Port Jefferson School District Denied Request to Combine Football Team with Nearby Program

The Port Jefferson School District (NY) superintendent recently put in a request to combine the school’s football team with another program, but the request was ultimately denied by the Section XI Appeal Committee in a special hearing on Thursday.

Superintendent Tried to Revive Royals’ Season

Superintendent Jessica Schmettan submitted the appeal earlier in the week after the Royals canceled their 2026 season in late August due to not having enough players to field a team, according to the Greater Long Island media group.

Schmettan and Port Jefferson SD requested a plan to allow the Royals to combine with Rocky Point’s football program. Rocky Point High School is about 20 minutes east from Port Jefferson in Suffolk County, Long Island.

Last season, Port Jefferson finished 0-9 and did not field a JV team. Schmettan, however, noted in her letter that the Port Jefferson and Rocky Point’s JV teams will still combine this season.

“We felt confident in our presentation, supporting our position with facts and strong arguments to allow the combined varsity football team with Rocky Point without penalty of post season play,” Schmettan said in a letter. “This (decision) is incredibly disappointing to us. It is a decision that places procedure and rigid regulation above the best interests of students.”

Section XI Officials said Port Jefferson Had Time

Section XI executive director Tom Combs told News 12 Bronx on Thursday that Port Jefferson SD’s request “was made too late.”

“They can combine...they could have combined before our placement meeting in February when we put everything together,” Combs said. “They also have the ability to do it at this time but our rules state after our placement meeting that if you combine the program you are ineligible for playoffs.”

The 2026 Season Would Have Been a Special One

Greg Serra of Newsday reported on Aug. 27 that Port Jefferson planned to celebrate its 100th year of the varsity football team.

Port Jefferson head coach CJ Perrino told Newsday that the Royals had 30 players on their roster last year. But after seven players graduated, a handful deciding to play for the Royals’ boys soccer team instead and some choosing not to play this fall, the football team was in dire constraints.

“I have 11 players that show up every single day at weight training and conditioning and work their butts off,” Perrino said via Newsday in late August. “They may not have the opportunity to play this fall.”

Port Jefferson Anticipated Problem in January

Former Port Jefferson athletic director Adam Sherrard informed Section XI officials in January that the varsity football team might not meet New York State’s requirement to have a 16-player roster.

“They knew they had a potential problem,” Combs said via Newsday. “We recommended that they investigate the possibility of combining with another school. There was enough time to do that. They didn’t act on it and the program (folded). It leaves a void in the schedule, a forfeit every week for eight weeks.”

Superintendent, School District Hoping for Updates Soon

Schmettan stated in her letter that the district is “awaiting this decision in writing which will hopefully outline their reasoning.”

“Our administration, together with our board of education and legal counsel, have already begun discussing next steps,” Schmettan said. “We appreciate the students' dedication to practices. These are remarkable young men with a tremendous spirit.”

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