Division 2 Preview: Hills East Leads a Hungry Group Chasing the Crown

Division II has a little bit of everything this season. There are established programs looking to make another championship run, young teams trying to take the next step and a few programs that believe they are ready to surprise everyone.

At the top of the conversation has to be Half Hollow Hills East, which enters the season with two of the biggest preseason stars in Suffolk County. But this division is much deeper than one team, and there are plenty of programs that believe they can make a run.

Here is a look at how Division II shapes up.

Bellport

Head Coach: Jamie Fabian

Last season was a celebration of 50 years of excellence for Bellport. This year, it's back to the grind for the Clippers as they look to add another chapter to that legacy.

Coach Jamie Fabian is back for his ninth season, but this offseason was unlike any he has experienced. Bellport lost its JV squad, budget cuts created challenges, and the varsity roster will include players from eighth grade all the way through seniors. They will have just 35 players, but Fabian and his team aren't making excuses.

Horace Smith will take over at quarterback, with senior center Ali Mohammed leading the offensive line. Akaih Boutwell and Bryce Williams will also be important pieces up front.

Fabian has a good mix of young players and experienced seniors. If he can get that group to gel quickly, don't overlook the Clippers.

Centereach

Head Coach: Mike Mikochik

First-year head coach Mike Mikochik takes over a team with a deep senior core and immediately made it clear that he believes his team can exceed expectations.

The Centereach offensive line will be anchored by seniors Jayden Campoverde, Gabriel Moore and Austin Welter. That trio should create running lanes for David Duhaney, Owen Fraunce and Jeremiah Rivera.

Mikochik was impressed with the team's offseason workouts, and the players talked about how much conditioning they have put in. If that work translates to Friday nights, Centereach could be a team that surprises some people.

Commack

Head Coach:

Commack is entering a different kind of season. The Cougars have only a small group of seniors returning, while sophomores and freshmen are expected to play major roles.

That doesn't mean there isn't leadership.

Senior quarterback Lincoln Riggs will be the person everyone looks toward, along with Spencer Weiss, Mason Ruocco, Ryan Ostlin, Corey Jacobs and Jordan Hamilton.

This group knows what is expected. They want to get back to the playoffs, and the seniors will have to help the younger players grow up quickly.

Copiague

Head Coach: Phil Fortuno

Phil Fortuno's second season brings a renewed feeling around Copiague football. After Ken Rittenhouse's 16-year run ended, Fortuno took over after previously working with many of these players as a JV coach.

Now he has a group that has shown more interest in football, and that could be one of the biggest differences for this program.

Adrian Jaquez takes over at quarterback and has plenty of weapons. Gregory Brooks, Asante Daniels, Jayden James and Trameer Jones give him options in the passing game.

Copiague has been working to change the culture, and there are signs that the effort is starting to pay off.

Deer Park

Head Coach: Cody Ciolino

Cody Ciolino enters his second season and believes the foundation has been established.

The Falcons return a solid group of players, with junior Anthony Kern taking over at quarterback. Christian Echavarria is one of the few seniors returning and will be an important leader.

Ciolino has already brought some new energy to the program, and that is beginning to show. This is still a young team, but the direction appears to be positive.

Half Hollow Hills East

Head Coach: Alex Marcelin

If you want to know why Hills East is one of the favorites, start with Jayden Bryan and Michai Crump.

Bryan, a junior running back and linebacker, was named the National Football Foundation's Division II Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. He is already a two-time All-County and two-time All-State player and has a Suffolk County championship on his resume.

Then there is Crump.

The lineman was named the Division II Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and has been described as one of the best linemen to ever play in Suffolk County. Crump points to his strength as his biggest advantage, and when you see him on the field, it's easy to understand why.

The talent isn't the question for Hills East.

Last season, Marcelin called the team undisciplined after a strong year the season before. This year has been about resetting that mindset. The team has spent the offseason working together on the field and in the community.

That connection could be important.

The Hawks have a tremendous amount of talent, and if they play with the discipline their coach is demanding, they could be the team to beat in Division II.

Huntington

Head Coach: Ron Wilson

Ron Wilson enters his fourth season at Huntington, and offense has been his calling card.

