On Oct. 14, the 8-year-old Mineola Chiefs battled the 8-year-old East Rockaway Raiders of the Long Island PAL football League to a 14-14 tie at the Mineola High School football field.

The Raiders took the opening drive and went 60 yards in three plays for the game's first touchdown. Gerard Frusci scored on a 45-yard sweep down the left side line and on the next play he scored from the 3-yard line for the extra point. The Chiefs came right back with workhorse Thomas Cristina, from Wheatley's Northside School, making runs of 10 and 15 yards to cap a 60-yard drive. He scored on a 20-yard power run up the right side. Eight-year-old Joseph Mattina of Roslyn's Harbor Hill School scored on the extra point to tie the score at seven. Both teams' defenses played strong until halftime. Roslyn East Hills School student Thomas Sokolski had four hard tackles, while playing defensive end for the Chiefs. Brandon Lim had three tackles for the Raiders.

The second half started with the Chiefs marching down field. Quarterback and Northside student Nick Delmistro led a balanced attack completing two passes. Thomas Cristina finished off the drive with a 19-yard run into the end zone. Cristina had 92 yards rushing for the day. The extra point was good.

Mineola held off the Raiders until late in the game but they could not stop quarterback Andrew Bashferd's one-yard sneak. The controversial extra point was barely good, but was enough to tie the score. Time ran out on Mineola as they were driving and the score ended in a tie. It was a hard-fought game and both teams and coaches shook hands at the end.

The Mineola Chiefs play their home games Sunday mornings at the Mineola High School football field at 11 o'clock. The next home game is Nov. 4 vs. Bellmore Braves.