Port Jefferson has endured an emotional whirlwind over the past several weeks.
The turmoil began when parents and community supporters learned that Earl L. Vandermeulen High School would not have enough players to form a varsity football team this fall. The participation shortage, affecting a growing number of small schools across Long Island, left the Royals below the required roster size.
“It was crushing,” junior lineman Sam Fabian, who played varsity for the Royals as an underclassman, told The Post. “I have aspirations of playing up in college. Some of the other guys do, too.”
Because Port Jefferson had fewer than the 16 players needed to compete, Fabian and other experienced juniors initially faced a discouraging alternative: joining the nearby Rocky Point Eagles at the junior varsity level.
“It was a little bit of a shock,” Fabian said. “You work your whole life to play varsity football … the [JV] coaches were amazing, but the feeling was definitely down.”
After the late-August announcement, Port Jefferson officials began searching for a solution that would allow their athletes to keep competing at the varsity level.
The district appealed to Section XI for permission to combine with Rocky Point for the 2026 season. That request was initially rejected, a decision that also threatened the Eagles’ eligibility for the playoffs.
Port Jefferson continued its fight, eventually taking the matter to the office of New York State Commissioner of Education Betty A. Rosa. Last Friday, Rosa approved the merger without imposing any postseason restrictions.
“I’m pretty sure my entire house heard me scream when I heard that news,” senior guard Maklyn “Big Mak” Mejia said with a smile at Monday’s practice.
Gonna fly now
Rocky Point’s varsity roster gained five Port Jefferson players, while six additional newcomers joined the Eagles’ junior varsity team.
The timing proved especially helpful for coach Anthony DiLorenzo, whose 22-player varsity squad had already been weakened by injuries before the Port Jefferson athletes arrived.
“This happened to go down at the perfect time,” DiLorenzo said.
“This wasn’t a charity case. This was: ‘We need you. You need us.’ Together, we take on the opponent.”
The Port Jefferson players are easy to spot for now, wearing practice pants in a slightly different shade of blue because those were the only ones available. But senior quarterback Peyton Reisinger said the newcomers have already become part of the team.
“We believe that everybody has the right to play football — especially these guys that worked very hard,” said Reisinger, who is thrilled to have added depth to his offensive line.
“We’ve only been with them for a couple of days now, and we just treat them as our own. We see them as family.”
The players will soon receive another symbol of that unity: Philadelphia Eagles-inspired wings for their helmets, matching the rest of Rocky Point’s equipment.
Fabian, who screamed with excitement on his bus ride to JV practice after learning that varsity football was back on the table, is comfortable representing Rocky Point and trading his familiar purple uniform for a blue jersey.
“I think it’s a pretty color,” he joked. “You just adopt the name, and you keep going. I’m looking forward to hitting some people with my new friends.”
Senior lineman Henry Collins is equally eager for the helmet wings — and for the next step in bringing the two groups together.
No man is a failure who has friends
DiLorenzo is also impressed with the Port Jeff players’ attitudes throughout the transition, as he is with his original bunch, whom he called class acts throughout the process.
Port Jefferson head coach Craig Perrino, who played under DiLorenzo at Rocky Point, has also taken the situation in stride.
Perrino is now an assistant with the Eagles, jumping between varsity and JV.
“He goes wherever we need him,” DiLorenzo said.
“He’s a selfless human being — and that’s been his attitude since day one.”
Now the united squad has one goal: win football games after an 0-1 start to the season.
The message especially hits home for junior wide receiver Kemp Jarrett, who never won a varsity game while playing for Port Jeff.
“It’s been rough,” he confessed.
All eyes are on this weekend’s matchup against Eastport-South Manor as Fabian and the new guys look to establish a fresh, successful culture at Rocky Point in what will be their first game of the year.
“It would be awesome to come out with this new team and this program and start setting that precedent,” he said.
“And really show what we can do.”
