Thursday, October 1, 2026
To win a county championship, the Seaford football team needed to exorcise some demons.
On Halloween, the Vikings suffered their lone loss of the season to a scary good Plainedge team at their intimidating home stadium.
In a true team effort, Seaford put the memories of that defeat to bed by defeating the Red Devils, 21-7, to capture the Nassau Conference IV title at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium Friday night.
“We went out and we put our ghosts behind us,” Seaford head coach Mike McHugh said. “We knew we could win the game. We went out, we played our game, executed our game plan, and the rest is history.”
Seaford (10-1) advances to take on Bayport-Blue Point in the Long Island Class IV championship game this Saturday at Stony Brook University at 4:30 p.m.
“We were all locked in, dialed in to the game plan,” Seaford quarterback Michael Spinella said. “Going into this, we were 0-3 against them the past two years, and we lost here [to Plainedge in the semifinals last year] on a Hail Mary, so we knew we had to get our get back, and what a great way to do it, in the Nassau County chip.”
In the 35-0 loss in Week 8, Dylan Fella led the way for Plainedge, rushing for 156 yards and two touchdowns. The Red Devils averaged 42.5 points per game and McHugh knew slowing down that high-octane offense was going to be difficult.
Defensive coordinator Matt Moody put a plan in place to try and stop Fella. The senior rushed for 104 yards on 21 carries, limited to a 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that accounted for the Red Devils’ only points.
Junior Brian Falk led Seaford’s defensive charge with 11 tackles, Thomas Miranda had nine tackles, Jack Rosen had a sack and two tackles for losses, and Matthew Kind added a pair of tackles for losses.
While Falk has been lauded as the Vikings’ offensive star, No. 2 Seaford shared the wealth en route to a 12th county championship in school history.
That plan was clear on Seaford’s statement 12-play, 65-yard opening drive in which Spinella (12-for-22, 165 yards, 2 touchdowns) went 7-of-8, connecting with wide receivers Mark Villeck and Peter Barone as well as Falk, who capped the 4:06 drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to put the Vikings in front, 7-0.
It was the first points the top-seeded Red Devils had conceded in the postseason.
“We worked on that drive all week,” McHugh said. “The boys were dialed in. We knew what we were going to do. We knew they would load the box against Falk, just like everyone else did all year. … It really set the tone for the game, and I think it kind of put them on their heels, fighting to get back.”
The Vikings made it 14-0 on a 45-yard touchdown pass from Spinella to Brian Hennessy with 8:56 left in the second quarter and went into halftime with a 21-0 lead when the duo connected on a 25-yard touchdown on the final play of the first half.
“This team isn't about one player, which I think a lot of people think it's about,” McHugh said. “This team’s about a team. Every guy on that field is a weapon, is a threat. And I think that's what really made us what we are. They believed in each other.”
The game marked the end of an era at Plainedge, with head coach Rob Shaver stepping aside after 30 years at the helm. He had a career record of 210-87-1, leading the Red Devils to six county championships and two Long Island titles.
“The wins and losses mean nothing compared to the relationships I am blessed to have throughout my time there. The Plainedge community, I owe a debt of gratitude to,” Shaver said.
“They provided a wonderful place for my family and son to grow up,” he added. “They also gave me an opportunity by providing such support for me to try to help parents a little, by using the game of football and the sport of wrestling to teach vital life lessons. … Plainedge is a special place. It’s not a town, it’s a family.”
