Thursday, October 1, 2026
After dropping their first game since riding a three-game win streak, the North Shore football team (4-3) is looking forward to trying to close out the regular season with a victory on the road against Valley Stream South this Saturday.
“They run the ball and pull-block well out of their T offense,” North Shore head coach Dan Agovino said. “We want to play fundamental defense, get our defensive linemen in their backfield, and have our linebackers make plays.”
The Vikings will look to their stingy run defense and more-than-capable running offensive attack to exploit the holes in Valley Stream South, looking to be a top-four team in Conference IV to host a playoff game.
That rushing attack is something that Agovino and his coaching staff preaches. “I’m kind of old school in a sense where I want to rely on the run,” Agovino said. “Just like my Offensive Coordinator Bill Madigan says ‘We wanna run the rock.’”
Leading the way for the Vikings is running back James Ledden, a talented runner with good vision and burst that won the starting tailback spot just before the season kicked off. More importantly, Ledden’s attitude is what contributes to his success on the field.
“His versatility, having played four offensive positions this year is a huge asset for us,” Agovino said. “But I think that all comes from his great attitude. Everything you tell him is ‘yes coach’ and he wants to do what he can for us to win.”
Dan Livoti, the starting signal-caller, is also a very capable runner along with possessing a stellar arm. For his first year at the position, Livoti has taken to it quickly, becoming a student of the game.
“Danny has progressed tremendously,” Agovino said. “He is reading coverages and his quarterback mechanics have improved. His command on the field and his competitive nature are always there.”
Joe Magliocco, a senior wideout for the Vikings, is impressing with his uncanny big-play ability. An athletic pass-catcher, Magliocco’s knack for scampering after securing the ball is something Agovino hasn’t seen in a while. “What impresses me most is his desire to succeed,” Agovino said before pausing. “Also, his yards after catch ability is tremendous. I don’t have the YAC statistic, but his ability to run after the catch is the best I’ve had from one of my receivers in a while.”
North Shore started its three-game win streak at home against Island Trees, where it created an 88-yard drive on the opening drive of the second half. After the Vikings 35-20 win at Clarke where the defense forced two turnovers on the first two series, Agovino said he wasn’t only proud of his team, but impressed by them as well.
As for last Saturday’s 33-7 loss against Seaford, Agovino was candid on how he felt after the game. “I was disappointed. I told them I was disappointed we weren’t playing emotional football,” Agovino said. However, he was adamant that the box score didn’t represent his defense’s ability. “Although the box score, our run defense forced them to throw the ball 20 times to beat us, which is usually something they don’t do often. They played well, and we want to continue to get better; I think this was the dose of reality we needed.”
