Football: SWR makes quick work of first-round playoff foe
Run a play, score a touchdown. Run a play, score a touchdown.
It was a familiar script early in Shoreham-Wading River’s playoff opening victory over Hampton Bays Friday night. The Wildcats scored three touchdowns on their first four plays from scrimmage to roll to a 35-7 victory at Thomas Cutinella Memorial Field.
The No. 2 Wildcats had little trouble over the seventh-seeded Baymen, a team they beat a week earlier 41-0.
And now, the real season begins for the Wildcats (7-2) as they attempt to defend their Suffolk County and Long Island crowns.
The Wildcats return home next week to face No. 3 Miller Place, a team Shoreham defeated 27-14 earlier this year.
Friday night’s victory was the ninth straight Division IV playoff win for the Wildcats. They’ll need three more to match the success of the past two years.
The Wildcats scored 28 points in the first quarter, two of which came on runs by senior running back Chris Gray. He increased his season total to 23 touchdowns. He also intercepted a pass.
It was a relatively easy night for Gray, who carried the ball only three times. He scored on runs of 30 and 48 yards.
Senior quarterback Kevin Cutinella threw two touchdowns, the first on a screen pass left to senior Jalen Wright, who took the ball up the left sideline for a 35-yard score that made it 14-0. Cutinella threw a second score on a 20-yard pass to senior Daniel Cassidy for the final touchdown of the first quarter.
Junior Kyle Boden added a 15-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter that made it 35-0.
Shoreham coach Matt Millheiser relied mostly on the second string after that. The Wildcats were aiming for a third straight shutout, but Hampton Bays broke through an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter by Colin Smith.
The Baymen finish the season 4-5.
