Sports

Today in sports: Busy day on the gridiron

GARRET MEADE FILE PHOTO | Charles Bartlett leads the Riverhead Blue Waves against Walt Whitman this afternoon.

The Riverhead Blue Waves may soon forget what it’s like to play a game on Saturday.

For the second straight week the Blue Waves will play a mid-week afternoon game. Things turned out OK last Wednesday when the Blue Waves outgunned the Half Hollow Hills East Thunderbirds to remain unbeaten at 4-0.

Today at 3:30 p.m. the Blue Waves travel to Walt Whitman for what could be one of the less stressful games for Riverhead after several heart-stopping wins early in the season. Whitman comes into the game at 2-2, with losses to East Islip (28-0) and Hills West (29-7) — both teams Riverhead has beaten.

Riverhead comes into the game averaging just over 43 points per game, thanks in large part to the dominant running attack led by Charles Bartlett, who has 14 touchdowns in four games. He rushed for a career-high five last week.

The Riverhead News-Review will be providing live updates in an interactive chat right here, so be sure to check back to follow along if you can’t make the trip west.

In Division IV at 5 p.m. Shoreham-Wading River will look to make it 4-1 when the Wildcats travel to The Stony Brook School. The Bears have dropped their last two games after opening the season with two wins. They lost 34-7 at Port Jefferson last week.

The Wildcats knocked off Hampton Bays 24-14 last week.

In the nightcap at 7 p.m. McGann-Mercy heads to Hampton Bays in search of a third straight victory. The Monarchs shut out Southampton on homecoming last Saturday. A win against the Baymen (1-3) and the Monarchs can start entertaining the idea of grabbing one of those final playoff spots. The Monarchs are currently ninth in power points, one spot out of the playoffs.

The schedule certainly toughens for Mercy after tomorrow. The Monarchs’ next two games come against Mount Sinai and Shoreham, making Thursday’s game all the more crucial.

Check back tonight for a full recap of the Mercy-Hampton Bays game.

The rest of Thursday’s schedule is as follows:

FIELD HOCKEY

Pierson (3-3) at Riverhead (2-4), 4:30 p.m.

Miller Place (5-3) at Shoreham-Wading River (7-1), 4 p.m.

BOYS GOLF

Shelter Island (5-3) at Riverhead (1-5) (Cherry Creek), 4 p.m.

Mattituck (7-0) at McGann-Mercy (2-5) (Olde Vine), 4 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER

Riverhead (2-4) at North Babylon (6-2), 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER

Stony Brook (3-6) at McGann-Mercy (1-6-1), 4:30 p.m.

SWR (3-2) at Bayport-Blue Point (5-3), 4 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS

Hampton Bays (2-9) at Riverhead (7-3), 3:30 p.m.

SWR (7-4) at Center Moriches (0-10), 4:30 p.m.

McGann-Mercy (9-2)  at John Glenn (0-9), 4 p.m.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Mount Sinai (3-1) at SWR (4-3), 4 p.m.