By:Tony Bellissimo
Every week a different kid has stepped up with a big play at a critical time, VSN coach Tom Schiavo said. I can-t say enough about this team. We-re pumped about going to Hofstra, but we-re not going just to say we were there. We-re planning on doing something when we get there.
The third-seeded Spartans face second-seeded Cold Spring Harbor in a semifinal game this Sunday. Kickoff will be at 5:30 p.m. The winner will advance to face either Roosevelt or Clarke in the Conference IV championship game on Saturday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m.
Cold Spring Harbor beat us 8-6 at the end of last season, Schiavo said. We-re both totally different teams, but I-m expecting another close game.
If the Seahawks are to keep it close, they-ll likely have to find the end zone often. North has been scoring in bunches since the second week of the season, and has 167 points in eight games. This is the highest-scoring team ever at North, Schiavo said. We have so many different kids we can go to, and an offensive line that features the most unselfish and hard-working players you can find.
Last Saturday, the line paved the way for Antonio Ricotta-s 201 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries. His scoring runs of 34 and 50 yards came in the third quarter, after Mineola was within 14-12. Junior quarterback John Kenny scored the Spartans- first two touchdowns on runs of 7 and 27 yards.
We ran a quick trap up the middle with Antonio, and it worked just about every time, Schiavo said. We-ve been running the ball exceptionally well all year. If it-s not Ricotta, then it-s Shea or [Jason] Nappy or [Vincent] DelMaestro or [Phil] Pepe.
Trailing by 16, Mineola came back to make things interesting. The Mustangs scored on a 54-yard pass and a 1-yard run to get within 28-24 and were driving for the potential go-ahead score before Shea-s heroics sealed the deal. He outleaped a receiver for the interception and weaved in and out of traffic en route to the end zone to put the finishing touch on the victory.
Once he reached the end zone, everybody on the sideline and in the crowd went nuts, Schiavo said. The community has really been supporting the team, and it was great to see such a big turnout.
The Spartans were ranked 13th in Conference IV after going 2-6 in 2003. Now they-re 7-1 and headed to Hofstra.
Spartans did their legwork
It has been a special campaign for Valley Stream North football, and the Spartans got another fine effort from their special teams in last Saturday-s 35-24 Conference IV quarterfinal playoff victory over visiting Mineola.
The legwork of junior kicker Henry Greco and senior punter Ryan Mastrangelo proved to be a thorn in the Mustangs- side. Greco, who has been quite busy this fall, thanks to an offense averaging 21 points per game, went 5 for 5 on extra points and blasted all six of his kickoffs inside the 10-yard-line. Meanwhile, Mastrangelo came through with three clutch punts against the wind that kept Mineola from getting favorable field position.
The kicking and punting were a big part of why we won today, Schiavo said. We-ve lost a lot of games in recent years because of special teams. This year we-ve been able to win a couple because of it. Henry and Ryan are superb.
Mineola went 0 for 4 on conversions, missing one kick and misfiring on three two-point tries. If the Mustangs had as much success as Greco, the score in the fourth quarter might have been tied at 28 instead of 28-24. Trailing by four with about three minutes left, the visitors saw their season go up in smoke when Shea intercepted a pass and raced 55 yards for the game-sealing touchdown.
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