QB Mike Varela leads Lindenhurst through the wind in quarterfinal win

Mike Varela was diligent in preparing for this football season. The Lindenhurst senior was to become the starting quarterback for a program that had just won a Long Island Championship. And so he and his receivers went to the field almost daily to work on their timing and routes. As Varela explained, “the goal this season was to throw for as many touchdowns as possible and win as many games as possible.”

On Saturday, it was obvious how well Varela’s preparation paid off. Despite a stiff autumn wind that left it’s impression on both teams, he threw for 122 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score as the No. 2 Bulldogs handled No. 7 Smithtown East, 35-7, in a Suffolk II quarterfinal football game at Lindenhurst’s Kienle Memorial Field.

Varela was forced to throw all short passes because of the elements, yet still was 17-for-24 passing with three TDs to JC Canobbio, Mike Anderson and Jack Hogan. Anderson also had a touchdown run as the Bulldogs (7-2) scored three times in the final 9:15 of the game — when they had the wind at their backs — to salt away the win.

“The wind was a big topic all week and you might have thought we’d have to change things up from our passing game,” Varela said. “But we stuck to our guns, I stuck to my mechanics, and it all worked out."

Lindenhurst, which won the Long Island Class I championship last season, might be taking on the look of a champion again this season. They have won six of seven, with only a 17-14 loss to West Islip in the mix. However, the reason Lindy can shoot high is its relentless defense. Over the past five games, the Bulldogs have allowed just 8.6 points per contest.

“Our defense has been our lifesaver all season," coach Nick Lombardo said. “It was lights out today for certain.”

Indeed it was. Lindenhurst piled up 11 sacks with an array of blitzing that stifled Smithtown East (6-3). Will Ruckert, Rob Commisso, Sunkonmi Agunloye, Hogan and Dean Morreale all had sacks and spent a huge part of the afternoon in the Bulls' backfield.

“It was a lot of fun with all the sacks,” Ruckert said. “Getting a sack is one of the best feelings you can get on a football field.”

The Bulldogs needed 12 plays to go 41 yards in the first quarter, including Varela’s 7-yard TD pass to Cannobio. Because of the wind, Varela’s six complete passes during the drive averaged just 7.7 yards per catch.

In the third quarter, a snap over the quarterback's head was recovered by Commisso on Smithtown East's 16-yard line. Three plays later, Anderson caught a 15-yard TD pass from Varela.

Smithtown East got on the board late in the third when it had the wind. Kevin Melore hit a diving James Peters with a 5-yard touchdown pass with 14.9 seconds left in the period. Lindenhurst’s ensuing possession ended with a punt, but the kick was fumbled and Artur Garmatiuk recovered on the Bulls' 11. Two plays later, Varela hit Hogan with an 11-yard TD pass.

Smithown East, in the postseason under first-year coach Stephen Costello, couldn’t get anything going with the wind in its face after that.

“We as a team played our best game of the season today,” Morreale said. “I see us as getting better every week, and if that’s the case, there’s no reason we can’t think about winning championships. We all believe we can.”

“The way we played on both sides of the ball today? We are playing our best football,” Varela said. “We just can’t lose our focus.”