In Riverhead’s first possession on Senior Day at Coach Mike Mckillop Field, halfback Jeremiah Cheatom ran the ball three times bringing up a fourth-and-two in West Islip territory. He took the handoff yet another time and was stuffed one yard short of the first down. West Islip’s sideline jumped in jubilation and along with its fans, unleashed a hungry fierce roar.
It was going to be that type of game from the start. With both teams atop Division II with a 5-1 record, an important question would ultimately be answered: Who is number one?
Riverhead (6-1) answered the bell. Or rang it for that matter — 33 times — as they defeated West Islip 33-21.
But at halftime, the Blue Waves were actually down 14-13.
“Me and two offensive lineman had a very nice conversation [at halftime],” head coach Leif Shay said. “At the end of the conversation, their play definitely improved.”
And Cheatom would no longer be held back. Even though he already had 93 yards with a 48-yard touchdown at the half, the second half showed no mercy for the soon-to-be-drowning West Islip lions (5-2).
“We all got into our linemen’s ears because they were having a hard time in the first half. I wasn’t getting wide enough holes,” Cheatom said. “But the second half, they really picked it up. And it wasn’t just the line, our receivers were out there blocking too.”
Cheatom went on to score two more touchdowns, tallying 248 yards to send the Lions home packing.
With the final seconds ticking off the clock, the Blue Wave crowd, filled with euphoria, started chanting: “Start — the — buses. Start — the — buses.”
Throughout the interview, Cheatom was congratulated by fans, family and teammates. Some of his teammates shouted out, pointing to Cheatom saying: “That’s the best running back in the county right there.”
He certainly made his case Saturday afternoon, carrying the ball for 40 carries.
In response to his stats Cheatom said: “Forty carries? It didn’t even feel like that many.”
“That’s the great thing about having a workhorse back like that and I’m sure any team would kill to have him,” Shay said. “I would tell him, ‘Hey Jeremiah, we’re going to give you 40 carries today’ and he would smile and say ‘OK’ or ‘Jeremiah we’re going to give you 50 carries’ and he would just smile and say ‘OK’. He’s just that type of player.”
Shay calls a Cheatom run back-to-back-to-back but it doesn’t faze him. Sure, he gets tired but so does the defense. And the uptempo Riverhead offense took it to West Islip.
“My adrenaline just kept me going,” Cheatom said. “This was our last regular season home game for us seniors.”
Though it was senior day, the play of sophomore Ryun Moore couldn’t go unnoticed. He led the defense with eight tackles, forced a fumble and recovered another.
“Ryun Moore is going to be one of the best players we’ve had here for a long time,” Shay said. “He’s only a sophomore and he’s only getting better.”
On one occasion, West Islip’s Sam Ilario hit a wide open receiver down the middle of the field, where the safety should have been. Moore, despite trailing the receiver by a stride or two caught up and dislodged the ball before Steven Reid jumped on it, deflating the Lions onslaught.
“He wasn’t even his man,” Shay said of the receiver who caught the ball.
“I thought I had coverage behind me but I didn’t,” Moore said. “And when I felt him go passed me, I had to make it up. I came around the opposite side of him, where he tucked the ball away and took a swipe at it as hard as I could. That’s where your mindset has to be at that point.”
Riverhead scored its first touchdown of the game on a trick play. Cody Smith pitched the ball to Cheatom who then gave it to backup quarterback Kenny Simco, who was lined up as a wide receiver.
“It was easy to bring him in on that play because West Islip had an injury,” Shay said. “It was something that we planned to do.”
Simco, leaving his play calling duties aside for one play, then launched a pass downfield to Daren Jefferson who secured the 30-yard touchdown. Cody Smith scored the other touchdown on a one-yard QB sneak.
West Islip’s quarterback Sam Ilario scored all three Lions touchdowns.
And so, with the win, the power rankings should agree that the Blue Waves will be in first place come Monday morning. But there’s one game left in the season so nothing is set in stone.
Riverhead travels to Newfield (5-2) next Saturday for a 1:30 p.m game.
“There’s been some hostility between our team and Newfield for the past couple of years,” Cheatom said. “But it’s our last game and we’re going for those power points.”
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