Garden City, N.Y. (Sept. 12, 2026) — Nassau Community College put together a complete performance on both sides of the ball Saturday, cruising past Salem 31-6 behind a balanced offensive attack and a defense that turned takeaways into points.
Offense Finds a Rhythm Through the Air and on the Ground
Quarterback Elijah Outlaw paced the Nassau attack, completing 13 of 19 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns. Outlaw spread the ball around the field, connecting with five different receivers and chipping in six yards on the ground himself.
Soloman Decoteau led all Nassau receivers with four catches for 72 yards, while Antoine Blackman wasn't far behind with four grabs for 70 yards. Tito Ruiz and Justin Betz each hauled in a touchdown reception, with Ruiz turning three catches into 25 yards and Betz adding two catches for 20 yards.
On the ground, Mekai Henderson did the heavy lifting with 15 carries for 35 yards and a rushing touchdown, and Henderson also chipped in as a receiver with a 40-yard catch. Tyler Cabassa added six carries for 16 yards in relief work.
Defense Delivers the Difference
Nassau's defense was the story of the day, swarming to the ball and cashing in on opportunities. Linebacker Tayvon Nelson turned in the standout performance of the game, leading all tacklers with 10 stops and hauling in an interception that he returned for a touchdown. Antonio Washington also picked off a pass to go with six tackles.
The Nassau front seven made life difficult for Salem's offense throughout, with Frank Posillico Jr. and Jacq Camillie each recording six tackles, and Glen Person and Hopeton James adding five stops apiece. Edward Ababio notched a sack among his three tackles, and Jaire Edwards, Rachmani Pierre, and Shencanaiah-Bidkar Ben-levi each finished with four tackles.
Special Teams Chip In
Matias Perez Herrera was reliable in the kicking game, connecting on a field goal (long of 48 yards) and going 4-for-4 on extra points. Luke Alongi handled punting duties, booting three punts for 130 yards.
Up Next
Nassau will look to carry the momentum from this dominant two-phase performance into its next matchup as the season continues.
Nassau Community College — 31 Salem — 6
Box Score Highlights
| Category |
Leader |
Stats |
| Passing |
Elijah Outlaw |
13/19, 238 YDS, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing |
Mekai Henderson |
15 ATT, 35 YDS, 1 TD |
| Receiving |
Soloman Decoteau |
4 REC, 72 YDS |
| Tackles |
Tayvon Nelson |
10 TKL, 1 INT, 1 TD |
| Kicking |
Matias Perez Herrera |
1/3 FG (LG 48), 4/4 XP |
| Punting |
Luke Alongi |
3 PUNTS, 130 YDS |
