Football playoffs: Simco, Cheatom lead Waves to 44-21 win over Colts

And Riverhead’s playoff run lives to see another day.

The defending Suffolk County champion Blue Waves, entering this postseason as the number one seed, made easy work of their first opponent, Half Hollow Hills West, in the qualifying round on Saturday by the score of 44-21.

“This was another wall that we had to get over,” head coach Leif Shay said. “We got over this wall and then there’s going to be another wall and another until the champion is crowned.”

The Blue Waves are up for the challenge; there’s no wall high enough to break apart the Blue Wave family.

“We fight like brothers and we win like brothers,” middle linebacker Mike Van Bommel said. “This team is so unified. We always have each other’s back through thick and thin.”

Kenny Simco started at quarterback for the second consecutive game and left his fingerprints all over it. Before the game, halfback Jeremiah Cheatom said that Simco would have a huge impact and the quarterback didn’t make a liar out of him.

Simco scored three touchdowns, one through the air and two on the ground. The Blue Waves were near the goal line on both rushing touchdowns, where Simco snuck it in himself.

He didn’t have a bad day passing the rock either, completing 10 of his 14 passing attempts.

When asked whether he envisioned having more rushing touchdowns than Cheatom, Simco said:

“I really didn’t think I could get two rushing touchdowns with Cheatom in the backfield but he set up everything for us.”

Cheatom, despite only scoring one touchdown, was a force to be reckoned with. He refused to be brought down by the first tackler and often carried the pile forward only using his strong legs to gain an extra two to three yards.

He finished with 171 yards on 39 carries.

“He is just a hammer,” Shay said of Cheatom. “He just keeps hitting you and hitting you and then Ryun Moore comes in and gives a different look.”

Moore had a big day as well, rushing for 85 yards.

But the team is still hoping Cody Smith makes it back from his eye injury as fast as possible. He said that his eye had a “tear” on the inside and that it was still causing blurriness.

“We’re dying to get Cody back and I know he’s doing everything he can to get back,” Shay said.

Even Simco, who’s taking advantage of his opportunity, would like for Smith to get back.

“I’m praying for Cody,” Simco said. “This whole team is praying for Cody to come back.”

After scoring his third touchdown of the day on a play-action pass to Mike Van Bommel, Smith was the first to congratulate Simco as he got to the sideline.

“We got so close throughout the season,” Simco said. “We were working together every single week, every single day we were preparing for the game and we just got so close. He’s one of my closest friends and I want him to come back. This is his senior year.”

With the win, the Blue Waves now advance to the second round of the playoffs. No. 4 West Islip lost to No. 5 Newfield, 18-14 so the Wolverines are most likely the next Blue Wave opponent. They’ll return to action next Saturday at home for a 1 p.m start.

And being at home brings all sorts of advantages.

“People hate coming out to Riverhead,” Shay said. “They hate hearing that bell. They hate playing on our field with all the divots and they hate our crowd.”

“But I love it.”

The Blue Waves host No. 5 Newfield in the Division II semifinal next Saturday at 1 p.m.

RiverheadLOCAL photos by Emil Breitenbach Jr.
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RiverheadLOCAL photos by Peter Blasl
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{gallery}2013/slideshows/2013_1109_football_1{/gallery}