Zach Kolodny, Dan Reiskin kick winning field goals with no time left for Farmingdale, Lawrence
Lawrence kicker Dan Reiskin follows through on a game-winning 27-yard field goal against Plainedge. (Nov. 23, 2013) Credit: James Escher
Dan Reiskin did for Lawrence what Zach Kolodny did earlier for Farmingdale.
Two game-winning field goals with no time remaining in two Nassau football finals Saturday at Hofstra's Shuart Stadium.
Reiskin's gave the Golden Tornadoes a 28-27 victory over Plainedge and the Nassau III crown. Kolodny's tiebreaking 32-yard kick for Farmingdale beat Massapequa, 29-26, in Nassau I.
"It's really one of the best story lines," said Reiskin, who attempted the Golden Tornadoes' first field goal since 2010. "When I kicked it, all I did was watch it go up, remained frozen, and saw the refs' hands go up. Then I went nuts."
Kolodny's winner capped a five-play drive that started at the Farmingdale 37-yard line. Reiskin's winner capped a 12-play drive that started at the Lawrence 25-yard line.
"Being part of history is amazing," said Reiskin, a senior in his first year of kicking after playing center midfield for the boys soccer team. "I was pretty confident because I've made a 57-yarder before in practice."
Lawrence first-year long- snapper Josiyah Green had all the confidence in the world in Reiskin. "I knew Reis could put the ball through," Green said. "No bad snaps. Once the ball got down, he got it up, and I knew it was good. Just get it done and go out as winners."
Green understood that "if the snap is good, everyone loves you," he said. "And if it's bad, everyone hates you."
Golden Tornadoes wide receiver Sean Moran was on the receiving end of a good snap as Lawrence's holder. "I didn't have anything to say to Danny," Moran said. "He knows that all he's got to do is keep his head down and do it. Nothing special. Couldn't have asked for a better finish."
Neither could Reiskin, who made an extra point on an earlier scoring drive in the fourth quarter. "As we were driving down the field there late, I looked around at my teammates and said to myself that this actually could come down to me," Reiskin said. "When I started walking onto the field, all my teammates said to me was 'I love you no matter what.' "
They love him even more now.
