Hampton Bays ends season 5-4 but misses playoffs due to forfeit rules

The Hampton Bays football team completed its 2026 campaign with a 33-0 victory over Wyandanch on Senior Night on Friday. The win marked the third straight win for the Baymen, following a 45-12 nonleague result at Greenport on October 17 and a forfeit win against Amityville.

The team finished the season with a 5-4 overall record and a 4-4 mark in Division IV play. This result represents the program's first winning season since 2012, when the squad went 6-3. Despite the positive record, the Baymen did not qualify for the Suffolk County Division IV playoffs.

Two wins came via forfeit this season after both Port Jefferson and Amityville dissolved their varsity programs before the year began. Head coach Sean Gill noted that these automatic wins did not provide enough power points to help the team reach the top eight placements in the division.

Hampton Bays finished 10th in the division with 102.65 power points. Kings Park, which defeated the Baymen earlier in the season, placed higher with a 5-3 record and 120.90 points. Center Moriches also finished 5-3 with 109.15 power points. Gill suggested that Hampton Bays likely would have won against Amityville and Port Jefferson in actual play, which might have generated enough points for a playoff berth.

The team faced a difficult stretch in the middle of the season, losing four consecutive games to Kings Park, Harborfields, Miller Place, and Bayport-Blue Point. Gill attributed the slide partly to injuries, noting that two starting linemen returned for the final game against Wyandanch after missing those previous contests.

Michael Single finished the season 17th in the county in rushing with 108 carries for 764 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also threw an 88-yard touchdown pass to Brayden Talmage. Connor Bullinger contributed two touchdown passes, including a 17-yard strike to Talmage and a 25-yard score to Jack Holden.

Gill described the senior group, which included Single, Talmage, Owen Haynes, and Cade Arkinson, as instrumental in rebuilding the program after it returned to varsity status in 2023. He praised their work ethic and leadership, noting that the emotional end of their careers reflects the time and effort they invested in the team.

Looking ahead, the program faces uncertainty regarding roster size as enrollment numbers continue to decline across the county. Hampton Bays maintains a partnership with Southampton to recruit players, a strategy that did not yield results this season but may prove effective in the future.

Gill expressed confidence in the returning core for next season. Bullinger will enter his third year as a starting quarterback, while Jack Holden and Brady Arkinson have established themselves at the varsity level. Juniors Jack DeBenedette and John Hayes will also return as seniors, providing a strong foundation for the team.

The coaching staff aims to fill the roster with additional contributors to build depth behind the returning players. Gill stated that the team is inviting new players to join and is focused on growing the program year by year.