Push for the Playoffs: North Babylon Head Coach and Alumni give insight into Suffolk County’s most competitive Football Division in a playoff race.

OCT 28. 2025

By John DiFazio

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY. - The North Babylon Bulldogs currently lead by Head Coach John Rowland find themselves admit a competitive playoff race in division two Suffolk County. This division of football is considered by many to be the most competitive in Suffolk County. 

Heading into the season:

When asked about the preparation that goes into determining the competition that North Babylon will face each year John Rowland said, “Through seeding meetings and previous games, we know how competitive each team in the division will be.” 

The seeding is determined every year through these meetings, and it serves as a division wide pitch. Although most of it is based off the records from last year, coaches are mostly making their pitch to the board for as to why their team should receive a higher seed. 

 Atmosphere for every game:

The intensity in the seeding meetings is just as high on the field. North Babylon alumni player John Nunziato graduated from North Babylon in 2022 and was given the team award of Defensive Player of the year at the end of his Senior year. 

When asked about the intensity on the field Nunziato said, “Well, I would say that the intensity on a play-to-play basis never went down one bit from the opening kickoff to the final play of the game. Each player on that field, all 22 guys, took every play seriously. Put 110% effort into every single play, because they knew how important each game was.”  

That kind of environment can lead to a unique atmosphere at each one of these games. Every week you can find high school football fields packed with fans supporting their hometown teams. Whether it’s parents, students, alumni, or just your average football fan football games in this county attract large audiences that can influence the game.   

“The stands were packed out, and they were pretty loud for us. Every time we made a big play, you could definitely feel the crowd, you know, bringing you up as a team” said Nunziato. A home crowd atmosphere can create a home-field advantage for the team hosting the game.  

John Rowland loves the atmosphere at each game at North Babylon High School stating “We have the biggest and one of the nicest HS stadiums on LI and our booster club is first rate. The atmosphere at our home games is like a small college.” 

A high school stadium being compared to a college gives you a good idea of the type of atmosphere these games attract. 

North Babylon currently holds a record of 3-4 with one game remaining in the 2025 season.  The team currently holds the seventh seed out of eight in the standings. The first eight teams in the standings make the playoffs but to secure the best seeding and guarantee a playoff spot the Bulldogs will need a big win on the road this week against Copiague.  

When asked if the opposing crowd’s atmosphere is something that you prepare for heading into an away game Rowland said “No - our players are fairly locked in on the playing field. If anything, opposing fans elevate the intensity”. Rowlands confidence in his team heading into this week will be important within this current playoff push. 

Push for the playoffs: 

North Babylon is no stranger to post season success having won Suffolk County Championships as recently as 2023 and 2017. When asked what it’s like to be the top team in the county Rowland said “Any time you can win the county championship in our division, it is a great accomplishment. It is so competitive because of the depth in the division. This year, any one of 6 or 7 teams could win”.   

The Bulldogs will look to add another championship to their résumé with a strong finish to this year leading into the playoffs. It will not come easy, however even if they win their next game, it is not likely  they will have a high seeding meaning that they will likely have to play a team with a very positive record. 

When asked how his team has responded to high competition this year Rowland said, “We are a young team and it has taken time for them to acclimate to the speed of varsity football, but we have shown a lot of improvement and progress”.

The Bulldogs will look to even up their record against Copiague this week and add to their increased improvement.  

The County’s character:   

The North Babylon community embraces the Bulldogs with plenty of support throughout the season. That speaks to the county’s character and its ability to create a sense of community for each town. North Babylon is just one example of that. Their Touchdown Club provides weekly dinners and post-game meals, pink jerseys for breast cancer awareness, merchandise, posters, banners,  and social media support for the team. 

“We have great community support - especially NB alumni” said Rowland when asked about community support for the team. John Nunziato gave a players perspective stating “Well, I would say that having that presence behind you at every single football game means a lot. You know, even if our record wasn't as good, you know, the community still showed out for us for every single game and supported us. And it doesn't matter, you know how good we are as a football team, you know they're always standing behind us, and it just makes me want to reciprocate that now that as I'm an alumni.”  

Playing football in Suffolk County is a unique experience, when asked about what lessons young athletes can learn from playing in this division Rowland said “Playing football in this division is great preparation for life. Players and teams must learn the skills of commitment, work ethic, perseverance, and being able to overcome adversity.”  

Nunziato added “Well, a life lesson that I would take away is just to never take anything off, whether it’s just playing a football game or it's a school assignment or doing something at your job, just to never take a day off, never take a play off just keep up with everything that's going on in your life.”

The competition in Suffolk County challenges both coaches and players to play through a lot of different conditions and an atmosphere to face adversity and be a top team. The competition has created a sense of community for teams as showcase to North Babylon. It has also prepared athletes for things that they might face later in life. John Rowland and John Nunziato experienced football in this county firsthand and have given an insight that all Suffolk County residents should understand about athletics in their community.