Waves face Sachem North in round one of field hockey playoffs

Sometimes your best just isn’t enough.

In a sport like field hockey when the game stops more often than it freely flows because of fouls, momentum is hard to come by. Played on a 100-yard field, scoring opportunities in field hockey just don’t come along too often. The game is essentially won in the midfield. The team that holds possession the longest usually has the best chance of winning.

One goal could win a game.

The Blue Waves were 9-3 in Division II with two games left to play when Newfield came to town sporting a 7-5 record. They had beaten Riverhead earlier in the season 4-3 in overtime. A victory this time around would have given Riverhead double-digit league wins for the first time in history and guaranteed a home playoff game for the first round of the playoffs.

But even though the Blue Waves dominated all aspects of the game, winning more penalty corners than their opponent and controlling the pace of the game, Newfield capitalized on one long ball deflection for the lone goal. Riverhead couldn’t find the back of the net; you can call it an opportunity missed.  (See story.)

The final game was against (12-1) Smithtown East and though a win was less likely, it was still possible. A win would have vaulted the Blue Waves up the standings to guarantee a home playoff game in the first round, something that’s never happened in Riverhead’s history.

They played the game in a torrential downpour. There was no lightning and because it was the end of the season with just days before the start of playoffs, the game had to be played. Maria Dillingham returned from an injury and immediately made an impact. The team looked as smooth as ever. Passes were connecting from one side of the field to the other. The Blue Waves were in control. The Smithtown East coach screamed out, “You’re embarrassing yourselves out there girls!”

At halftime the score was 0-0. Riverhead was tied with one of the best teams in the county. It was easily the best game they played all season. But every time an opportunity to score presented itself, the Blue Waves came up empty.

As the game continued, the field became more muddy and the girls began to slip. When one Smithtown East player went down face-first with 20 minutes to play, the referee called the game based on unplayable field conditions. It was still 0-0. But the game couldn’t end in a tie. They had to finish it the following day. Coach Cheryl Walsh-Edwards had to make a choice, either finish it at Riverhead and risk the referees forfeiting the game because of unplayable field conditions or play it at a neutral site.

Not feeling confident in the home field, Walsh-Edwards chose the latter. The game would be played at Eastport-South Manor High School under the lights on a turf field. Walsh-Edwards calls her team more of a grass team and playing away from home definitely posed a disadvantage. The game started the way it ended and Blue Waves were in total control from the get-go. They kept forcing penalty corners but couldn’t buy a goal. Sooner or later, the first-place team would score; it was inevitable. And on a penalty corner, the Bulls launched a ball inside the circle where it was deflected into the goal for the first point of the game with 10 minutes to play.

Riverhead never responded. The Blue Waves played perhaps the best hockey they had played all season but because they just could not score, their playoff seeding was heavily impacted.

Two heartbreaking 1-0 losses to end the season positioned the Riverhead girls field hockey team at the No. 9 spot in the Class A playoffs. Playing to a 9-5 record in Division II, they’ll now matchup against No. 8 Sachem North in Sachem.

Sachem North finished fourth in Division I with a 12-2 league record.

If there was a team in Riverhead’s history that could win a playoff game, it’s this one. Walsh-Edwards has said all along that this team was the best team she’s ever coached. This is the year.

It all comes down to Saturday afternoon. Game time: 3:30 p.m.

Editor’s note: Game time was changed to 3:30 p.m. due to the administration of ACT exams today.