Porters football returns with first preseason practice

Gray skies and a mist could not spoil the first day of preseason practice for the Greenport/Southold/Mattituck football team on Monday.

After all, the Porters started training for their varsity season after missing the 2025 campaign due to a low player turnout.

New head coach Bo Olshefsky was also running the show for the first time in the morning and late afternoon sessions.

“It was great,” he said. “I was pumped.”

Olshefsky’s enthusiasm was shared by his players, including three senior leaders.

Offensive lineman and defensive end Emmett Tramontana said that he was “very excited” to prepare for the Suffolk County League IV season.

“It’s a great opportunity to have a varsity team,” he added. “It means we can keep the program going. We’ve got a good team, and the schedule looks fun. We’ve got a good chance at winning a couple of games out there. We’re looking forward to it.”

Right guard and linebacker Alex Felakos was impressed that more than 20 athletes came out to both sessions.

“It’s great to see a big turnout,” he said. “We’ve got a lot more guys than I anticipated, which I like. It’s great to see that we’ve got a team coming together, and I think we can reach the playoffs again.”

Offensive and defensive tackle Thomas Arena agreed.

“I would like to make the playoffs again,” he said. “Might be a long stretch, but I would like to.”

More than 20 athletes participated in both sessions. There was a drop-off to 16 in the afternoon.

“We had a couple of work issues,” Olshefsky said. “We have some people coming back from vacations and other things like that this week. Our projected roster right now is probably right in the mid-20s.”

Which would be enough to field a competitive squad. Suffolk teams need at least 16 players.

The 2024 season was a milestone year for Greenport, which reached the playoffs for the first time since 2013. The Porters were optimistic last year, but the varsity campaign was canceled a week before the season. Underclassmen competed at the junior varsity level.

Monday morning’s practice included some paperwork, moving equipment outdoors, some drills and “showing the kids what it means to play football here at Greenport,” Olshefsky said.

The drills consisted of speed, agility, strength and conditioning.

The afternoon session started with those basic drills before the Porters turned to football-centric work in putting together an offense. The team worked on offensive line timing and quarterback handoffs to running backs.

If there was a fumble or a penalty, every player had to do 10 push-ups.

There is always some rust on the first day, but Olshefsky was more than pleased.

“I thought it was great,” he said. “Especially in this offense we’re running, the timing is everything. Everyone needs to be on the same sheet of music every time. That goes from our offensive line to our running backs, quarterbacks, receivers.”

The season is closer than you would think. Greenport’s first scrimmage is at Bayport-Blue Point on Friday, Aug. 28. The Porters’ season opener is at Hampton Bays on Friday, Sept. 4, at 6 p.m. Their home opener is against Elwood John Glenn on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 6:30 p.m.

The weather was surprisingly mild compared to training sessions in past years. It was humid in the morning, but the temperature hovered around 70 degrees in the afternoon, although it felt much cooler.

“Amazing. I love the nice weather,” Felakos said. “The mist keeps me cool.”

Added Arena: “It’s nice and cool. A lot better than previous years when it’s sunny out and the sun’s beating on us.”

The players’ goals this season were modest and realistic.

“I think mostly just to improve,” Tramontana said. “We’ve got new guys, we’ve got young guys, some freshmen and sophomores who have never really played organized football at the varsity level. And to get them into the shape where they can continue a varsity program in the next couple of years would be great.”

Olshefsky, who was an assistant coach under Tim McArdle for three years, was far from a one-man show.

“It’s definitely not just about me at all,” he said. “It’s my staff around me. It’s my administration, and it’s our athletes. It’s not like my first day here. I felt like I stepped right in because I’ve been here for a little bit. I know I have some great coaches behind me that really have my back.”

His staff includes offensive coordinator Kyle Reese, defensive coordinator Jack Martilotta and junior high coaches William Schulz and Brandon Grace.

Olshefsky’s most memorable moment?

“Just seeing everybody again. It starts to smell like football again,” he said. “We’re excited to get the pads on soon, in a couple of days. Just seeing all the guys again, seeing all these coaches. We’ve put so much time and effort into this; all spring and all summer as coaches, and finally being able to just see it in action. It was great.”