Julia Tabackman leads Syosset flag football to win over Valley Stream District
Syosset quarterback Julia Tabackman runs with the ball against Valley Stream District during a flag football game at Syosset High School on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Credit: Kathy M Helgeson
Valley Stream District sits at the top of Nassau Conference I, but that didn’t faze the Syosset flag football team.
Syosset extended its win streak to three when it took down Valley Stream, 19-6, at home Thursday night. Julia Tabackman went 7-for-12 with one touchdown pass.
“This is a game that goes back and forth every year,” Syosset coach Raymond DeLucca said. “Even if it looks like an upset on paper, we knew that this would be a well-matched game.”
Syosset (3-1-3, 2-0-2) currently sits in the middle of the pack in Nassau I. To secure this win, DeLucca said defense was key.
After a scoreless first quarter, Leah Calderone picked off Valley Stream quarterback Joeyce Forero during the first drive of the second. She returned the interception for a 35-yard touchdown less than two minutes into play. Tabackman then found Sienna Cummo in the end zone for the 1-point conversion that gave Syosset a 7-0 lead.
“We take it one play at a time and, after that first quarter, it was really awesome to connect and make some plays,” Cummo said. “We love to see each other succeed, especially against a good team.”
Tabackman and Cummo connected again on a 3-yard touchdown pass with 1:02 to go in the half. Lindsey Keschner tallied three flag pulls in the second quarter to keep Valley Stream (6-2, 4-2) off the board and preserve Syosset’s 13-0 lead.
“She’s still learning and working on getting more consistent,” DeLucca said of Tabackman. “We ask her to do a lot of things in our offense and she does a really nice job of handling it.”
After a quarterback change in the third quarter, seventh-grader Ashley Rogliano maintained the high standard set by Tabackman. On third and seven, Rogliano connected with Keschner for a 7-yard touchdown with 13 seconds remaining, giving Syosset a 19-0 lead at the end of the quarter.
Valley Stream’s Gabby Rivera ran for a 12-yard touchdown with 1:07 remaining in regulation, but it wouldn’t be enough to close the gap.
Rogliano went 5-for-9 in her second varsity appearance.
“She’s always listening and wants to do well, wants us all to do well,” Cummo said. “She wants to be on the field, she wants to make plays and she’s excited to be here which is really valuable for us.”
Tess Ferguson is a reporter on Newsday's high school sports staff. She joined the team after graduating with a journalism degree from Ithaca College in 2025.
