QB Luke Garguilo, Massapequa defense propel football team to third straight Nassau Conference I crown
Massapequa celebrates after winning the Nassau Conference I football final against Oceanside at Hofstra University on Friday. Credit: David Meisenholder
Massapequa did it in 2023. Massapequa did it in 2024. And Massapequa did it in 2025.
Three Nassau Conference I football title games and three happy team photos when they were over — champions again and again and again.
Junior quarterback Luke Garguilo ran for 124 yards and a touchdown and threw for 100 yards and a touchdown before leaving with an ankle injury early in the third quarter.
Senior fullback/linebacker Anthony DiNello threw a TD pass and came up with an interception and a fumble recovery.
Sophomore defensive tackle Jack Mulligan ran two interceptions back for TDs — a pick-6 festival in a span of about 68 seconds.
And top-seeded, undefeated Massapequa ran off with a three-peat, beating No. 3 Oceanside, 55–18, Friday at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium.
“It means that we have a group of seniors, 32 of them, that are as close a group that I’ve ever coached,” coach Kevin Shippos said. “They’re extremely tight. They come to work every single day. They never complain. We train them extremely hard, and they do everything we ask them to do.”
The next ask: Another three-peat.
Massapequa (11-0) will go for a third straight Long Island Class I title at noon next Friday on this same field against Ward Melville, a 31-28 winner over Floyd. Massapequa defeated Floyd the last two years to cap the season.
“We’re ready for three,” DiNello said.
Oceanside (8-3) took the opening drive all the way to the end zone, moving 80 yards. Chace Morris ran the ball in from the 6.
It took Massapequa 33 seconds to tie the score. Garguilo ran for 20 and hit DiNello for a 36-yard pickup before Andrew Pedalino raced left for the final 10 yards.
After an exchange of punts, an Oceanside possession ended with a fumble recovery by DiNello at his own 41.
Next play, Garguilo broke through the middle, cut left and ended up with a 59-yard TD run. Massapequa had the lead for good with 1:08 left in the first quarter.
The Sailors’ ensuing possession went 3 yards in the wrong direction before a punt. Massapequa began at Oceanside’s 48. Garguilo ran on three of the next five plays, good for 33 yards.
Pedalino ran on the fifth play through the middle for a 5-yard score. Chris Bascetta’s PAT made it a 21-7 game.
Garguilo then helped extend the advantage, connecting with Joe Brooks for a 49-yard touchdown.
“The offensive line, I’ve got to give all credit to them,” Garguilo said. “They stepped up big time.”
The Sailors managed to score with 6.1 seconds before halftime. Shane Harmon, who threw for 196 yards, connected with Jacob Stern for a 24-yard TD. Chase Bier raced for two. And so it was down to 28-15 at the intermission.
The margin had a chance to shrink even more, but DiNello ended Oceanside’s first drive of the second half with an interception at the Massapequa 20.
“It was a momentum turn,” DiNello said.
Then Garguilo limped off after a run on the ensuing play. He only returned for the kneel down at the end.
“We have a top-notch medical staff that will get him ready,” Shippos said of the postseason finale.
Sophomore Blake Seidenstein stepped in. But DiNello made the next big pass on an option play, hitting Cole Villalta for a 24-yard TD with 1:39 to go in the third — 34-15.
“I saw him wide open, put it up there and let him do what he does,” DiNello said.
Three plays later, Mulligan was taking the ball on a 26-yard ride to the end zone on an interception return with 56.2 seconds remaining in the quarter after fellow lineman Ryan Chabus deflected it.
Twelve seconds into the fourth, Chabus and Mulligan pulled off a replay — deflection and a 34-yard interception return for the touchdown.
“It’s awesome,” Mulligan said. “That’s what we prepare for.”
