Makings of Another Championship Season?

Makings of Another Championship Season?

In 2008 the Riverhead Blue Waves won the Long Island Championship.  As a result, the following season, they were picked as the number one seed in the preseason rankings, despite losing more than a handful of their stars.  A number one seed, determined by votes placed by the head coaches in the division,  means a tougher schedule.  The schedule is formed by the preseason rankings.  If you're a team in the middle of the pack,  you will play the four teams ahead of you in the the rankings as well as the four teams below to compose an 8 game season.  As a number one seed,  you have to play the 8 teams that follow you in the rankings, which leaves the worst teams out of your schedule as there are 12 teams in the division.  

The 2009 Blue Waves finished the season 7-3 losing a heartbreaker in a playoff game located in East Islip.  They weren't deserving of a number one seed, lost a few games, and ended up getting a less than stellar playoff seeding.  Had they been ranked something like number three in the preseason, lesser opponents could have been scheduled and a better record could have been a result.  This year's number one seed was pure.  This team is completely different, the Riverhead Blue Waves are coming off an average season ending in the first round of the playoffs with a 6-3 record. Their number one seed this year is based solely on their ability to succeed with great players they have returning along with the great coaching they receive year upon year by Coach Leif Shay.

Last year, the game between Riverhead and West Babylon wasn't exactly close.  Though both teams were undefeated (5-0), it was West Babylon that made the statement, winning 41-6  leaving Riverhead in the dust, essentially putting the first cracks in the floorboard that the Blue Waves eventually fell through finishing the season losing the next 2 out of 3 games.

It was apparent that this year's West Babylon team wasn't ready to play as soon as they pressed their cleats into Mike Mckillop field.  Coming off the long bus ride from West Babylon, the team seemed tired.  A warm-up jog to get the blood flowing, looked more like an evening stroll.  As the players went through the motions of stretching and warming up, it was unusually quiet with the exception of a designed yelling exercise in warm-up.  Leaving the locker room, the Babylonians were in a march.  A slow pace by their steps brought anticipation to the spectators.  Ironically, there was nothing to anticipate, as West Babylon got blown out 42-0.  

Though the Blue Waves were clearly prepared for the game, the preparations for their entrance weren't .  As the Blue Waves made their walk to the game field, a crucial piece of historical significance was missing,  the banner.  The blue waves traditionally walk to the banner, in which they run through, to the tunes of AC-DC's Hells Bells.  Not only was the song not playing,  the banner was nowhere in sight.  The Blue Waves waited patiently as the banner was brought out.  As soon as the banner came up, the wind ripped it open.  As frustrating as it was, a simple pre-game dysfunction was not going to have an effect on what the Blue Waves were set out to do.

With last year's loss to West Babylon fresh in the player's minds, the Blue Waves racked up 504 yards in offense.  Bringing memories back from the Miguel Maysonet era,  the 2nd team offense took the field with 6 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.  Running Back Jeremiah Cheatom ran the ball 11 times compiling 159 yards while scoring two touchdowns.  Quarterback  Ryan Bitzer completed 7 of 12 passes for 147 yards while being involved in two touchdowns himself.  The offense didn't commit a turnover, while the defense picked off 4 passes, two by cornerback Jeff Pittman.  As great as the offense was, the real statement was made by the defense.  Not only did the defense shut out West Babylon, they never even came within 30 yards of scoring.

Next week the Riverhead Blue Waves (1-0) play the West Islip Lions (1-0) in West Islip in a match-up of the two most promising teams in Division II.