Nassau County Conference I: Top Teams, Players To Watch and More

Nassau County Conference I football is once again shaping up to be one of the toughest divisions on Long Island. There are excellent programs, star players and prospects that everyone will have to watch.   Checkout my top team, players to watch, breakout players and sleeper team below.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Team: Farmingdale </h2>   Going up against the two-time defending LIC winners? Yup. I've got the Dalers as the top team heading into this season. They return a couple of standout linemen in [player_tooltip player_id='1344720' first='Jack' last='McCarthy'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1308480' first='Jordan' last='Petzold'], who will be leading the way. Farmingdale is always well-coached and knows how to execute at a high level. The duo of Michael Galgano and [player_tooltip player_id='1606923' first='Josh' last='Kama'] running the football behind those linemen will be a difference-maker, and we can't forget that [player_tooltip player_id='1742865' first='Jovens' last='Theodate'] is another great weapon for them. Not many teams on Long Island will be able to stop that talented backfield combination. On defense, Mateo Morales leads the charge, giving Farmingdale a slight edge over Massapequa as my top team.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Players To Watch (not counting my top team or sleeper team)</h2>   WR Cole Villalta, Massapequa: The 6-foot-4 wide receiver will be one of the top players on the Island. I've given him a ton of coverage, and it's well-deserved. Villalta is a matchup nightmare and will be versatile enough to make a big impact both as a receiver and a blocker. Big, athletic, and equipped with great hands, the senior wideout is primed for a monster season.   QB [player_tooltip player_id='1624589' first='Shane' last='Harmon'], Oceanside: One of the veterans of this Oceanside team, Harmon had a great season last year, slinging the ball all over the field and showing how much he's grown since his freshman year. He's an accurate quarterback with the ability to make players around him better. Harmon is looking to lead the Sailors to a county final appearance after falling short in last year's semifinals against No. 3 seed Massapequa.   LB Dawud Abdul-Ali, Freeport: He had an impressive season at Freeport last year. Abdul-Ali was a fearless outside linebacker who was always around the ball, making plays. He has incredible instincts, and his ability to attack the ball carrier and rack up tackles was outstanding. With his athleticism, he can make an impact both as a run stopper and in pass coverage.   ATH Jonathan Davis, Hempstead: This is a guy who should be talked about more. He quietly put together a monster season for the Tigers, doing a little bit of everything. He made plays passing, rushing, receiving, and also as a ball hawk at defensive back. The do-it-all athlete could be in line for another huge year for a Hempstead team that returns some quality players.   ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1624496' first='Darien' last='Oliphant'], Uniondale: One of the best pure athletes in Nassau County, Oliphant put on a show in the Rising Stars Bowl, performing well against some of New York City's top 2026 talent and earning Offensive MVP honors. He has elite speed and is a true big-play threat. Expect him to be an excellent receiver and returner for Uniondale this season.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Breakout Players</h2>   RB [player_tooltip player_id='1742413' first='Andrew' last='Pedalino'], Massapequa: Last year, “Peds” showed flashes of greatness during the playoffs, proving he's a legitimate threat with the ball in his hands. This season, he's projected to be the new workhorse of the Massapequa backfield, taking over the Tyler Villalta role from last year. Pedalino could be in for a huge year.   OL [player_tooltip player_id='1344723' first='Andrew' last='Guida'], Oceanside: He put together a great junior season, but I think Guida has what it takes to be one of the top interior linemen on the Island and a player many will be talking about. At 250 pounds, Guida moves well and found great success in run blocking a year ago. As the anchor for the Sailors' offensive line, look out for him to have a big season.   ATH Dylan Marvin, Syosset: Marvin is big and athletic enough to make an impact at either defensive back or linebacker in this division. He had a great season last year, excelling in pass coverage and disrupting plenty of plays. With Syosset graduating some key offensive players, Marvin could also emerge as a dangerous receiving threat and provide a boost on offense this season.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sleeper Team: Port Washington</h2>   Port Washington enters as the No. 6 seed, but there's a lot to like, and the Vikings are certainly a team capable of making it to Hofstra. Quarterback Harry Eynon brings great size and athleticism at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, and will be the leader of the offense. Wide receiver Jimmy Gannon, a Merrimack lacrosse commit, is a dangerous playmaker who could be one of the top targets in the conference this year. Up front, returners Angad Walia and James McCormack anchor the trenches and will be key for Port Washington against some of the league's top competition.

Nassau County Conference I football is once again shaping up to be one of the toughest divisions on Long Island. There are excellent programs, star players and prospects that everyone will have to watch.