The crowd of 8,224 was going crazy, the finish was dramatic. It was an excellent football game with superb players. Unfortunately, the Outback Steakhouse Empire Challenge on Tuesday night will be the last football game to be played at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium until who knows when.
In December, the school announced that it would be cutting its football program, citing high costs and low interest.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. This is not a New York City story – Hofstra resides in Hempstead, L.I. But that’s where you’re wrong. The Pride not having football is very much a story about New York City – a vital one.
Hofstra was a major destination for city players. In a country where football players from the Big Apple don’t get a lot of respect or interest – outside of the Dominique Easleys of the world – not having a nearby program as an option hurts. And this was coming off the heels of Iona cutting football in 2008. St. John’s started the trend eight years ago.
“It’s a void left in New York City,” said NYC defensive coordinator and Tottenville coach Jim Munson on the field at Hofstra after Tuesday’s game. “We can’t control the politics of this university and what this president wants to do. But it fills a void now that schools like C.W. Post, Fordham and Wagner College [have to fill]. Those are the schools that recruit New York City. That place out in Long Island, Stony Brook, they don’t recruit New York City, you understand?”
Every year it seemed like a handful of players on the New York City roster for the Empire Challenge were headed to Hofstra. When the program was abolished, there were 11 players from NYC on the roster, including Munson’s nephew Kenny. That’s a sizeable number.
Next year, the Pride would have gotten Poly Prep’s Devante Wheeler, who made the game-changing interception for New York City on Tuesday night. He was all set to commit to the Nassau County school and was shocked to find out that there would be no football program there next season. Wheeler has since signed with Stony Brook.
“Maybe Hofstra will change their mind and bring back the football program after seeing all the talent on the field tonight,” Wheeler said.
Maybe Stony Brook will hear Munson out when he says the Seawolves don’t recruit New York City. The Suffolk County squad is bringing in Wheeler and Cardinal Hayes wide receiver Bryant McAdoo next year. There will be plenty more players coming out of the city next year.
But with the number of viable options dwindling for NYC stars, it was heartbreaking to see a big crowd weather the rain to watch football Tuesday night in Hempstead. You won’t see that much anymore – maybe just once or twice a year for high-school games.