A lot of last year's senior-heavy team graduated, so there are plenty of new faces. But Wilson believes the younger players have the same drive as the group that came before them.

Huntington is athletic, with several players participating in multiple sports. If that athleticism translates to football and the younger players make the expected jump, the Blue Devils could be in a good position.

Lindenhurst

Head Coach: Mark Frole

Lindenhurst enters a new division but certainly won't sneak up on anyone. The Bulldogs were named the National Football Foundation's Division II Surprise Team of the Year.

Mark Frole became the 14th head coach in school history just two seasons ago and has quickly turned Lindenhurst into a playoff threat.

Now the Bulldogs want to take the next step.

They have made the playoffs in each of Frole's first two seasons but exited in the opening round. This year, the goal is to win a playoff game.

Senior quarterback Mike Russo will be a major part of that plan. Russo showed off his arm at the quarterback showcase and will have Cole Petzold and Gabriel Proulx as targets. James Estevez will provide the ground game.

Lindenhurst has already changed its expectations. Now it wants to change its postseason results.

Newfield

Head Coach: Nick Adler

Nick Adler believes chemistry could be the biggest factor for Newfield.

The talent and expectations are there, but Adler knows that talented players still have to play together.

Junior Connor Stebbins will take over at quarterback, and the senior leaders will be counted on to make his transition easier. Richi Almonte will be a key running back, while Brayden Cotty and Carlos Silvestre Gomez anchor the offensive line.

Adler believes Stebbins is in for a great season, and having that experienced offensive line in front of him should help.

There are plenty of pieces here. Now they have to put them together.

North Babylon

Head Coach: John Rowland

If you like old-school football, North Babylon is your team.

Coach John Rowland talks about substance over style, and that philosophy is evident in everything the Bulldogs do.

Three seniors will anchor the offensive line, including center Shane Bacchus, Nate Green and Michael Henry. Fullback TJ Shaw adds another physical element.

North Babylon wants to run the football, control the clock and make opposing defenses tired.

This is smash-mouth football, plain and simple.

The Bulldogs aren't going to apologize for it, either.

Northport

Head Coach: Pat Campbell

Pat Campbell has made one thing pretty consistent at Northport: The Tigers find a way to make the playoffs.

This year, the biggest question is who will lead them at quarterback.

Gavin O'Brien is taking over under center after spending much of his athletic career focused on lacrosse. O'Brien is already committed to Virginia as a lacrosse player, but playing quarterback is a lifelong dream.

Now he gets the chance.

Campbell has an experienced offensive line in front of O'Brien and a nice mix of veterans and newcomers around him. If O'Brien can make the transition quickly, he could become one of the biggest surprises in Division II.

But Campbell isn't interested in simply making the playoffs anymore.

He wants a championship.

Smithtown East

Head Coach: Greg Lauri

Smithtown East is still trying to change the direction of a program that hasn't had a winning season in a decade.

Greg Lauri took over last season after spending years as an offensive coordinator, and now he has a young roster to work with. The Bulls graduated 20 seniors, so this will be a young team in many places.

Junior quarterback Niko Kostas will lead the offense.

The good news is that Kostas has four experienced senior receivers to work with. Henry Craft, Derek Felix, Jack Reddock and Marco Intintoli will be expected to provide the quarterback with the veteran presence needed to make the offense go.

Smithtown East may be young, but the talent is there. If Lauri can get the pieces working together, the Bulls could take another step toward becoming a winning program.

The Division II Picture

There is no shortage of storylines in Division II.

Hills East has the preseason hardware, the star power and the championship experience. Bryan and Crump give the Hawks arguably the best one-two punch in the division, and Marcelin knows exactly what needs to change from last season.

But Lindenhurst is coming in with momentum, North Babylon brings its physical style, Northport has a quarterback with something to prove, and Newfield, Centereach and Bellport all have reasons to believe they can make noise.

Patchogue's move into Division I leaves Division II without one of its recent major players, which could open the door for a team to step forward.

That team could very well be Hills East.

But football doesn't get played on paper, and Division II has enough experienced coaches and talented players to make this a fascinating race.

The Hawks will have the target on their backs from the opening whistle.

Everyone else will be chasing them.

And if Hills East can turn last year's lessons about discipline into this year's strength, Division II could belong to the Hawks.