Eastport-South Manor Returns to Playoffs

The Eastport-South Manor Sharks finished the 2024 season with a 3-5 conference record and 3-6 overall, earning the No. 8 seed in Suffolk Division III and making their first playoff appearance since 2018 under new head coach Guy Buckley47.

Regular Season Highlights

• Wins:
  • Defeated Harborfields 21-12 (Sept. 28) in their homecoming game47.
  • Dominated Amityville 34-9 (Oct. 5) for their second win47.
  • Edged Kings Park 23-20 (Oct. 19) on the road in a key late-season victory47.
• Competitive Efforts:
  • Narrowly lost the season opener at Rocky Point, 12-13 (Sept. 14)47.
  • Played tough against Hauppauge before falling 20-35 (Oct. 10)37.
• Challenging Losses:
  • Fell to Half Hollow Hills West 12-49 (Sept. 20)37.
  • Lost to Sayville twice: 10-54 at home (Oct. 25) and 13-59 in the playoff first round (Nov. 8)3478.
  • Ended the regular season with a 7-42 loss at East Hampton/Bridgehampton/Pierson (Nov. 2)37.

Playoff Performance

• First Round:
  The Sharks traveled to Sayville and lost 59-13 to the eventual county champions, ending their postseason run48.

Key Players and Notes

• Max Ferraro (QB, Jr.): Led the offense and was named All-County46.
• Jason Schaffner (WR/DB): Provided key plays on both sides of the ball7.
• Philip Samuel III (RB/LB): Two-way contributor and All-Division selection6.
• Stevey Pacella Gordon, Joe Green, Joey Hershey, Cole Klein, Tommy Powers: All earned All-Division honors for their performances6.
• Coaching: First-year head coach Guy Buckley revitalized the program, guiding ESM to its first playoff berth in six years4.

Season Summary

Eastport-South Manor’s 2024 season was marked by a return to playoff contention, competitive spirit, and the emergence of young talent. With a 3-5 league record and a postseason appearance, the Sharks laid a foundation for future success under Coach Buckley and a promising core of returnees467.