Richards, Rodriguez lead revived Seaford
Seaford's Alex Rodriguez takes a hit at the Nassau High School Conference IV Football game with Seaford and Roosevelt. (Oct. 21, 2011) Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
Call it a fluke, a testament or a curse. But when Seaford plays Roosevelt, don't call it a tossup.
Joe Richards rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries and Alex Rodriguez ran for 44 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries Friday as host Seaford beat Roosevelt, 21-6, for the seventh straight time in Nassau Conference IV. The last time Roosevelt (5-2) beat Seaford (4-3) was in 2005, the Vikings last loss before beginning a 44-game Nassau winning streak that ended earlier this season.
"Alex Rodriguez is the fastest kid I've ever seen," Richards said. "He's small but he packs a punch. I just lower my shoulder and run as hard as I can. I'm not that fast, but I'll knock you back a couple yards."
Roosevelt's Erin Parker, who entered the game as Nassau's leading rusher, was held to just 10 yards on six carries and the offense as a whole never clicked.
"It was heart and hard work," Seaford coach Rob Perpall said. "I told them they hadn't played four quarters yet this year. But they did it tonight."
Eight points or less separated Seaford from the winner in each of its three losses, but there would be no fourth quarter meltdown this time. With Roosevelt down by 15 in the fourth, the Rough Riders had a fourth-and-goal at the 2-yard line. But quarterback Robert Sweeney suffered his second sack of the night, ending Roosevelt's best late chance to score with 7:51 left.
Seaford scored on its first two possessions. A 6:19 drive to begin the game was capped by Rodriguez's 1-yard touchdown run. In the second quarter, Richards punched the ball in from the 1 to give Seaford a 14-0 lead with 10:52 left in the half.
Roosevelt finally struck on its ensuing possession. On the first play from scrimmage, Sweeney completed a 48-yard pass to Teddy Santana at the 1- yard line, and Manny Jones took care of the rest, slipping into the end zone with 9:59 left in the second. But any momentum Roosevelt had picked up was quickly erased on Seaford's next possession, a 10-play, 47-yard drive capped by Rodriguez's 5-yard touchdown run.
"We're a young team and we're learning as we go," Richards said. "But we're starting to get back to Seaford football."
