Football: In toughest test of season, SWR prevails over Glenn
It’s with good reason that an opposing defense focuses so much of its attention on Shoreham-Wading River’s Chris Rosati. After all, the senior running back leads Long Island in rushing touchdowns this season. Every time he touches the ball, he’s a threat to break a touchdown.
John Glenn, a 5-0 team coming into Saturday that figured to be the toughest competition in Division IV for Shoreham this season, knew quite well the threat Rosati posed.
And while the Knights managed to do what no other team has — keep Rosati out of the end zone — it still wasn’t enough to out-duel the defending Long Island champions.
Behind a two-touchdown game from senior Jon Constant and a stout defense that bottled up Glenn’s high-powered offense, the Wildcats prevailed 21-6 against the Knights at Rocky Point High School in a rematch of last year’s county championship.
Shoreham improved to 7-0 heading into next week’s bye. The Wildcats extended their overall win streak to 19 games and can close out a second straight undefeated regular season when they return to action against Center Moriches on Oct. 31.
Constant delivered the big blows in this game, scoring on runs of 47 and 49 yards. He tallied 130 yards on seven carries on a day where moving the ball was no easy task against a strong Glenn defensive line.
He scored on identical plays, both of which started with a fake to Rosati. With the defense leaning one direction, Constant took a handoff the opposite way, found an opening and took care of the rest. His first touchdown came with 2:55 left in the second quarter. He broke a tackle at the 40-yard line and had nothing but daylight ahead of him up the left sideline. An extra point from Dan Mahoney put the Wildcats in front, 7-6.
“The offense has evolved into a couple guys,” said Shoreham coach Matt Millheiser. “It’s not all just Chris Rosati, as much as he has a lot of touchdowns and a lot of yards, when you look at it we’ve had a lot of other guys carry the ball and today was Jon’s time to shine.”
Glenn (5-1) had scored earlier in the quarter on a 2-yard pass from Wayne White to Shihan Rudyk. The seven-play, 48-yard drive was set up off a Shoreham turnover. The extra point attempt was blocked.
It was the first time the Wildcats have trailed in a game this season. It didn’t last for long.
The Wildcats wore down the Knights as the game went on. Constant broke his second touchdown with 1:05 left in the third quarter to make it 14-6.
The defense held strong and the Wildacts put the game away with an 11-play drive in the fourth quarter that ended with quarterback Jason Curran scoring on a six-yard keeper with 1:21 left.
The only bad news for Shoreham was that Curran injured his left knee on the play. He had it wrapped in ice after the game and Millheiser said he would be evaluated by a doctor.
The Wildcats will have some time to heal with the upcoming bye. The first round of the playoffs is still three weeks away.
The Wildcats were facing a team that had been averaging 44.6 points per game coming into Saturday. The Knights’ best option throughout the game came down to White scrambling for yards at quarterback. The Knights were unsuccessful passing the ball and running back Chris Forsberg was limited to 24 yards on 10 carries.
White threw two interceptions, the final one with 20 seconds left when Joe Miller picked him off.
On a day where he didn’t have a highlight run, Rosati pounded out hard yards. He picked up 53 yards on 17 carries.
Curran finished with 74 yards on 12 carries.
NOTES:
The game was played at Rocky Point High School because of ongoing construction on Shoreham’s new turf field.
The Wildcats wore yellow jerseys with “Tommy Tough” written across the chest.
The Wildcats had their run of 14 consecutive games of scoring at least 34 points snapped.
Shoreham is now 4-1 against Glenn since 2012. The two teams appear destined to meet once again in the county finals.
Photo Caption: Fans filled the bleachers at Rocky Point High School, Shoreham’s temporary home, for Saturday’s Division IV showdown against Glenn. (Credit: Joe Werkmeister)
