Defenses rule in Riverhead-East Islip showdown
Riverhead's Ryun Moore tackles East Islip's Sean Karika in the Suffolk Division II football final at Stony Brook University. (Nov. 22, 2013) Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
When East Islip faced Riverhead earlier this year, the Redmen scored 50 points, including 22 in the fourth quarter. The Riverhead offense was barely outdone, putting up 36 points of its own.
Offense prevailed.
But it was a different story Friday night in the Suffolk II championship game at Stony Brook University. The teams did not reach 36 points combined as Riverhead pulled out a 20-14 victory.
Defense ruled the night.
East Islip controlled the clock in the first half, including two drives in the first quarter that went for eight and 10 plays, but the Redmen had nothing to show for it. East Islip running backs Erik Adon and Matt Walter had a little more success in the second half, with each scoring on powerful runs, but it was a dramatic difference from the teams' first meeting.
Riverhead's Jeremiah Cheatom (22 carries, 87 yards) pounded the ball in the first half, but if not for a few well- timed scrambles by quarterback Cody Smith and an interception return for a touchdown by Ryan Hubbard, the Blue Waves would not have made much of an impact on the scoreboard either.
It was a battle of the defenses and special teams, with Riverhead's secondary making the big plays. Hubbard returned the interception for a touchdown in the first half and Jaron Greenidge made a key interception on an East Islip drive early in the third quarter.
Riverhead's Ryun Moore was a force on defense as well. He supplemented his coverage in the secondary with his hard hitting, crashing the line of scrimmage as East Islip attempted to control the game with its rushing attack.
Both teams continued to attempt to run the ball, but there was no room for the star halfbacks on either squad to work.
