Seaford defeats Malverne in double overtime thriller

After all the twists and turns around Seaford’s turf, this roller coaster ride with Malverne Saturday was going to come to an end one way or another in double overtime.

Farvens Ulysse raced in for a 3-yard touchdown to bring Malverne within a point, and Coach Kito Lockwood decided to go for two.

“The rule of thumb I’ve been taught is on the road, you go for the win and not the tie,” Lockwood said. "I felt like the second round of the overtime, we did a good job up front. We were able to move the ball on the ground, which would’ve given us a good chance to have a successful two-point conversion … We didn’t get a chance to see.”

Quarterback Chad Wesley and running back Norman Brown, who had 197 yards on 32 carries, couldn’t connect on the handoff, and Aiden Calvacca recovered the fumble for Seaford in its 34-33 victory in Nassau Conference IV.

It left both teams at 4-2.

“I thought it was the right call,” Seaford coach Mike Corcoran said of Lockwood’s decision.

Sean Costello’s fourth touchdown run of the game, a 1-yard rush, followed by Jake Anzelone’s extra-point put the Vikings ahead 34-27 on the first possession of the second overtime. It added up to one exhilarating win, the Vikings’ third straight.

“It was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had in my life,” said Costello, who completed 11 of 15 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. “We came down with a couple of injuries earlier in the week to a bunch of key guys, but I knew the guys would step up . . . Props to Malverne. Such a great game.”

It was a heartbreaking experience for the Malverne players.

Lockwood said that football teaches them great life lessons. “Whether you win or lose, life goes on.”

The game was tied at 21 at the end of regulation and headed to overtime. The Mules’ first possession began at the Seaford 20 and Ulysse ended it by plowing ahead for a 1-yard score. But Malverne was unable to kick the PAT after a bad snap.

Costello countered for Seaford with a 4-yard touchdown run, but the extra-point attempt missed and it remained tied at 27.

“Regardless of what happened, I think my team is getting better week to week,” Corcoran said. “We’re a young team.”

Brown rushed eight times for 84 yards on a go-ahead drive early in the fourth. Wesley finished the drive with a 2-yard run to put Malverne up 21-14.

“Norm is the face of the program,” Lockwood said.

The Vikings, who constructed a 14-7 halftime lead on two short Costello touchdown runs, responded with a 72-yard journey and tied it at 21. Costello found Devin O’Donnell in the back of the end zone for an 8-yard score on fourth-and-4 with 4:50 left in regulation.

“It was really kind of do or die,” O’Donnell said. “Just fighting for every last yard.”