Boys soccer: Mattituck and Center Moriches to revive rivalry

Long Island’s oldest — and arguably best — high school soccer rivalry is back to being a competitive affair.

After a year’s hiatus, the Mattituck and Center Moriches boys’ soccer teams will tussle again for league supremacy and bragging rights in a competition that goes back 88 years.

Last year, the schools were separated by different classifications and leagues based on enrollment. Center Moriches moved up to Class A and competed in Suffolk County League VIII. Mattituck remained in Class B and in League IX.

“We knew that this rivalry had to stay together due to Center Moriches history,” Tuckers head coach Dan O’Sullivan said. “So, regardless of if we were in the league or not, the non-league game was going to stay. But I’m just super excited that now not only are they back in the league, we get to play them twice.”

Mike Russo succeeded long-time Center Moriches head coach Chris O’Brien, a Southold native who retired after last season, and will coach in the rivalry for the first time.

“When I think of sports rivalries, I think of Yankees-Red Sox, Carolina-Duke, and then Center Moriches-Mattituck boys’ soccer,” he said.

Past encounters, many of which were Suffolk County finals, have been intense, physical affairs with both sides attacking at will.

“It’s just the fact that it’s two very similar, close-knit, hard working-class communities that when they get on the field, for whatever reason, it’s different than the other sports that I’ve been a part of. It’s just a battle,” O’Sullivan said. “It’s a playoff intensity from the warm-ups. Whenever we’re playing Center Moriches, there’s that extra little juice flowing. It’s all systems go from the opening whistle to the end. The kids just know that it’s a special rivalry, that they have to give it everything they have.”

Last year the teams played a non-league match on Aug. 28, with Center Moriches prevailing at home, 3-1. That game did not count in the league standings.

The Tuckers (10-4-2), who lost in last year’s Class B county final to Babylon, 2-0, will host the Red Devils (10-6-1) in their Homecoming Game on Friday, Sept. 20 at 5 p.m. and play at Center Moriches in the penultimate game of the regular season on Oct. 17 at 6 p.m.

The teams met for the first time in 1936, with Center Moriches posting a 1-0 win. In 1937, Mattituck prevailed in the county championship game, 1-0, at Eastport High School.

Since then, it has been game on.

During an incredible 27-year stretch from 1988 to 2014 either Mattituck or Center Moriches claimed the league title in all but two seasons. The Tuckers won state championships in 1982, 2003 and 2014. The Red Devils captured the New York crown in 2009 and 2017.

The rivalry also has made for some intriguing scenarios.

Former Mattituck athletic director and head soccer coach Mike Huey was inducted into the Center Moriches Athletics Hall of Fame. The Clayton Huey Elementary School in the town is named after his father, a former teacher, coach, principal and district superintendent.

After directing the Tuckers boys for nine successful years, Joe Vasile-Cozzo ventured west to become the Center Moriches athletic director.

O’Sullivan has two unique Center Moriches connections. He is related to Huey by marriage. His aunt, Coreen, married Mike’s twin brother, Jim.

Almost a decade ago, O’Sullivan was a student teacher in a fourth-grade special education class while working with Ashley Russo, Mike Russo’s wife. He also did some coaching at the school before getting a full-time job at Mattituck in 2017.

The coaches have since become friends.

“We let a good one go,” Russo said. “He really has done well over there. I’ve got the utmost respect for him. He’s a good friend of mine.”

If the squads reach the postseason, they could meet for a third time in the Class B final at Diamond in the Pines in Coram on Nov. 5.

As for the rivalry’s future, your guess is as good as ours. It will depend on school population. Center Moriches can move again to Class A if enrollment rises above 412 students again.

“Last year we were in A and B in some sports,” Russo said. “It’s sort of a little weird, that some sports can be A, some sports can be B. We’re very close to the cut off. I think we’re off by five to 10 students.”

Mattituck, which has had dwindling class sizes the past decade, could drop to Class C in the near future if enrollment dips below 249 students.

Until then, we’ll just have to enjoy this classic rivalry one year at a time.