November 11, 2010, Bellmore Life
Mepham Pirates varsity gridders advance
Pirates play at Hofstra this Saturday.
HOLD ONTO THE BALL: Mepham’s varsity football team can claim victory over top-seeded Carey in a Conference II showdown Saturday at 1 p.m. at Hofstra by holding onto the ball, asserts Coach Cracco.
Mepham Pirates varsity football team earned a birth in the semifinal round of the Conference II Nassau County Long Island Football Championship by using a combination of sacks, tackles, fumble recoveries and an interception to win 13-6 over Elmont and play in the next round at Hofstra against Carey High School’s Seahawks this Saturday, November 13, at 1 p.m.
Carey’s record is 9-0, and it is the number-one seeded team in the conference.
A fumble recovery late in the second quarter enabled quarterback Nick White to pass to J.T. Castaldo for a 25-yard gain, setting up a 10-yard run by Dylan Gordon and a touchdown to give the Pirates the only lead they needed.
Defensive linemen Chris Shevins, Miguel Shaw and Joe Alberti chased Elmont all day long, garnering three sacks, 21 tackles and a fumble recovery among them.
Mepham Pirate Coach Anthony Cracco had praise for his players, saying that if his team plays against Carey as well as it did last Saturday, it could beat the Seahawks.
“If we play smart and aggressive, and protect the ball, not turn the ball over as we did the first time we played Carey, if we concentrate on playing Pirate football, we can beat them,” he told Bellmore Life.
“Carey is a great team, they are very good at capitalizing on mistakes and using the short field to their advantage,” he continued. “We just have to hold onto the ball, and not give them those opportunities,” he said.
Coach Cracco said his team is healthy, and has a good understanding of the challenge ahead of them.
Meanwhile, Calhoun Colts took their 3-6 record to Garden City, the number two-seed conference team, losing their quarterfinal game, 29-7, to bow out of the playoffs.
Calhoun offensive linemen Julian Lee and Corey Barchat gained 36 yards, and 25 yards, respectively in a losing effort.
