This year’s fall sports season was one for the books in which the Chiefs sent many of their teams to the playoffs, one coming out on top with the State title.
At SUNY Cortland, the girls’ soccer team looked for their “two-peat” in the state championship game. The Chiefs had to first face off against Clarence in the semifinals. After a scoreless half and what would have seemed to be a game about to head into overtime, Hope Breslin scored a goal with just over two minutes left in the game, leading to a Chiefs 1-0 victory.
On Sunday came the state finals against North Rockland. Unlike the first game, the Chiefs scored early, with a goal by senior Meghan McCabe to bring the Chiefs up 1-0. The Chiefs had to put up a strong defense at that point, with saves by senior Maggie Shanley and a diving stop by goalie senior Cara Gallagher to preserve the 1-0 lead into the first half. The Chiefs would keep this lead and win 1-0 and become state champions for the second straight year.
Thursday night’s football game at Hofstra, however, did not go as planned. After the game ended with a goal line fumble to end Farmingdale’s run in the playoffs, the Chiefs were off to the next round at Hofstra to play in the semi-finals against the 9-0 Baldwin Bruins.
The Chiefs showed defensive dominance at the start of the game, intercepting two passes on the first two drives of the Bruins and exposing the opposing team’s weak passing game. However, as the game progressed, the Bruins increased the intensity, scoring with a 28-yard run in the second quarter with more than six minutes left in the quarter, a play that was the beginning of the end for the Chiefs.
With less than a minute left in the quarter, the Bruins, on their first play of the drive, threw a 64-yard pass for a touchdown, leading the game 14-0. After halftime, Baldwin quickly scored two touchdowns in less than six minutes, sending Chief Nation home cold, wet, and disgruntled. Around eight seniors stayed for the full length of the game, one of whom was a reporter while the other two needed a ride from said reporter. In the end, the Chiefs fell 35-0, unable to score a touchdown the whole game.
However, the Chiefs did not lack opportunities to score. The team made it to the seven yard line towards the end of the first quarter and failed to convert on fourth down. Similarly, after a diving catch by Griffin Barnathan on the 32 yard line with .8 seconds left in the half, the Chiefs failed to score again.
Even though the fall season has come to a close, Massapequa’s respect in the sports world has not. Massapequa’s performance has been highlighted by many Long Island and state championships and the respect given by many of its opponents, such as Farmingdale’s Zach Kolodny of the Dalers’ football team, who earlier this month posted on Twitter, “Pequa has definitely earned my respect over the past 4 years.” As the winter season approaches, the Chiefs look to keep this respect as one of the more dominant schools in Nassau County.