Garguilo powers Massapequa past Oceanside in GLI Game of the Week

It was one of those games where both offenses refused to slow down.

For nearly 48 minutes, Oceanside and undefeated Massapequa traded touchdowns, and it was clear early that this one would come down to who had the ball last.

That’s been the story for both teams through the first three weeks of the season. The Sailors came into our GLI Game of the Week averaging 53 points per game. The Chiefs, more than 49.

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But on Friday night, it was the Massapequa defense that made the difference in a 36-33 win.

“Coach said if they run that play, I need to slip under because that’s your ball,” Captain Joe Brooks told Greater Long Island after his game-clinching interception with just 14 seconds left. “I knew I had to do this for my guys and I made the play.”

A key swing before halftime

Momentum flipped late in the first half.

Oceanside took a 21-7 lead on Nicholas Carentz’s 13-yard touchdown catch with only 34 seconds left before the break. But that proved to be plenty of time for the Chiefs.

With three ticks on the clock, junior quarterback Luke Garguilo rolled out and fired a perfect strike to Cole Villalta from 28 yards out. That cut the deficit to 21-14 as the clock hit zero.

“That was a huge momentum shift for us,” Garguilo said. “It just carried on to the second half.”

Fourth-quarter fireworks

The Chiefs took a 28-27 lead early in the fourth quarter. But Oceanside answered with 1:55 left, when Chace Morris punched it in from three yards out. Their two-point try was stopped by Brooks, making it 33-28.

That left more than enough time for Massapequa.

Garguilo appeared to give the Chiefs the lead with a 38-yard keeper down the sideline, but it was called back for holding. Four plays later, Anthony DiNello capped a 62-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run. The Chiefs added the two-point conversion to go up 36-33.

Oceanside got one last chance with 40 seconds left, but Brooks stepped in front of a pass on the fifth play of the drive to seal it.

“Honestly, I knew that’s what it was going to take,” Brooks said. “It was back and forth all game and I’m just glad I got it done.”