Lawrence football team to play first home game of season at district's middle school field
Lawrence quarterback Khalil Brassell, middle, during practice with his teammates on a soccer field behind the school on Sep. 16, 2026, in Cedarhurst. Credit: Jeff Bachner
The Lawrence football team expected to play its entire schedule on the road for the second straight season after its home field again was deemed unplayable.
That changed this week.
The Golden Tornadoes got a surprise when it was announced that they will host playoff-bound Valley Stream North in a Nassau Conference IV game Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
However, Lawrence will face the Spartans on the new multipurpose grass field at the district’s middle school on the Broadway campus — not the varsity location.
The schools’ maintenance department has been busy trying to set up a football field on an area that was lined for soccer. They already have put in the football goalposts and added home bleachers. There currently is no scoreboard.
“We are excited for the opportunity to play at home,” coach Akym Land said. “Our loyal family and friends that have attended all our away games will finally get the chance to see us play at home. Our players are just happy to be home. Some families couldn’t travel to places like Oyster Bay and North Shore which were over an hour away.”
Lawrence (1-5) opened the season by defeating Oyster Bay/Friends Academy, 38-36, to snap a 28-game losing streak that dated to Oct. 1, 2022.
Senior quarterback Khalil Brassell has passed for 872 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 465 yards and three TDs on 57 carries. In Lawrence's win, he threw three touchdown passes and Tristian Darwin caught nine passes for 129 yards and the tying score.
“It’s my last year, and I want it to be memorable,” Brassell said.
Valley Stream North (4-2) poses a very tough challenge for the Golden Tornadoes. The Spartans are the highest-scoring team in conference play, averaging 37 points per game. Lawrence’s defense has allowed a conference-high 41 points per game.
“Our guys don’t look at the stat sheet,” said Land, 27, who is the youngest head football coach on Long Island. “We start the game 0-0 and we’ll give it everything we have — and I’m proud of these guys.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
