OUR SPONSOR
Greater Sayville coverage is funded in part by The Shed, your scratch kitchen for brunch and dinner daily in West Sayville.
“I have no idea who we are, but I know what we can be.”
That was Sayville High School Football Coach Rob Hoss giving Greater Long Island a blunt assessment of his team — 24 hours before his Golden Flashes open the 2025 season against Half Hollow Hills High School West.
Sayville beat the Colts less than 10 months ago in the Suffolk County Championship game, but his Sayville team has a completely different look.
“Every wide receiver, tight end, running back that started last year is gone,” said Hoss. “Our new tight end this year was the starting tackle last year. We have dudes, we have talent, but we are very inexperienced.”
One position Hoss says he doesn’t have to worry much about is his quarterback.
Patrick Coan, who has received multiple Division 1 college scholarship offers, is back for his second season under center.
The cousin of former Indianapolis Colt and current Saskatchewan Roughriders QB Jack Coan, Patrick passed for over 2,200 yards last season with 29 touchdowns and ran for five more.
“Patrick has to elevate the kids around him,” Hoss said. “Most of his offensive line is back, so that’s good for him, but great leaders elevate others.”
Hoss returns as head coach at Sayville for the first time since stepping down after the 2016 season to spend more time with his family.
He replaces Reade Sands, who retired in February, who also wanted to spend more time at home.
As for Hills West, they are dealing with a lot of roster turnover too. Record-breaking QB Joseph Filardi is gone, as are last year’s starting wide receivers and running backs.
“I know we have good players to replace them,” says Colts coach Gerald Filardi. “I don’t know how good they will be, but they are certainly capable. They just lack playing time.”
Filardi says he’s excited about the talent level, especially his new starting QB Luke Taff.
“He has to remember you can’t replace Joe, he was a generational QB,” Filardi told Greater Long Island. “But Luke is very good. He would have started at a bunch of other schools last year. He’s such a good athlete, we had him play a different position because I didn’t want him on the sideline holding a clipboard all season.”
Regardless of Friday night’s outcome, both coaches say they welcome the early season challenge.
“Mistakes will happen, and that’s ok,” says Hoss. “With young players, how you respond is how you learn.”
“This game won’t define our entire season,” added Filardi. “How you compete is most important. You have to play everybody eventually, so why not see where you’re at after Week 1?”
“It’s a long season. The best time to get us might be now,” said Hoss, with a laugh.
Kickoff is 6 p.m. at Greeley Avenue Field in Sayville.
Greater Long Island will be there for all the highlights and post game reaction.
We’ll also be picking our defensive and offensive players of the game.
Top: Luke Taff takes the helm at Hills West this season now that record-breaking QB Joseph Filardi has graduated. (Credit: Trevor Ray)
