SUFFOLK COUNTY DIVISION II SEMIFINAL | REDMEN 3, BLUE WAVES 0
Stuck in the mud
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ISLIP TERRACE -- In a game of missed chances, Sean Moller made the most of one last opportunity.
A desperate battle between two stubborn defenses on a wet, sloppy day was settled on the final play. Moller booted a 34-yard field goal with no time remaining to give the second-seeded East Islip Redmen a 3-0 victory over the No. 3 Riverhead Blue Waves in a Suffolk County Division II football semifinal on Saturday. East Islip (9-1) will play the No. 2 North Babylon Bulldogs (10-0) in the county final tomorrow night at Stony Brook University.
Moller, who had made a clutch field goal in his team's overtime win over the rival West Islip Lions in the quarterfinals, was asked if his field goal Saturday was the biggest one he has ever nailed.
"I would say last week was the biggest kick of my life, but it's up there," said Moller.
Moller, a senior who has put the ball between the uprights from as far as 52 yards away, is regarded as one of Long Island's top kickers.
"He's the best kicker on Long Island, I think," East Islip quarterback/defensive back Mike Rooney said. "You put any other kicker in that position two weeks in a row, I don't think they make it. That's why we have him on our team. He's my man. He's awesome."
"I think this is the toughest loss I ever had," said Riverhead punter/cornerback Joe Maglione.
Nothing could be taken for granted amid the treacherous conditions of East Islip's rain-soaked Sal Ciampi Field at Boomer Esiason Stadium. Each side punted only once, but turnovers were a factor. East Islip turned the ball over four times, three times on interceptions by Maglione, giving the senior eight for the season.
Riverhead's kicker, Mario Carrera, twice attempted field goals, but he hooked a 20-yarder wide in the second quarter and had a 27-yarder blocked by Eric Schmidt in the third quarter.
Moller, who also recovered a fumble, had lined up for a 37-yard field-goal attempt with less than four minutes to go in the game, but a bad snap never allowed him to get a foot on the ball.
On the next play, Riverhead's Malcolm Cater broke free for an impressive 20-yard run, dragging almost half of the East Islip defense on his back, but an illegal shift penalty brought the ball back, and the Blue Waves punted shortly after. East Islip gained possession at the Riverhead 48-yard line and marched to the 17 before calling timeout with five seconds left, setting up Moller's winning field goal.
What was going through Moller's mind before that kick?
"Honestly, nothing," he said. "I mean, my guys, I know no matter what happens, they're behind me. I'm in the huddle, they all looked at me and said: 'Hey, Sean, whatever happens, we love you. You miss it, you make it, whatever, we're always behind you.'ââ"
Twenty-five of the game's first 28 offensive plays belonged to Riverhead, but the Blue Waves were unable to translate them into points. In the second half, though, East Islip held the ball for 16 minutes 38 seconds to Riverhead's 7:22.
Riverhead squandered a golden chance to score when Christian Blank came up with a fumble that gave the Blue Waves the ball at the East Islip 24 at 9:09 of the first quarter. After runs by Greg Meyer converted two fourth-down plays on the drive, which reached the 1, Cater fumbled on a third-down play. Meyer came up with the ball, and Carrera trotted out for his first ill-fated field-goal attempt.
"We had our opportunities, and we did what we do all year -- we shoot ourselves in the foot," said Riverhead Coach Leif Shay, whose team was an undefeated Long Island champion last year. "We just kept continuing to hurt ourselves, and that was really the story of the game."
East Islip saw three of its drives end with interceptions by Maglione. On two of those drives, the Redmen had reached the Riverhead 24 and 29.
But it wasn't a day for offense. The two teams combined for only 309 yards of offense.
East Islip's defense posted a shutout with nine tackles apiece by Tyler Rigo and Schmidt. Rigo also recovered a fumble and defended against two passes.
Riverhead's defense, meanwhile, was spearheaded by Cater (12 tackles) and Owen Keupp (nine tackles).
"Our defense has been great all year," Shay said. "It's just that we have problems scoring in the red zone. That's been a thorn in our side all year."
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