Football: SWR dominates in blowout win under the lights
WILDCATS 37, BEARS 7
On a night when nearly everything went right for Shoreham-Wading River, one of the few miscues came in the first quarter. The Wildcats already led 14-0 against The Stony Brook School when the Bears’ quarterback dropped back to pass on second-and-14.
As the ball neared the receiver, Shoreham defensive back Danny Hughes leveled him to the ground a moment before the ball arrived. A flag came flying in for pass interference.
As Hughes came back to the sideline, Shoreham coach Matt Millheiser asked him what happened.
listen“ ‘I was just so excited I wanted to hit him,’ ” Millheiser recalled Hughes telling him. “He goes, ‘I could have just stepped in front and picked it.’ ”
That kind of enthusiasm was evident throughout for Hughes in the Wildcats’ 37-7 win under the lights at Shoreham-Wading River High School. As the quarterback of the offense, Hughes’ main responsibility is to guide the offense.
But he still loves playing defense. And at a small school with a limited roster, the Wildcats need him on both ends.
“I love playing any position, any time,” Hughes said. “If I could get in a field goal I would.”
“As a coach, you panic every time your quarterback is out there making a tackle,” Millheiser said. “But it’s the name of the game. You got to let your best kids play.”
Hughes did the job on both sides of the field as the Wildcats rolled to the easy victory in front of a big crowd for Senior Pride Weekend, which featured portable lights for the second night game in as many years. The Wildcats wasted little time jumping ahead. On the first play from scrimmage, Tyler Anderson took a handoff in the backfield, found a hole on the right side and sprinted up the sideline for a 77-yard touchdown.
From there, things never got much better for the visiting Bears.
The Wildcats (2-1 Division IV) rebounded from a loss at Babylon in Week 2 with a dominant performance against the Bears. Shoreham scored touchdowns on its first five possessions, three of which came from Anderson, a senior running back.
Anderson rallied 110 yards on just six carries and scored rushing touchdowns the first two times he touched the ball. His second came on a 10-yard run that put the Wildcats ahead 14-0.
Hughes had a perfect night, completing all five passes for 124 yards. He threw two touchdown passes, a 13-yarder to Isreal Squires and a 59-yarder to Anderson for Shoreham’s final touchdown. On play-action, Hughes threw a short screen pass to Anderson, who accelerated past a defender up the left sideline for the score.
By the final possession of the second quarter, the Wildcats had their backups in on offense.
“Our line did a great job to open some huge holes,” Hughes said.
Sophomore Chris Rosati tallied 77 yards on six carries and had a 55-yard run, nearly breaking loose for a touchdown in the first quarter.
Squires had a rushing touchdown to go with his receiving touchdown. Kicker Zach McAuley was perfect on extra points, converting all five attempts.
The Bears fell to 0-3 in Division IV.
Shoreham returns to action next week with a tough challenge on the road at Mount Sinai. The Mustangs defeated the Wildcats twice last season, including in the playoffs.
“I think we made some corrections off the Babylon film,” Millheiser said. “I’m excited to get over there and get back against one of the top teams in the division and see if we can get a win.”
