Port Jefferson High School's football team faced suspension due to low player recruitment, leaving players like junior lineman Sam Fabian devastated. In response, Port Jefferson petitioned Section XI and eventually appealed to New York State Commissioner of Education Betty A. Rosa, who approved the merger with Rocky Point High School’s varsity team just before the season began. The merged team now includes five new Port Jefferson players at the varsity level and six more playing JV, enhancing Rocky Point's depth after facing player shortages due to injuries.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Drama ensued when parents and community members learned that Earl L. Vandermeulen High School would not be able to field a varsity football team due to low recruitment in fall 2023, an issue affecting several small schools on Long Island. The decision was particularly tough for junior lineman Sam Fabian and other players who had already earned varsity experience as underclassmen. Initially, these players were told they would have to play JV with the nearby Rocky Point Eagles, a demoralizing option given their ambitions of playing college football.
To address this situation, Port Jefferson district officials petitioned Section XI for permission to form a combined varsity team with Rocky Point starting in 2026. However, after initial denial, Port Jefferson sought an immediate solution for the current season. The players found a new home with Rocky Point's JV squad and some are now assisting as assistants under Coach Mike DiLorenzo at Rocky Point High School, while their former coach Craig Perrino continues to support them as a Rocky Point assistant, moving between varsity and JV teams as needed.
Written for “Football Team Reorganization” on 2026-09-18,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Port Jefferson has seen quite the proverbial storm surge over the past few weeks.
asserted
Jefferson → see → weeks
Drama ensued when parents and proud community members learned that Earl L. Vandermeulen High School would not be able to field a varsity football team this fall because of low recruitment — an issue that several small schools across Long Island have struggled with lately.
asserted
schools → ensue → Island
“It was crushing,” junior lineman Sam Fabian, who played Royals varsity as an underclassman, told The Post.
asserted
who → play → Post
“I have aspirations of playing up in college.
asserted
I → have → college
Some of the other guys do, too.”
asserted
Some → do → guys
The shocking news that Port Jeff fell below the 16-player minimum initially left Fabian and other 11th graders like him, who already had varsity experience, with a demoralizing option: playing JV with the nearby Rocky Point Eagles.
asserted
who → fall → Eagles
“It was a little bit of a shock,” Fabian said.
asserted
Fabian → say → shock
“You work your whole life to play varsity football …
asserted
You → work → football
Port Jeff wanted to do right by its kids and find a better solution after the dreaded announcement in late August.
asserted
Jeff → want → August
The district had been petitioning Section XI to allow a varsity combination with Rocky Point for the 2026 season, which was initially denied and would have threatened the Eagles’ playoff eligibility.
asserted
which → petition → eligibility
Nevertheless, PJ kept at it and took an appeal all the way up to the office of New York State Commissioner of Education Betty A. Rosa, who granted the merger last Friday with no postseason implications.
“I’m pretty sure my entire house heard me scream when I heard that news,” smiling senior guard Maklyn “Big Mak” Mejia said at Monday’s practice.
asserted
Mejia → keep → practice
The Eagles added five new faces from Port Jeff to their depth and have another six newcomers playing at the JV level.
asserted
newcomers → add → level
Coach Anthony DiLorenzo’s varsity group of 22 benefited from some kismet as injuries began taking a toll on the team’s already slim numbers before they brought in the new athletes.
asserted
they → benefit → athletes
“This happened to go down at the perfect time,” he said.
asserted
he → happen → time
This was: ‘We need you.
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We → need → you
You need us.’
asserted
You → need → us
Together, we take on the opponent.”
asserted
we → take → opponent
Although the Port Jeff crew stands out with practice pants in a different shade of blue — the only ones the team had left in stock — the boys are all soaring together, senior quarterback Peyton Reisinger said.
“We believe that everybody has the right to play football — especially these guys that worked very hard,” added Reisinger, who is stoked that his offensive line just got more depth.
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line → stand → depth
“We’ve only been with them for a couple of days now, and we just treat them as our own.
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we → treat → own
We see them as family.”
asserted
We → see → family
As if the situation needed any more poetic virtue, the new players will soon be getting Philadelphia Eagles-style wings on their helmets to match the rest of the team.
asserted
players → need → team
Fabian, who jumped up and screamed on his bus to JV practice when he was told varsity was a go, has no issue playing under another school’s name and throwing on a blue jersey instead of the purple he was used to.
asserted
he → jump → jersey
“I think it’s a pretty color,” he joked.
asserted
he → think → ?
“You just adopt the name, and you keep going.
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you → adopt → name
I’m looking forward to hitting some people with my new friends.”
asserted
I → look → friends
Meanwhile, senior lineman Henry Collins is “so excited” to get his wings and take that next bonding step.
asserted
Collins → get → step
No man is a failurewho 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.
asserted
DiLorenzo → have → him
“He’s a selfless human being — and that’s been his attitude since day one.”
asserted
that → ’ → day
Now the united squad has one goal: win football games after an 0-1 start to the season.
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squad → have → season
The message especially hits home for junior wide receiver Kemp Jarrett, who never won a varsity game while playing for Port Jeff.
asserted
who → hit → Jeff
“It’s been rough,” he confessed.
asserted
he → confess → ?
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.
asserted
what → look → year
“It would be awesome to come out with this new team and this program and start setting that precedent,” he said.
asserted
he → come → precedent
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