Long Island weather: Massapequa-Garden City football game still on schedule for Saturday but could move to Sunday or Monday

While the weather forecast for Saturday's highly anticipated Massapequa-Garden City football showdown at Hofstra is not great, the game is still on as of Thursday afternoon, according to Pat Pizzarelli, the executive director of Nassau scholastic sports.

The two teams are scheduled to play at 5 p.m. at Shuart Stadium. Garden City has the longest win streak in the country at 68 games. And Massapequa has won 25 games in a row.

Pizzarelli said he is keeping a close eye on the weather and contingency plans are being discussed, including moving the game to Sunday or Monday.

“One real positive is that Hofstra has agreed to move the game to Sunday if we need to do that,” Pizzarelli said. “We have flexibility.”

Pizzarelli added that if Nassau County Emergency Management issues a travel advisory for Saturday, then all high school sports would be postponed for the day.

“The good news, if there is some, is that the weather might not be as bad as anticipated.” he said. “Some of the models are saying the wind and rain won’t be as severe through the day Saturday. We do have an alternative plan in place should the weather be a factor later in the day.”

The forecast predicts the possibility of 50 mph wind gusts and heavy rain arriving Friday night and continuing through Sunday.

There have been more than 3,000 tickets purchased through a presale at Hofstra. Matt McLees, the director of athletics for Massapequa, said he hopes to play the game Saturday as scheduled.

“We have the go-ahead to play Sunday or Monday at Hofstra so that’s good,” McLees said. “We’re hoping the weather cooperates and we get the game in as scheduled. Hofstra has done an amazing job preparing the facility. They installed brand new goal posts, painted the high school hashmarks on the field and are excited to host this event. Unless we hear otherwise, it’s full steam ahead.”

The forecast has led to other scheduled changes.

The Chaminade football team was scheduled to play St. Francis Prep at the Mitchel Athletic Complex at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. That game has been rescheduled for at 4 p.m. on Friday at Chaminade’s Gold Star Stadium.

St. John the Baptist was set to host Fordham Prep on Saturday and the game was moved to 3:30 p.m. on Friday. There is an early kickoff as the school field does not have lights.

Mepham at Port Washington has been moved to 5:30 p.m. on Friday night.

Kings Park was scheduled to play Port Jefferson this week. The Kingsmen will get a forfeit win. They will host Westchester County's Tuckahoe of Section I at 7 p.m. on Friday.

The Suffolk County cross country coaches meet scheduled for Saturday at Sunken Meadow State Park has been postponed. 

By Gregg Sarra

gregg.sarra@newsday.com@Gregg_Sarra

Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.