No major shake-ups for playoffs, but plenty of intrigue

October 31, 2009 By GREGG SARRA  gregg.sarra@newsday.com

The completion of the regular season Saturday didn't produce any major shake-ups in the power ratings. However, there were some interesting developments heading into the first round of postseason play.

Two football teams, Center Moriches and Eastport-South Manor, will make their first playoff appearances. Eastport-South Manor landed the eighth seed and a date at top-seeded and undefeated Half Hollow Hills West in Suffolk Division III. Center Moriches grabbed the sixth seed in Division IV and will meet Amityville. The Red Devils are in the school's third season of varsity football.

"Football wasn't so popular when we started the program in 2007," Center Moriches coach Steve Failla said of a community known for soccer. "Our players have stuck with it and bought into the program and are reaping the rewards."

There will be four rematches of season finales in the first round. Host MacArthur upset Carey 21-7, but can they do it again and this time at Carey in Nassau Conference II?

And how about West Babylon at Bellport in Division II? The Clippers edge host West Babylon to earn home field next week. Bay Shore, which hadn't made the playoffs since 1991, returns to North Babylon for the second straight week. And Clarke will travel to Roosevelt in Conference IV.

All four Long Island champions return to defend their crowns. Connetquot, Riverhead, Sayville and Babylon have first-round home games.

Connetquot's 14-7 win over Brentwood enabled the Class I champions to grab a spot in the Big Four and play at home Saturday. The loss dropped the Indians into sixth place and a date at Northport.

"It was an important win," Connetquot coach Mike Hansen said. "This game meant something for sure."

There are also eight first-time matchups highlighted by the Brentwood at Northport game in Division I. Brentwood quarterback Alex Corporan, who has just over 2,000 yards passing, will try and shred the Northport secondary. The Tigers counter with Long Island's top running duo in 1,000-yard rushers Dan Russo and Tom Delahunty.

"We scrimmaged each other and neither team could stop the other," Northport coach Kip Lukralle said. "It could be that kind of offensive game."

One of the more intriguing games is Oceanside at Freeport, a rematch of the season opener in which Freeport prevailed, 48-42, in a high-scoring affair. Expect more of the same from these two. In Conference II, Bellmore JFK will travel to Wantagh. It'll be tough to top the triple-overtime thriller won by Wantagh, 35-28.

In Conference III, Plainedge outscored top-seeded Lynbrook, 49-42, but didn't garner enough power points to get the top seed. The Red Devils' loss to Hewlett earlier this season cost them the top spot.

In Division III, Hauppauge's 23-16 win over East Hampton moved the Eagles into fourth place and forced the Bonackers into seventh.

And it's just about all new in Division IV. The opponents in three of the four first-round games haven't played each other.