The Owls’ varsity football team carried its dominant performance this season into a stellar victory on homecoming at Marion Street Elementary School. Lynbrook completed its first shutout of the season and defeated Bellmore-JFK High School by a score of 28-0, improving to a 5-1 record for their exceptional season.

     The game got off to a difficult start for the Owls. On the match’s very first play, star running back and junior Michael Fagan went down with an arm injury, leaving him sidelined for the remainder of the game. Fagan’s unfortunate injury led to an increased workload from running back companion and team’s leading rusher, Christian Meszaros.

     “When Fagan got hurt on the first play of the game, we were all in shock,” Meszaros  said. “We all realized we had to step up, and we did; I’m proud of my brothers,” he added. The senior running back totaled 230 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. 

     Putting points on the board was a struggle for both teams in the first half of the game. The first quarter saw the Owls reach the red zone twice, with both possessions ending in a turnover. An interception from defensive lineman Dylan Murphy set up the Owls to start the second quarter, but a missed field goal kept the game scoreless. The turnovers would continue, as the Owls recorded another fumble in the second quarter. Despite Lynbrook’s offensive woes, the defense stood strong and held Bellmore-JFK to minimal offensive gains, giving the offense a much-needed motivational boost. 

     “Getting stops over and over again and shutting out JFK’s offense gave us huge momentum towards our offense,” said Murphy. Murphy would lead the Owls defensively with 12 tackles, and junior defensive back Ryan Shapiro controlled the secondary, breaking up four passes. The game was 0-0 going into halftime.

     As the third quarter commenced, it was clear that adjustments were made by the Owls in the locker room. The team spirit was much livelier, and the team saw great improvement moving the ball offensively. 

     “Bellmore-JFK played some great defense in the game, and at halftime, we made some adjustments with formations and blocking, and the team executed to perfection,” said head coach Stephen LoCicero.  

     The scoreless tie was finally broken in the third quarter as senior Demetri Chambers capitalized on a 53-yard touchdown rush. From that point on, the Owls had a scoring rally.  Meszaros found the end zone twice in the third quarter following Chambers’ score, including a 47-yard touchdown on a bold fake punt by the special teams. The Owls found their momentum and ran with it, turning a scoreless match into a 22-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter.  

     Chambers found the endzone once more in the fourth quarter, and the defense continued its excellent play, sealing a dominant victory for the Owls. The ground game for the Owls continued to be their key to success, thanks to an elite backfield committee and extraordinary play from the offensive line.

      “Our line is full of dogs, and we’ve only let up one sack this year,” added Murphy. 

     Lynbrook had one more home game against Hewlett, before concluding its regular season at Valley Stream North.

     The homecoming win was huge for the Lynbrook football program, which earned its first victory on homecoming weekend since 2018. “It was great for the team and the seniors,” said LoCicero. “They worked hard since spring and over the summer, and that has paid off all season. It was a great day of community spirit!”