The William Floyd Colonials varsity football team secured a place in the Suffolk County Championship after defeating Longwood 41-7 in the Section XI playoff semifinals. The victory keeps William Floyd's undefeated season intact and advances them to their third consecutive county championship game.
Head coach Paul Longo led the No. 1 seeded Colonials as they dominated No. 4 Longwood. They will face No. 2 Ward Melville in a rematch of last year’s final, aiming for their 16th Suffolk County title overall and a third straight championship. The game is scheduled for Friday, November 21 at Stony Brook University’s Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium at 7:30 pm.
Section XI requires an admission fee for the county championship game, set at $9.40 per ticket, which includes a service fee. Children aged 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased online or via QR code at the gate; cash and checks are not accepted.
The Colonials’ special teams made an immediate impact when senior Evan Commodore returned a punt for a 66-yard touchdown on their first touch of the game following a defensive stop. Quarterback Matt Taiani then led a four-play, 52-yard drive ending with Ja’Quan Thomas scoring an eight-yard rushing touchdown after catching a key swing pass from Taiani.
Kicker Isaac Monroy contributed five extra points during the game. Senior Josiah Lors blocked a Longwood punt and returned it for another touchdown, helping build a quick lead.
In the second quarter, junior defensive back Derek Glock recovered a fumble and ran it in for his third touchdown in two weeks. Ja’Quan Thomas added another score before halftime, putting William Floyd ahead 34-0 at the break.
Thomas scored again in the second half to complete his three-touchdown performance while accumulating 122 rushing yards, along with contributing on defense by forcing a fumble that resulted in another score for William Floyd.
Senior captains this season include Ja’Quan Thomas, Joe Melecio, Jeru Hall, and Evan Commodore among others listed on the full roster along with juniors and sophomores supporting the squad’s depth.
Coach Paul Longo has guided William Floyd to previous success with titles won in multiple years including most recently in 2023 and 2024 as well as several Long Island Championships throughout his tenure.
“Congratulations to all of the Colonial student-athletes and the coaching staff on another outstanding playoff win and best of luck in the county championship game!”