BOHEMIA, N.Y. — Drew Guttieri and Cole Bunicci first met while playing PAL football as first-graders. Still teammates a decade later, the duo starred this past season as seniors for Connetquot High School, with Guttieri earning the Boomer Esiason Award as Suffolk County's top quarterback and Bunicci being named the county's top receiver and an All-Long Island selection.

The lethal football combination — and friendship — will remain intact next season as well.

Guttieri and Bunicci signed letters of intent on Wednesday to continue their playing careers with Stony Brook football. They even plan to room together, as they did during an official visit to campus earlier this month.

Guttieri had committed to Stony Brook in July.

"And then I was kind of on the recruitment train with him all through the offseason, and then into the season," Guttieri said about Bunicci. "Things worked out that we were able to come here together."

Said Bunicci: "I was looking at a lot of other schools. But this was clearly the right place for me. He was a big part of it. He told me that he was comfortable here. And I was on board."

Incumbent quarterbacks Tyquell Fields and Connetquot product Jack Cassidy both have a final season of eligibility remaining in 2020, but the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Guttieri figures to have a bright future with the Seawolves once those student-athletes graduate from the program.

Guttieri passed for 2,106 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 545 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior with Connetquot this past fall. He owns school career records for completions (299), attempts (498), passing yards (4,002), rushing attempts (174), rushing yards (785), total yards (4,787) and total touchdowns (54). Guttieri was named Suffolk's top quarterback at a banquet at the Hyatt Regency in Hauppauge on Dec. 2.

His favorite target was the 6-4, 210-pound Bunicci, who tallied 864 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns on 49 receptions as a senior and 1,514 receiving yards for his three-year varsity career.

Bunicci was named Suffolk's top receiver at the same banquet Guttieri earned the Esiason Award. Bunicci also was a finalist for the county's top defensive back. He is slated to be a tight end with the Seawolves.

"He's my guy," Guttieri said. "He makes all the big plays happen. I know I can go to him no matter what. He's special."

Said Bunicci: "Drew's obviously a great quarterback. I've been playing with him for a long time. Our chemistry is fantastic. His deep ball, I don't see anybody throwing it like he does. Great footwork — greatest footwork I've ever seen at a camp. That's being honest. He really works on his craft all year long. He gets training in all the time."

Their goal for the next four years at Stony Brook?

"The big thing for us is to win games, and hopefully win as many conference championships as possible," Bunicci said. "And if a national championship happens, we'll be very grateful for that."

Said Guttieri: "That's the goal. Definitely. A national championship."