In its more than 100 year history, the Huntington football program has never played games in the spring, but that will change in 2021 as the Covid-19 pandemic has led Section XI to adjust sports seasons. With a return to the field now set, the Blue Devils are getting excited about putting on their uniforms again.
The ongoing public health crisis has led to changes in high school athletics across the state, including in Suffolk. Last week, Section XI announced play would be postponed until January 4, 2021 with the winter season commencing at that time. What would have been the fall season will now be played beginning on March 1 and concluding with a “championship event” by May 1.
Torin Bograd in action for Huntington. (Darin Reed photo.)
There are plans for a five or six game schedule and a shortened post-season for elite teams. Still to be decided is the league/divisional structure and schedule. That will be announced in the coming months.
While Blue Devils players are understandably upset that the Covid-19 pandemic has interrupted the fall season, they are happy there is going to be a season next spring, provided Covid-19 infection rates stay low.
“To be honest, I’m very upset that I won’t be playing this fall because I really was ready to touch the field and go crazy for one last ride with my boys, but things happened,” All-State running back Nasir Youngblood said. “But playing in March is also good. It just gives me more time to train and get better at things so I could be on top this season. I always want to just improve every year and this year heading into the season I think the team looks fine. I just feel like we need some training to do. I just hope my team is just not slacking, but working in this off season. Other than that, we should be good. I just can’t wait.”
Most of the Blue Devils seem to have expected some adjustments would need to be made due to the pandemic and they have been remaining flexible in their thinking.
“Playing football in March and April isn’t seen as a setback. it is seen as more time to train and prove that we belong in our league,” senior Chad Rowe said. Nonetheless we are only getting more hungry to play as the season gets closer.”
While Huntington UFSD hasn’t appointed fall season coaches yet, the Blue Devil football staff will look familiar to players.
Players have been following developments as officials discussed how and when to resume interscholastic athletic programs in the county and state.
“I feel it was the right decision to be made on both sides,” senior lineman Kyle Green said. “But it’s somewhat upsetting because football is mainly played in the fall. Playing in the spring is kind of awkward, but it will be fun. The team lost great players on both sides of the ball to graduation. It our job as seniors and leaders like myself, Nasir, Chad, Torin Bograd and Liam Hassett and juniors Tyriek Mays-McCoy and Liam McDonald to use our experience to our advantage. This team is very young, but we have confidence, determination and love for one another. We have a great coaching staff returning with the same love and passion for the game that we have. Hopefully, we will go undefeated and play for a championship.”
The Blue Devil seniors are happy they will have a final season with their teammates and coaches provided the pandemic remains under control in New York.
“Playing in March will definitely be very different and weird at first, but I think once we all get acclimated to the situation everyone will settle in very well,” Bograd said. “I believe our team will look really good. We have a bunch of returning players with a full year of experience under their belt that will bring success to us next season. It’s going to be an extremely memorable one and I can’t wait to get out there and finally play with the team one last time.”
Huntington always has high hopes entering any new season and the spring 2021 campaign will be no different.
Like his teammates, McDonald wishes that conditions would have allowed the high school football season to have been played in the fall as is traditional. That said, he has already turned his attention to the adjusted schedule.
“I’m focusing more on the positive things that come out of this delayed start,” McDonald said. “This delayed season will give us more time to prepare and get to know each other as a team. It’s a new team this year. We lost a lot of great seniors, but we have a really good group this year and I think we are the best on the island. This delayed started also gives players more time to focus on their weaknesses and fix their mental game. Our team has an insane amount of talent/ There are a tremendous amount of kids on this team that can play at the next level. I’m looking forward to the season and can’t wait to play with this team.”
The Huntington football program dates to 1895. Those early teams were not high school based, but rather town squads. The first exclusively Huntington football team took the field in 1924. Since then games have been played every fall, through even the Great Depression and World War II. But the Covid-19 pandemic has interrupted that previously unbroken streak.
Hassett echoed the general sentiment expressed by the entire team. “I’m definitely very disappointed we couldn’t have a regular football season my senior year, but I am just happy that we will get the chance to play,” he said. “The juniors and seniors have been waiting for this year since middle school. We have a very strong team and can’t wait to see it all come together.”
