Thoughts on Week 7...

Not the best week for local football teams. SWR, Mt. Sinai, Miller Place and Rocky Point all went down, although two of those were expected (SWR, Mt. Sinai, who faced the top two D-IV teams). Of course, the lone winner was old reliable, Longwood. The Lions continue to assert themselves as the best team next to William Floyd in D-I. It's hard to remember the last game the Lions lost to a team other than Floyd... 

Actually, it was Brentwood in 2006 that did it. The Indians won that day, 8-6, on a game played on Sunday after postponed a day. I remember how it was such a big game, yet nobody showed up. It was a cold, windy Sunday and the place at Brentwood was lifeless. Longwood had a late field goal attempt to win it and missed. Anyway, I talk about Brentwood because it was the Lions and Indians Saturday afternoon on Longwood's homecoming. These Longwood-Brentwood games have been such close battles the past few years, but this one was anything but close. The Lions dominated, 45-13, and led at the half 29-0. 

The win improves the Lions' record to 6-1 with one game left against a weak Sachem East team. Give the Lions credit for putting the weaker teams away early. While they haven't always extended leads late in games, the Lions have built big leads that have been too big for teams to overcome. It's much better than falling behind and having to fight and crawl back.

With Floyd's win Saturday against Connetquot, the Colonials are all but locked for the top seed. A win for Longwood would lock the two seed. From there, several scenarios could unfold. But look for Connetquot, Lindenhurst and Northport to vie for the three/four seeds and a first-round home game. The next three spots will likely go to Sachem North, Brentwood and Pat-Med. Melville and Whitman are still in the mix at 3-4 for a possible eight seed.

I didn't cover the Longwood game this weekend in person, figuring it would be a lopsided game as it was. I headed out to Sayville for a big D-III showdown between Miller Place and the Golden Flashes.

While the Flashes held on, 17-13, to take control of the division, the Panthers put up a good fight and should come away with confidence that if they were to face again, they could definitely win, especially if at Stony Brook. A turnover and a few mistakes cost the Panthers. That's what happens against real good teams on the road. You can't give a team like Sayville an opportunity for easy scores. 

The Flashes will likely end up as the top seed after Harborfields somehow lost to East Hampton. It looked like Harborfields would go 8-0, but were shocked by East Hampton, 7-0. So the Flashes should have the power point advantage over any other 7-1 team. Miller Place, with a win this week at Huntington, still may fall to a seed lower than four. It's tough to call, but it would seem improbable the Panthers get a seed higher than four at best case scenario. 

Sayville, Harborfields, Hills West and Hauppauge would appear to be your top four. If the Panthers finished as a five and had to play, say, at Hauppauge, that's not a bad first-round matchup. Of course, in the 4-5 game means playing Sayville on the road in the semifinals. What the Panthers really want to avoid is playing Hills West in the first round. Miller Place coach Ron Petrie maintained that the Colts are the best team the Panthers have faced this year.