Samantha Heyman's 3 TD passes lead Half Hollow Hills to Suffolk Class A flag football title
Samantha Heyman #11 from Half Hollow Hills throws a pass during the Suffolk Class A flag football championship on Friday, May 17, 2024. Credit: David Meisenholder
Once quarterback Samantha Heyman gets going, it’s hard to stop her.
The sophomore quarterback had yet another spectacular performance that led No. 1 Half Hollow Hills to a 19-6 win over No. 3 Patchogue-Medford in the Suffolk Class A flag football championship game on Friday night at Sachem North.
Heyman went 16-for-19 with three touchdown passes and ran for 66 yards. On defense, she made two interceptions and had 10 flag pulls.
“Samantha Heyman is a special kid,” Hills coach Mike Lupa said. “She’s an absolute stud, she’s the leader of this team, and to be all that as a sophomore, it’s pretty amazing.”
Hills got on the board first five minutes into the game with a double-reverse play that left wide receiver Rose Azmoudeh wide open in the end zone for a 24-yard pass from Heyman.
“It’s one of those plays that if it connects, it’s the best feeling ever,” Heyman said. “To open with a play like that, too, it really helped suppress our nerves for the rest of the game.”
Heyman connected with Azmoudeh for the one-point conversion to make it 7-0.
After a defensive stop, Hills pushed its way toward the end zone again. On third-and-goal at the 5, running back Andi Rallo found just enough space to catch a touchdown pass from Heyman.
“We have full trust in her,” Rallo said of Heyman. “She’s the most important player on our team, and she always is able to put the ball in the right place.”
Mackenzie Hughes’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Diamond Pertillar late in the first half cut Pat-Med’s deficit to 13-6. Tamia Williamson-Fraser had 15 flag pulls for Pat-Med (10-1-3).
Hills went ahead 19-6 on Heyman’s 9-yard TD pass to Zoe Franks early in the second half.
“She steps in with big catches after big catches,” Lupa said of the freshman wide receiver. “She’s also been incredible on defense.”
Half Hollow Hills (14-1) will face Plainedge or Syosset in the Long Island Class A championship game on Thursday.
Last season, Hills lost to Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK by one point in the Long Island final.
“Our team is super-competitive,” Lupa said. “Knowing we lost by one point last season, it’s tough to swallow. But we’re ready for that challenge again.”
