Blue Waves football: Hills West 42, Riverhead 28

The Riverhead Blue Waves came up short in Dix Hills yesterday, where the Half Hollow Hills West Colts handed the defending Suffolk County champs their first loss of the 2014 season, 42-28.

The Colts drew first blood on a 30-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and an 89-yard run in the second, to go up 14-0. But the Waves fought back with two touchdown runs by Ryun Moore to tie it up at the half, 14-14. A touchdown carry by William Mitchell in the third quarter put the Waves ahead 21-14, but Riverhead would hold the lead only briefly — and for the last time in the game — as the Colts came right back to tie it 21 all with 4:45 left in the third. The Colts added 7 more points in the third on a 37-yard pass, to go ahead 28-21. But Riverhead answered with an 82-yard kickoff return to even the score at 28. Riverhead wasn’t able to add any more points to the scoreboard or stop the Colts from scoring two touchdowns in the fourth, for a 42-28 victory.

“It was two great football teams, we just came up short,” Riverhead Blue Waves head coach Leif Shay said after the game.

“The problem was we didn’t play smart and that’s what ended up killing us today,” Shay said.

Riverhead fell to 3-1 in Division II, as the Colts improved to 4-0. Bellport, also undefeated after week three and tied with Riverhead in power points before yesterday’s games, was scheduled to face Deer Park last night. The result of that game was not yet posted online.

With week four’s games pushed up to Wednesday due to the Yom Kippur holiday this weekend, the Waves have a long break before their next contest. They travel to Selden on Oct. 11 to take on Newfield (1-3) which won its first victory of the season yesterday in North Babylon, 28-13.

Caption (top photo): William Mitchell scored on an 82-yard kickoff return in the third quarter to tie the game up at 28. 

Photos and reporting by Emil Breitenbach Jr.