East Meadow, Floyd React to LI Championship Contest

Vincent Mascia stressed that, after Sunday's 54-47 loss in the Long Island Championship to Floyd, it's going to take time for the defeat to stop hurting, but his 2011 East Meadow Jets "have a lot to be proud about."

As was the case against Freeport in last week's Nassau County Championship, East Meadow entered Sunday's contest as the underdog. Despite falling behind 35-14 in the second quarter, East Meadow battled back and tied the game late. It was the same rushing attack that has carried them all season that brought them back into the game.

"We were playing our hearts out," said Billy Andrle, who ran for three touchdowns on the day. "We have done that all season."

After Corey Banks caught an A.J. Otrando pass with 3:16 remaining to give Floyd a 54-47 lead, the Jets drove down the field. With time winding down and pressure on Dylan Curry, Floyd forced Curry to loft a pass towards James D'Elia, but the pass was picked off to end East Meadow's day.

"I thought he was open and there was a guy in my face," Curry said. "I should've just thrown the ball away."

The story for Floyd was running back Stacey Bedell, who rushed for a Long Island Championship record 412 yards to go with four touchdowns in the Floyd win.

"He never ceases to amaze me," Floyd Coach Paul Longo said. "He always comes up big and makes big plays in a big game. To be able to drive us down the field and set up that last touchdown shows the kind of player he is. He comes to play big in big games. It caps off a tremendous career of big games and big situations."

Mascia said it was just a matter of a player "being too good to stop."

"He was simply excellent tonight," Mascia said. "We just didn't have the answer."

Despite Bedell's excellent effort, the Jets still managed 444 yards rushing, led by 171 yards from Robbie Healy and 128 yards from Andrle, both of whom played hurt through Sunday's game.

"I am very proud of what we did this season," Andrle said. "It's just hard to comment right now."

WF - Stacey Bedell 80-yard rush (Chris Hurtado kick)

EM - Billy Andrle 9-yard rush (Joe Martinico kick)

WF - Bedell 51-yard rush (Hurtado kick)

EM - Andrle 1-yard rush (Martinico kick)

WF - A.J. Otrando 43-yard pass to Vantrell Nash (Hurtado kick)

WF - Bedell 59-yard rush (Hurtado kick)

WF - Otrando 31-yard pass to Keith Scanlon (Hurtado kick)

EM - Dylan Curry 31-yard pass to Robbie Healy (Martinico kick failed)

WF - Devonte Smith 75-yard kickoff return (Hurtado kick failed)

EM - Healy 3-yard rush (Martinico kick failed)

EM - Andrle 2-yard rush (Andrle rush failed)

WF - Bedell 80-yard rush (Bedell rush failed)

EM - James D'Elia 30-yard rush (Martinico kick)

EM - Curry 22-yard rush (Healy rush good)

WF - Otrando 18-yard pass to Corey Banks (Hurtado kick)

Statistics

Rushing: EM- Healy, 24 carries, 171 yards, TD; Andrle, 25 carries, 128 yards, 3 TD; James D'Elia, 8 carries, 97 yards, TD; WF- Bedell, 29 carries, 412 yards, 4 TD

Passing: EM- Curry, 4-for-6, 92 yards, TD, INT; WF- Otrando, 3-for-5, 94 yards, 3 TD

Receiving: EM- Marvin Cajoles, 1 catch, 39 yards; Healy, 1 catch, 31 yards, TD; WF- Vantrell Nash, 1 catch, 43 yards, TD; Keith Scanlon, 1 catch, 33 yards, TD, Corey Banks, 1 catch, 18 yards, TD

Tackles: EM- Andrle, 7.5 tackles; John Posillico, 5 tackles; WF- Bedell, 12.5 tackles; Marc Coles, 9 tackles

Chris R. Vaccaro contributed to this story.