Troy Trent's blocked field goal gives Riverhead victory
Bellport's Nick Fountis has his last second field goal attempt blocked by Troy Trent on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014. Credit: Daniel De Mato
Twice the two teams stepped through globs of mud to line up for the field goal that would decide the game. Twice Riverhead called timeout.
Ostensibly, it was to ice Bellport's kicker, Nick Fountis, but really, everyone was freezing by that time from the steady, heavy rain, bone-chilling wind and mid-40s temperatures. Actually, there was a tactical reason for the timeouts. "We wanted to get everyone lined up properly," Riverhead defensive lineman Troy Trent said. "It was hectic with the bad weather."
When the ball was finally kicked, Riverhead's Ethan Greenidge occupied two blockers, allowing Trent to bust through the middle and block the 22-yard field-goal attempt, sealing the Blue Waves' 9-7 victory over host Bellport in a Suffolk II thriller-chiller.
"It was a heavy right formation and I just got through with my hands up," Trent said. "At the moment, knowing the time remaining, you get fired up."
The heat of the moment was the only kind generated Saturday in a tense defensive struggle that cost Bellport (7-1) an undefeated regular season and assured Riverhead (6-2) of a first-round home game. "We have a great rivalry with Bellport so this feels great," said Raheem Brown, his teeth chattering and his mud-caked body shivering.
Brown took an unlikely star turn, replacing the Blue Waves' star running back Ryun Moore, who had carried 19 times for 72 yards in a scoreless first half before suffering what Riverhead coach Leif Shay confirmed was a leg injury that kept him on the bench for the rest of the game.
Brown, a senior, responded with his best offensive game, churning out 95 yards on 21 carries, 81 in the second half. Brown scored on a 2-yard plunge for a 9-0 lead early in the fourth quarter, after a shanked punt gave Riverhead the ball at the Clippers' 19.
"It was all about stepping up for Ryun," said Brown, who acknowledged he had a contact lens problem in the first half that was corrected during the break. "We've got great backups on this team. If I couldn't go, someone else would have been ready."
Though Bellport had been held to just one first down and no points for the first 40:29 of the game, the Clippers took advantage of a short punt to move within 9-7 on a 14-yard TD pass from Fountis to Andrew Trent, Troy's cousin. Andrew also contributed an interception, two fumble recoveries and a blocked extra point.
Another short punt into the stiff wind, this one actually measuring minus-3 yards from scrimmage, set up the Clippers at the Riverhead 33 with 2:20 left. Jbarari M'bhaso carried for 20 of his 45 yards on the drive and Fountis had an 8-yard sneak up the middle to put the ball at the Riverhead 5.
That's when Troy leaped up and ruined his cousin's afternoon and Bellport's attempt at a perfect season. "He's a tremendous athlete," Troy said of Andrew. "We're close and we had a little back-and-forth on Twitter this week."
There was plenty of back-and-forth on a sloppy field in difficult playing conditions that put the defenses in control. The cold, hard facts: Bellport managed only 111 yards from scrimmage; Riverhead had 186. There was only one completed pass.
"Our defense was stellar," Shay said. "Then we got that big push at the end."
