A huge rivalry between Sachem North and Connetquot, as the first game of the season and both teams having limited practice time due to a tragic loss in the local high school community. The rivalry runs deep in the community due to district realignment and the addition of new schools and splitting up existing schools. The two teams met at Fred Fusaro Alumni Stadium at 6 p.m. and both have winning seasons in sight.

MVP

Dylan McDermott

Connetquot

SCHOLAR ATHLETES

Matthew Chirichella

Sachem North

Matthew is a 3-year letterman on the varsity football team and was named a Top 100 Player on Long Island by Newsday. He is a member of the Nation, Science, and Foreign Language Honor Societies. Matt intends on playing football at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he will pursue a major in Biomedical Engineering.

Jordan Lopienski

Connetquot

Jordan is a two year starter and letterman on the Connetquot Varsity football team. He is an active member of the Athletes Helping Athletes. Jordan was an All-Division State qualifier and team captain of the Track and Field Team. Jordan plans to pursue a business degree in college.

HALL OF FAME

Alexander Grimm

Sachem North

A 2005 graduate of Sachem, Alex played under legendary football coach Fred Fusaro and was a junior during current head coach, David Falco’s first year as head coach. Alex joined the Sachem North Football Staff in 2010 after graduating from Cortland State University where he was a 4-year letterman for the Red Dragons from 2007-2010. Alex returned to his alma mater as a teacher and coach – participating in the Great American Rivalry Series each of the past 7 seasons. Under his tenure, the Flaming Arrows have posted a 7-0 record in those games, have won a Class I Long Island Championship, a Suffolk County Championship, and have made two additional appearances in the County Championship Game.

Michael Konsevitch

Connetquot

Mike Konsevitch is a 1992 graduate of Connetquot High School. As an athlete, he competed in the Connetquot and Sachem rivalry 5 times, 2 times in the playoffs. One of those victories came in 1989 in the county semi-finals in a victory en route to a County Championship and Rutgers Trophy for Connetquot. Mike Konsevitch earned All-League status as a senior before graduating and pursuing his degree in Education. Today Mike Konsevitch is a 5th grade teacher and Varsity assistant coach for the Connetquot School District. For the past 18 years, Mike Konsevitch has served as a coach in the Connetquot football program. The past 12 of them as a varsity coach. In those years, he has coached in this rivalry game several additional times including the 2008 last second victory, winning on a field goal as time expired. That season culminating in a Long Island Championship for the Connetquot Thunderbirds. Mike Konsevitch’s contributions to this game, the Connetquot football program and the members of the Connetquot community are countless.

GAME SUMMARY

Connetquot quarterback Dylan McDermott, the MVP of the game, was able to find his two-way starting receivers, GQ Grippo and George Wichelns who will play collegiate lacrosse at Maryland, for big gains all night long during a cold rainy New York night. The defense for Connetquot held strong against the Sachem North offense, including an two interceptions and a fumble recovery. The final was in favor of Connetquot at 41-14.