Long Island high school football games to watch for Week 2, plus picks

One team can be time efficient and the other not so much. We’ve come to expect that the Farmingdale football team will attempt to control the clock, run the ball effectively and play stifling defense.

The Dalers like long methodical, time-consuming drives where they wear down an opponent. That’s all time efficient.

We’ve also come to expect that Oceanside will spread the field with outstanding quarterback play, athletic wide receivers and an offense that can keep the scoring pace with any opponent. But this offense tends to have more clock stoppages and is not so time efficient. They like the quick-strike score.

Two different game plans collide when top-seeded Farmingdale (1-0) travels to play at No. 3 Oceanside (1-0) in a Nassau Conference I football game at 6 p.m. Friday night.

“Hey, we’ll take big plays for touchdowns too,” Farmingdale coach Buddy Krumenacker said. “But those quick scores put the defense right back on the field. We like to run it. It’s what we do. Why not, with two talented running backs in Josh Kama and Jovens Theodate, a line that returns four of five starters and an experienced tight end?”

To Krumenacker’s point, Kama rushed 14 times for 271 yards and four scores in the season-opening 51-28 win over Syosset.

“In my 17 years as the head coach at Oceanside we’ve seen some special running backs come out of Farmingdale,” Rob Blount said. “And I’m not shortchanging any of the guys before Kama, but he may be the very best. He does it all. You don’t necessarily have to stop him but limit the damage and prevent the big plays. He’s special.”

Oceanside also has a special player in three-year starting quarterback Shane Harmon, who completed 7 of 8 passes for 119 yards and two scores in a half of play in a season-opening 51-6 win over Uniondale.

Farmingdale has beaten Oceanside in three consecutive meetings. The Dalers handed the Sailors their only regular season defeat in 2024, with a 63-42 decision.

“We turned the ball over and didn’t set the tone early,” Blount said. “And we missed some scoring opportunities.”

NASSAU III

South Side at Division, Friday, 6 p.m.: The first meeting in four years will showcase Division QB Tim Stanley, who passed for 283 yards and four TDs in the Blue Dragons opening night win. South Side ran the ball with Al Magaraci and Ethan Johnson, who combined for 228 rushing yards and four scores in the Cyclones opening day win.

NASSAU IV

Seaford at Locust Valley, Friday, 6 p.m.: Can any defense in Conference IV slow down the Vikings' Brian Falk? He already has 411 yards on the ground and five scores through a 2-0 start. No secret here. Shut down the Vikings running game and win the game.

NASSAU IV

Plainedge at Cold Spring Harbor, Friday, 7 p.m.: Who made this schedule? Cold Spring Harbor gets Seaford and Plainedge in back-to-back weeks — just brutal. Plainedge has outscored opponents 85-6 in two games. Junior QB Jaxson Torres has passed for 320 yards and three scores. The Seahawks couldn’t stop the Vikings run game last week and now prepares for the top passing game in the conference.

SUFFOLK I

Riverhead at Central Islip, Friday, 5 p.m.: Central Islip has the chance to start the season with straight wins for the first time in 24 years. Senior half back Jimmy Gaston Jr. rushed for 140 yards and two scores in the Musketeers opening win against Bay Shore. Riverhead is in a rebuild.

SUFFOLK III

Westhampton at West Islip, Friday, 6 p.m.: The drop in school enrollment moved West Islip down to Division III for the first time in its 69 years of football. Thus they’ll meet another storied program in Westhampton, for the first time in school history. The Lions were paced by running back Jake Kramer, who rushed for 145 yards and three scores in a 54-6 season-opening win over Amityville. Westhampton was beaten by Smithtown West, 35-14.

NASSAU II

MacArthur at Mepham, Saturday 3 p.m.: Two defensive-minded programs will square off in a game that will set the tone for the rest of the season. Mepham linebacker James Quilty leads the way for the Pirates in trying to stop Ethan Shapiro, who scored twice in MacArthur's opening day win.

NASSAU III

Wantagh at Elmont, Saturday, 12:30 p.m.: Elmont fell behind Bethpage by three scores in the opener and never recovered in a 33-26 loss. Wantagh won its opener behind the stout running game of halfbacks Joe Nicholson and Luke Martini. Elmont can’t afford to start the season 0-2.

SUFFOLK II

Connetquot at Bellport, Saturday, 2 p.m.: Bellport has beaten Connetquot the past three meetings. Connetquot last beat Bellport in 1989, to capture the Suffolk Large School final. T-Birds QB Vincent Feraca passed for 265 yards and four scores in last week’s 42-6 win over Newfield. Halfback Javon Barnwell rushed for 158 yards and two scores. Meanwhile, Bellport struggled offensively in a 22-10 loss to East Islip.

Newsday's Andy Slawson contributed to this story.

By Gregg Sarra

gregg.sarra@newsday.com@Gregg_Sarra

Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.