Lynbrook Football Primed for Another Run at L.I. Championship

The Lynbrook Football program can look back on their 2010 run to the Long Island Class C championship after a historic 42-27 defeat of Sayville with much pride.

However, with 38 seniors graduated from that team, the 2011 team has a promising yet challenging road to their own title.

Lynbrook finished last season with a 7-1 regular season record and a perfect 4-0 playoff record under now six-year head coach Steve Locicero. The Owls are ranked second in the preseason ranking, only behind Lawrence, whom they defeated 39-14 in the Nassau County Championship last year. The 2010 season was the third time Lynbrook has reached the County finals under Locicero.

“The guys came into camp and probably had one of the best camps that I’ve have ever coached, so I am really excited about the season and am really positive,” Locicero said. “This is our journey and this is a new team. We need to make this team who they are.”

Of the graduated seniors, including players such as Mike Kozlakowski, Travis Lock and Paul McGloire, Lynbrook will look to replace them with key incoming seniors such as Matt Trotta and Dylan Bien - who are both two-year starters.

“Our coach has said we have been advancing well thus far,” Trotta said. “We are not looking to defend last years’ championship, but to win our own. It is a new team and a new year.”

Bien will look to help a Lynbrook running game that led Nassau County in rushing yards, with 4,676 total in 12 games. That statistic also helped the Owls finish second in the Rutgers Cup voting for the best team in the County, just behind Class A champion Freeport.

“We are a good team and have come together. Our practices are fast-faced this year,” Bien said. “We can only look into the future. We had a good year last year, but have a whole new group of guys and I am looking forward to playing with them.”

Senior quarterback Luke Spitzer, an All Conference player from 2010, as well as senior tailback Rocco Scibelli and a trio of wide receivers in Alex Weingarten, Anthony Rainone and Nick Locicero will also help lead Lynbrook. The Owls will look for veteran leadership on the line from three-year starting right tackle Jonathan Espinosa.

Lynbrook will open up their season on Sept. 10 at home against Glen Cove, followed by their first road game at Plainedge on Sept. 17. The Owls will then play Levittown Division (Sept. 24) and Floral Park (Oct. 1) before heading into a tough second half of the schedule.

The team will play back-to-back road games against Hewlett (Oct. 6) and Sewanhaka (Oct. 15) before wrapping up their regular season with two road games at Lawrence (Oct. 22) and Bethpage (Oct. 29).

“We need to run the football this year. Our expectation is that this team will come together and form a family. Our motto is ‘One family, One heartbeat’ and wherever that takes us is where we go,” Locicero said.