East Hampton football wins after coach hit by car, hospitalized
East Hampton RB Alex Davis reacts after scoring a touchdown against Eastport-South Manor in a division III game, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. Credit: George A Faella
The East Hampton football team turned adversity into inspiration on Saturday.
The Bonackers played their season finale without head coach Joe McKee, who was struck by a car around 9 a.m. Saturday morning while walking to buy flowers for the team's seniors for Senior Day.
When the team arrived in the locker room before the game, they were told their coach was OK but in Stony Brook Southampton Hospital after being hit by a car.
East Hampton responded to the news by playing a nearly flawless fourth quarter to pull out a 35-14 win over Eastport-South Manor in Suffolk Division III. The Bonackers finished their season with a 3-5 record.
“I came here [this morning] and everyone looked so sad,” sophomore running back Alex Davis said. “I was like, ‘Why do you guys look so sad? We have a game today.’ And they said Coach McKee got injured, and that hurt my heart and I just came out here and played well.”
Davis finished with 15 carries for 180 yards and two touchdowns and added an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
McKee, reached by Newsday after the win, said he was proud of his team and felt fortunate that he wasn't injured worse than he was. McKee said he did not break any bones but suffered major bruising on the left side of his body and could not lift his left shoulder.
“It’s pretty emotional,” McKee said. “This has been a pretty big year for our football program … I’m really proud of our kids for the way they responded, and great way to win and end the season.”
East Hampton Village police confirmed the accident and said an investigation is ongoing.
Defensive coordinator Jaron Greenidge and offensive line coach Jason Menu were both on their way to the field when they heard the news of the accident.
“We were just telling them all year, when adversity hits, it’s like you got to choose what kind of man you want to be and whether or not you want to fight or lay down and roll over,” Greenidge said. “So we told the boys to keep fighting, and when challenges come our way we’re going to step up and fight them.”
Davis' 75-yard touchdown run tied the score at 7 after Daniel Odell opened the scoring for Eastport-South Manor (3-4) with a 4-yard touchdown run.
In the second quarter, Odell added a 2-yard touchdown run to give the Sharks a 14-7 lead with 1:09 until halftime, but Davis answered by returning the kickoff for a touchdown to tie the score entering the half. The score remained knotted into the fourth quarter when Davis and senior quarterback Charlie Corwin broke it open.
Corwin connected with Charlie Stern for a 21-yard touchdown to take the lead with 9:01 left. Just over two minutes later, Davis took a 60-yard run to the house, his third home-run score of the day.
“It was a win for Coach,” Davis said.
Corwin’s 10-yard touchdown run with 2:52 left iced the game for the Bonackers, who ended the day on a high note despite the devastating start.
McKee, 59, said he called the team via FaceTime following the game, causing a roar of elation from the Bonackers.
“It was awesome to see that he’s OK and to be able to get that win for him,” Corwin said.
“That was for you, brother,” athletic director Kathy Masterson told McKee. “That was for you.”
With Tara Smith
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
