in the second half as Long Island went to the air a little more to keep NYC’s defense honest. Early in the third quarter Braun hauled down a 16-yard pass from Dillon Boos (Sayville) at NYC’s 5 that set up Stephen Murphy’s (William Floyd) 2-yard touchdown grab, and Myers returned a punt for 12 yards in the fourth and added a reception for a short gain.
“To coach in this game and have two kids playing is unbelievable,” said Hegi, who noted Myers and Mayers will play at Nassau Community College. “If Elmont’s represented in this game, it means we had a good year.”
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