Centereach Battles to Respectable Finish

The Centereach Cougars finished the 2024 season with a 2-6 conference record and a 2-6 overall mark in Suffolk Division II, placing in a tie for 10th in the standings1.

Regular Season Highlights

• Wins:
  • Opened the season with a 28-23 victory over Smithtown East (Sept. 13)5.
  • Earned a hard-fought 10-8 win over Newfield (Oct. 11), showcasing defensive grit and clutch play47.
• Competitive Efforts:
  • Narrowly lost to Copiague 13-40 and played Huntington and Smithtown West tough, falling 26-41 to Smithtown West (Oct. 5)45.
  • Dropped a close 19-20 contest to Copiague late in the season (Oct. 26)5.
• Challenging Losses:
  • Shut out by West Islip 0-28 (Sept. 28)5.
  • Fell to East Islip 0-43 (Sept. 21), West Babylon 0-39 (Oct. 18), and North Babylon 21-56 (Nov. 2)5.

Team Notes

• Offense: The Cougars showed the ability to move the ball in their two wins but struggled to score consistently against the division’s top defenses.
• Defense: The unit stepped up in the win over Newfield, holding the Wolverines to just 8 points, but allowed 39 or more points in four losses.
• Resilience: Despite a tough schedule and several lopsided results, Centereach remained competitive and picked up two quality wins.

Season Summary

Centereach’s 2024 campaign was marked by perseverance, highlighted by close victories over Smithtown East and Newfield. While the Cougars faced challenges against Suffolk II’s top teams, their defensive effort in key games and ability to win tight contests provide a foundation to build on for 20251457.