Port Jefferson Football Players Join Rocky Point Team After Season Suspension
A merger between Port Jefferson and Rocky Point high schools' football teams was approved after Port Jefferson failed to meet the minimum player requirement, allowing affected players to compete this season.
Players from Port Jefferson's Earl L. Vandermeulen High School will compete with the Rocky Point Eagles football team this season after the Port Jefferson varsity team was suspended due to low recruitment. The decision came after the Port Jefferson district fell below the 16-player minimum required to field a varsity team.
The suspension initially left Port Jefferson's junior varsity players, including those with varsity experience, with the prospect of playing JV for the nearby Rocky Point school. This outcome was met with disappointment by students who had aspirations of playing at the varsity level.
Seeking a solution for its players, the Port Jefferson district appealed to Section XI for a varsity merger with Rocky Point. The initial request was denied, as it could have jeopardized Rocky Point's playoff eligibility. The district then escalated the appeal to the office of New York State Commissioner of Education Betty A. Rosa, who ultimately granted the merger last Friday. The approval allows the combined team to play without postseason implications.
“I’m pretty sure my entire house heard me scream when I heard that news,” said senior guard Maklyn Mejia, referring to the approval of the merger.
The Rocky Point varsity team, coached by Anthony DiLorenzo, now includes five new players from Port Jefferson. An additional six Port Jefferson students are playing at the junior varsity level with Rocky Point. The addition of new athletes came at a beneficial time for the Eagles, as injuries had begun to affect their roster depth.
“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 will wear their distinct practice pants during games until they receive new uniforms, which will include Philadelphia Eagles-style wings on the helmets to match the rest of the Rocky Point team. Players expressed enthusiasm for joining their new teammates and contributing to the team's success.
“We believe that everybody has the right to play football — especially these guys that worked very hard,” said senior quarterback Peyton Reisinger. “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.”
Junior wide receiver Kemp Jarrett, who had not yet secured a varsity win with Port Jefferson, expressed hope that the new, united squad could establish a winning culture. The team is set to face Eastport-South Manor this weekend in what will be the first game for the newly combined Port Jefferson players.
Craig Perrino, Port Jefferson’s head coach, has joined the Eagles' coaching staff as an assistant, working with both varsity and JV teams. Perrino previously played under DiLorenzo at Rocky Point.
“He goes wherever we need him,” DiLorenzo said of Perrino. “He’s a selfless human being — and that’s been his attitude since day one.”