Long Island’s game of the century delivered on every bit of its enormous hype.
The undefeated Massapequa Chiefs ended Garden City’s nation-leading 68-game winning streak in a thrilling 21-14 victory. The Nassau County showdown, discussed for months, came down to dramatic plays in the final minute.
With the score tied at 14, two Massapequa captains powered the Chiefs to victory. Defensive lineman Ryan Chabus intercepted a pass, and senior receiver Dylan Milio followed with a 29-yard touchdown catch with 30 seconds remaining. The decisive play sent nearly 6,000 fans at Hofstra University into a frenzy.
“It was definitely one of the closest games we’ve ever played in,” Milio told The Post, describing the final moments as a blur inside the shaking stadium. “It meant a little more because now we could break history. In school, we were not really paying attention to teachers today, honestly.”
Garden City coach Dave Ettinger’s Trojans had not lost since 2019, a remarkable run that included five consecutive Long Island championships. Ettinger was invited to Super Bowl 60 and named an NFL Coach of the Year.
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Garden City, winner of 10 straight Nassau County titles, tried to keep the anticipation in perspective before the matchup. The game was moved from Saturday to Monday because of the storm.
“Ultimately, our goal isn’t about winning this game — it’s about putting ourselves in position to win the last game of the year,” athletic director Ed Ramirez said last week.
The two powerhouse programs had never met because they competed in different conferences: Massapequa in the largest and Garden City at a smaller level. A rule change finally made the highly anticipated crossover matchup possible.
Massapequa entered with an impressive history of its own. The Chiefs extended their winning streak to 26 games and have now captured three consecutive Long Island championships at the highest conference level.
Chabus expected the game to be decided by whichever team could force a costly mistake during the closing moments.
“Give extended credit to them — they came out to play,” he said. “I knew I had to make a play. That’s what football players do. That’s what three-time Long Island champions do.”
