Chuck Anderson - The Long Island Advance
December 1999

With 72 wins in ten years, more than any other team in Suffolk County, Bellport's football team is arguably the "Team of the Decade."

Known for their aggressive play and hard hitting, the self-named "Junk Yard Dogs" have come to be known as one of the leading teams on Long Island. The Bellport squad has gained national recognition, appearing in such publications as USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Street and Smith, The New York Times, and The Sporting News, among others.

Comsewogue followed the Bellport Clippers with 71 victories, and West Islip (68) and East Islip (62) came in third and fourth, respectively. The overall record, for the Clippers during the 1990s was 72-23-2, a winning percentage of .760. Their playoff record for the decade was 18-5, or a winning percentage of .780.

Between 199O and 1999, the Bellport Clippers won five county championships, in 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, and 1997. Moreover, they were Long Island Champions in 1992, 1995, and 1997. In 1990 aud 1999, they were division champs, but did not make it to the finals at Hofstra stadium.

(left to right) Matt Neuss, Antonio O'Ferral, Jeff Cipp
A number of Bellport players have been named to the All-State first team, starting with a trio in 1990: Matt Neuss, Jeff Cipp, and Antonio O'Ferral. Other first teamers are Evan O'Ferral (1992), Opoku Johnson (1996), Mike Jorgensen (1997), Alex Lazo (1997), William Griffin (1997), and Fred Lazo (1998).

Other all-state players, listed on second to fifth teams, are Okesa Smith, Mike Satterly, Greg McGraw, Todd Pace, Sean Chavious, Reggie Berrios, Jamie Thomas, Opoku Johnson, Damon Weston, John Fernandez, Micah Barnes, Kevin Dooley, and Mike LaGrega.

In the 1990s, a number or Bellport players went on to play with Division I colleges. Those players include: O'Ferral, Cipp, and Neuss, who went to the University of Kentucky; Okesa Smith, Virginia Tech; Mike Satterley, Eastern Kentucky; Evan O'Farrel, Kentucky; Greg McGraw, University of Delaware; Todd Pace, University of Buffalo; Bill Payne, Buffalo; Mike Lampasso, Towson State; Jamie Thomas, Maine; Damon Weston and John Fernandez, Iona; Opoku Johnson, Eastern Michigan; Micah Barnes, Hofstra University; Mike Jorgensen, Rhode Island; Alex Lazo, Buffalo; William Griffin, Northeastern; Mike LaGrega, Rhode Island; and Fred Lazo, Maine.

Many other players received scholarships to Division II and grants for Division III colleges.

The architect of this enviable record is Head Coach Joe Cipp Jr., who started mentoring the Clippers in 1976. In the past 24 seasons, he has seen a lot of players come and go. Many of the have asked him to be the best man at their weddings, or to serve as godfather to their children.

In a recent interview, Cipp said, "We're a family. We want our kids to be the best they can be."

The coach said he was particularly proud of the fact that many of his former players had become teachers and coaches themselves. One, Chris Baumann, teaches in the South Country School District, and coaches for his former mentor.

Cipp credits much of the success of the Bellport program to the coaching staff, strong parental support, and the community at large.

"A lot of the people who come to our home games don't even have any children in school," he said, "they just like to see a good football game."

He admits that he has a reputation for being a hard taskmaster. "We believe in discipline, and no matter how much we yell at them, the kids know it's because we care about them," he said.

This past season, Cipp dismissed a star player from the team for missing practice, a hard and fast rule. It didn't stop the team from compiling a 7-1-0 record and winning their division.

Along the way, Cipp and fellow coaches, particularly Roy Still, John Conquest, and Craig Erickson, all of whom have been with the program for years, have produced winning seasons, 14 high school All-Americans, three Hansen Award winners, two New York State Players of the Year, 27 All-Long Island players, 36 All-State players, 61 All-County players, and 159 plus All-League players.

Cipp said that his players have succeeded off the football field as well, noting that they have a history of community service ranging from helping out at the Special Olympics to moving cinder blocks for an elderly resident.

There have been many memorable moments for Cipp during the past decade as well including: having the Bellport field named after him in 1990, his induction into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame In 1996, his son Joe Cipp III becoming the youngest head coach in Suffolk County (at Longwood High School), helping his son coach the Longwood team to a Long Island Championship, the birth of his grandchildren, Connor and Jessica Ann.

Cipp said, "It's been like a roller coaster." He added that he was planning to retire in four years, when he turns 55. "Maybe I'll write a book," he said.