Blue Waves Go For Long Island Championship Friday

Spirits are high as the Riverhead Blue Waves travel to Hofstra University on Friday for the Long Island Championship game against Carey High School, the Division II Nassau County champs.

The game takes place at 4:30 p.m. at Hoftra University, for the Class II Long Island Championship. 

A recent victory by the Blue Waves has community spirit soaring in Riverhead.

After the varsity football team seized the Division II Suffolk County Championship title on Friday, school officials and family, friends and residents are cheering on their hometown heroes.

On Friday, Riverhead faced off against East Islip, and won with a final score of 20 to 14.

Crowds cheered as Ryan Hubbard returned East Islip's punt with an 84-yard run and a touchdown with just six seconds left on the clock.

"The Blue Wave’s victory has truly lifted the spirits of this community," Riverhead School Superintendent Nancy Carney said. "They came into the Suffolk County Championship game against an East Islip team that is physically bigger than they are. The coaching staff knew that they needed to find a way to overcome this and capitalize on our athletes’ tremendous talents. They were able to do this."

Carney added, "In true Blue Wave spirit, they never stopped fighting.  With just over 30 seconds left in the game and the score tied at 14-14, most of the crowd was preparing for overtime. But then Ryan Hubbard had an 80+ yard punt return for a touchdown that left only six seconds on the clock.  The Blue Waves fought until the end. It is what they do. We are so proud of them."

Share your photos of the game by emailing Lisa.Finn@patch.com.