Cover credit – Matt Meduri
American football is back on the docket at the high school level. Teams returned to the field over the last two weeks to get ready for the 2025-26 New York State Public High School Athletic Association NYSPHSAA season.
The National Football Association hosted their second annual Suffolk County Preview Show to get fans ready for the upcoming season. Greg Sarra of Newsday Sports sat down with a few teams around the league to discuss what lies ahead.
A nice balance on a team is achieved through a good mix of young and veteran players. You want players with experience because they’ve done it before. However, with high school only lasting four years, the only way to gain experience is to play.
“I actually find it easier, because then there are better mentors above me. [Kurts, Vasquez] they taught me how to be a better leader. It was just a really good environment,” said Ward Melville junior quarterback Hudson Philbrick, on being a younger player on the team.
Quarterbacks are an integral component of a football team. A solid QB is just one part of having success on the field. Connecting passes and driving the ball through the offense is the way to the end zone.
“This is the first time I’ve ever had a returning starting quarterback. This will be my 11th season, and I’ve always had a senior quarterback. To be able to have a quarterback that I can have for multiple seasons, and help him [Philbrick] in the process and get him to grow into what he’s going to become is huge for our program,” said Ward Melville Head Coach Chris Boltrek.
Turnover is inevitable. Every team goes through a phase where some classes are bigger than others, and they lose a good chunk of players to graduation. The key is how you overcome it and build a new team with incoming players.
“We graduated all 11 [players] that started on our defense last year that started in our Suffolk County Championship game. There are definitely some positions that we have to fill. Over the past week and a half, it’s been exciting to see a lot of the kids that were on the team last year that were at the championship, understanding that they have to step up, run around, and that they have big shoes to fill. They’re out there to prove it and kind of show where their legacy is,” said Miller Place Head Coach Adam St. Nicholas.
The quarterback is the most protected player on the field. Sometimes the defense isn’t tight, and an opposing player squeaks through for a sack. Ideally, the quarterback needs the time and space to get the ball off and make a play. When a team has a strong defense, that makes all the difference.
“It’s just the same thing, it’s trusting my guys to make plays. They were great for me last year; I expect the same thing this year. The line does a great job, they come to practice, and they work hard. Hopefully, this year we can add that element,” said Miller Place Quarterback Shane Kiernan.
Pre-season training concluded and teams are ready to get going. Varsity football kicks off this week with teams across Long Island hitting the field for the 2025-26 season in search of a NYSPHSAA championship.
