Football playoffs: Half Hollow Hills West ends Riverhead’s season, 28-13

For the first time in three years, the school bus carrying Riverhead’s football players at this point in the season drove past the victory bell.

Riverhead (7-3) will not be going to Stony Brook University this year.

A physically healthy and a mentally fierce (9-1) Half Hollow Hills West team, who beat the Blue Waves earlier in the season 42-28, beat them again in the Suffolk County Division II semifinal, 28-13.

But though head coach Leif Shay tried to keep spirits high, it was hard for some, harder for others. This senior class did special things for Riverhead football. Raheem Brown and Ethan Greenidge have two Suffolk County championship rings to show for their efforts, missing out on a third for their final varsity season.

“This season was about resiliency,” Shay said. “They taught me more about resiliency than I could have taught them. Every game, they had to fight through something.”

Greenidge and Brown were the last two Blue Waves on the sidelines, sitting down next to each other on the bench, their helmets on the ground, as the rest of the team boarded the bus.

Brown’s final fight as a member of the football team was his tears.

“I didn’t want the season to end this way,” Brown said. “But we still finished with a bang. And that’s how I wanted to go out. People will remember this group of seniors.”

Greenidge, who will be heading to Villanova University on scholarship, echoed Brown.

“This is real tough,” Greenidge said. “All the hard work in the summer, all the hours we put in, seemed like it went to waste but in reality it really didn’t. I made a lot of friends on this team — a lot of brothers for life. And I don’t feel like this season was a waste at all. We made it far and we lost a few players on the way. Football isn’t all about winning; it’s about family and being together.”

Ryun Moore, the junior Blue Wave feature back, was sidelined with a concussion. Brown and Marcus Reid split carries in his place. Coach Shay prepared to start Moore up until Friday.

“He told us five minutes before Friday’s practice that he can’t play after going to a doctor’s appointment,” Shay said. “So obviously he took the snaps all week at running back leaving us little time to get them ready to play.”

Riverhead’s running game never got going in the game. In the first five offensive drives of the game, the Blue Waves couldn’t muster a first down. And when a team that revolves their offense around the run can’t run, they’re going to have a long day.

Though their offensive failures were evident, the Blue Waves still went into half only down 6-0. And after a game-changing interception by defensive end Troy Trent in the third quarter, spotting the ball near the goal line, Brown punched it into the end zone with Greenidge at fullback to take the lead 7-6.

But Hills West answered back. And then again. And again.

Ray Lyte scored two touchdowns and rushed for 197 yards for the Colts.

The Colts will face the East Islip Redmen in the Suffolk County championship. East Islip beat No.1 Bellport in the other semifinal.

RiverheadLOCAL photos by Emil Breitenbach Jr.