Floyd football rides special teams magic, Ja'Quan Thomas to win over Longwood, Suffolk I championship berth
Ja’Quan Thomas of Floyd scores a touchdown in a Suffolk Division I semifinal playoff game against Longwood on Saturday in Mastic Beach. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
An enhanced focus on special teams and defense has propelled Floyd during the Suffolk Division I football playoffs.
The Colonials were one week removed from Derek Glock’s two punt returns for scores in a playoff win over Sachem East.
And here they were - at it again.
A 66-yard punt return for a score, a blocked punt return for a TD and a forced fumble scoop and score helped Floyd open a large halftime lead on the way to a 41-7 win over Longwood in the semifinal round of the Suffolk I playoffs Saturday in Mastic Beach.
Top-seeded Floyd (9-0), the defending Suffolk I champions, will meet Ward Melville (8-1), for the division championship at Stony Brook University Friday at 7:30 p.m. It was Floyd’s 15th straight win over Longwood, dating back to 2105.
“Our defense and special teams have really come a long way,” Floyd coach Paul Longo said. “The big plays have fueled our victories. It’s really added another dimension to who we are.”
The impact of the special teams play could be felt immediately. Floyd hadn’t even run an offensive play before grabbing the early lead.
Floyd’s Evan Commodore got it all started. He gathered a first-quarter Longwood punt on one hop and raced down the visitor’s sideline for 66 yards, the score and a 6-0 lead with 8:24 left in the first quarter.
After a Longwood three-and-out, the Floyd offense went to work.
The Colonials drove 52 yards in four plays capped by Ja’Quan Thomas' 8-yard TD run. Quarterback Matt Taiani hit Thomas with a 28-yard swing pass to key the drive. Isaac Monroy added the kick for a 13-0 lead.
“The punt return for the TD energized us,” said Thomas, who had 112 yards and three TDs on 10 carries. “And then the offense scored right away.”
The special teams’ unit would strike again. Only this time, the punted ball never made it out of the backfield. Josiah Lors blocked a punt at the 27 and returned it from the 24 for another defensive touchdown and a 20-0 first quarter lead.
“Blocked punts and kick returns for touchdowns are game changers,” Longo said.
Longwood (6-3) struggled to move the ball in the first half. The Lions were held to 61 yards in 25 plays. The final two minutes of the half spelled certain doom for the Lions.
Quarterback Ryan Greene completed a 9-yard pass that was fumbled after Thomas brought a hard hit at the Lions 15. Glock picked the ball up and returned the fumble for another score, and a 27-0 lead with 1:22 left.
“I hit him and knocked the ball loose,” Thomas said. “I knew the ball was out and Derek was there for it.”
After a kickoff return to the 47, Longwood went three-and-out again as Jayden Johnson recorded a big third-down sack, forcing a punt with 19 seconds left.
“We needed to follow our game plan and avoid the big plays,” Longwood coach Sean Kluber said. “We’re a young group, learning. I thought we got better every week. This one got away from us. But I’m proud of our guys and we’re going to be very good.”
Thomas would inflict more damage in the waning seconds of the half. With 14 seconds left, he went over right tackle and ran 46 yards for a touchdown and a 34-0 halftime lead.
“This sport and this team mean everything to me,” said Floyd’s right tackle Jeru Hall. “Making a block and seeing Ja’Quan run for touchdowns is something else. We’re all in this together.”
Middle linebacker David Gonzalez said he wasn’t surprised the defense had such an impact on the game.
“We’ve been playing together since we were five years old,” Gonzalez said. “The defense has really communicated and played well.”
It was more of the same as Floyd opened the third quarter with a six-play, 73-yard TD drive. Thomas went over left tackle for a 16-yard TD run to make it 41-0.
“We’re not finished,” Thomas said. “We have a real tough game in the championship. We need to come ready to play against Ward Melville.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
