Missed Opportunities and Turnovers Sink the Blue Waves

Missed Opportunities and Turnovers Sink the Blue Waves


Riverhead Blue Waves: 13
West Islip Lions: 16

With less than a minute in the game, the Blue Waves had the ball.  Starting their drive at their own 30 yard line, the score was tied 13-13.  After an entire game of high octane running by Running Back Jeremiah Cheatom (26 carries for 145 yards), Coach Leif Shea decided to go for the win, relying on the arm of quarterback Ryan Bitzer (18-33, 191 yards).

After completing two passes consecutively, the Blue Waves had the ball on their own 41 yard line.  The first play in the final series of downs for Riverhead was a roll-out pass.  As Bitzer rolled out of the pocket, seeing all his receivers covered, he decided to throw the ball out of bounds preserving precious time.  The next play, Bitzer hit tight end Vinny Brodeur coming across the middle of the field for a completion netting the team 5 yards.  Faced with a third and 5, Bitzer dropped back once again, in hopes of finding an open receiver.  With nobody open, he threw the ball out of bounds.  

Only using about 20 seconds of the 50 seconds they had, the Blue Waves sent out their punt team, which featured hard-hitting middle linebacker Nick Ross as the punter.  Ross, earlier in the game, delivered the best punt he had all season.  The punt traveled over 50 yards and after bouncing a few times, it was picked up by gunner Brian Funfgeld at the West Islip 1 yard line.  With 30 seconds left in the clock, Riverhead was ready to punt, the restless West Islip defense jumped early, causing a Blue Wave to flinch.  Being that the defense never entered the neutral zone,  the Blue Waves were called for the false start moving them back 5 yards.

The false start must have shaken up the blockers up front because the next play, West Islip senior James Murray, ran untouched straight at the punter.  Nick Ross, taking a few seconds to get his punt team down the field like always, took a second too long.  James Murray dove and with both of his hands, blocked the punt, sending the ball straight up in the air, leaving Ross on the ground holding his leg.  After spending a few seconds in the air, the ball hit the ground and it seemed as though nobody knew the punt was blocked.  Two West Islip players made a run at it, as it still was a live ball.  Luckily, the ball trickled out of bounds.

The Blue Waves weren't lucky at all.  They gave the ball to the Lions on the 22 yard-line, putting them in scoring position.  With 20 seconds left on the clock,  the Lions ran two plays bringing them to the 16 yard line.  On third down, West Islip decided to go for the win, they sent out their kicker Zach Hageman for a 36 yard field goal.  After an attempt of icing the kicker by calling a time-out, Hageman came out and nailed the kick through the uprights, sending a message to the Blue Waves: they are the team to beat in Suffolk's Division II.

If I told you that a team had 2 interceptions, 2 missed field goals, 2 fumbles on punt returns and a key injury to a player that starts on both sides of the ball, you would think they were on the short end of a colossal blowout.  This was not the case, although Riverhead had endured all the aforementioned failures, they still won the time of possession battle.  In fact, Riverhead spend most of the game either tied or ahead.  Riverhead was in control the entire game.  But repeated mental lapses in clutch situations proved costly.

Wide receiver/cornerack Jeff Pittman left the game because of an ankle injury in the 1st quarter.  He was able to get off by his own power but never returned to the game.  It was later confirmed that he had a high ankle sprain.  As soon as he left the game, the offense never looked the same.  His partner in crime, Quinn Funn, who also plays wide receiver and cornerback,  ended up becoming Bitzer's favorite target catching 9 passes for 120 yards.

The defense, despite allowing 16 points, looked strong.  Lead by leading tacklers, LB Nick Ross and LB Matthew Hejmej, the defense unit also recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass.  All in all, the defense kept the team in the game.  With lapses on the offensive side of the ball, West Islip started drives in Blue Wave territory leaving little room for error on the defensive side of things.  Had the Blue Waves won the turnover battle, they would have easily won the game.

The Riverhead Blue Waves (1-1) travel to North Babylon (2-0) next Saturday.