Gridiron Greats from the high school football county championship games
Zack Silva of Long Beach blocks the extra-point attempt of Chris Desiderio of Garden City during the Nassau Conference II football final on Saturday at Hofstra. Credit: Dawn McCormick
JOE BENEDETTO, Ward Melville: He had 19 carries for 98 yards and two touchdowns and caught three passes for 46 yards and a TD in a 31-28 win over Floyd.
JOVAN BONILLA, East Islip: He was a force with 12 tackles, including three for a loss, in a 24-10 win over Half Hollow Hills East. He also forced a fumble.
COLIN CLARK, Bayport-Blue Point: He had 25 carries for 125 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-14 win over Babylon.
PATRICK COAN, Sayville: He completed 9 of 12 passes for 177 and three touchdowns in a 34-7 win over Smithtown West.
LUKE GARGUILO, Massapequa: He carried 10 times for 124 yards and a touchdown and completed three passes for 100 yards and a TD in a 55-18 win over Oceanside.
JACK MULLIGAN, Massapequa: He returned two interceptions for touchdowns in a span of 68 seconds in a 55-18 win over Oceanside.
LUKE NEUGEBAUER, Sayville: He caught seven passes for 148 yards and three scores in a 34-7 win over Smithtown West.
HUDSON PHILBRICK, Ward Melville: He completed 12 of 18 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-28 win over Floyd.
MERIT RUCKH, Garden City: He caught two passes for 81 yards and a touchdown and ran for 67 yards on 13 carries in a 27-12 win over Long Beach. He also blocked a PAT.
ZACK SILVA, Long Beach: He caught nine passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns and blocked a PAT kick in a 27-12 loss to Garden City.
JAKE SIMMONS, East Islip: He rushed 32 times for 244 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-10 win over Half Hollow Hills East. His scoring runs came from 57 and 19 yards.
RYAN SPACE, Bayport-Blue Point: He forced a fumble with 9:22 left to spark Bayport’s game sealing drive that took 6:46 off the lock in a 23-14 win over Babylon. He also had the game-ending interception on Babylon’s final drive.
MICHAEL SPINELLA, Seaford: He passed for 165 yards and two touchdowns in the first half in a 21-7 win over Plainedge.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
