Wildcats’ rollercoaster football season comes to a bittersweet end

Shoreham-Wading River carved up defenses all year long with their dual rushing attack of Kieran Clifford and Liam Kershis, but it was a different duo that shined Saturday night in the Suffolk County Class IV championship game.

Playing in front of a big crowd at Kenneth P. LaValle Athletic Stadium, Bayport-Blue Point’s Dan Aiello ripped through the Wildcat defense, rushing for 162 yards and his quarterback counterpart Maclin Keyser added another 87 yards on the ground. The pair accounted for six Bayport-Blue Point touchdowns en route to a 49-14 victory to send the undefeated Phantoms to the Class IV Long Island championship.

Shoreham-Wading River (8-3) was held scoreless until late in the fourth quarter by a stout Bayport-Blue Point defense. Aiello impacted the game on both sides of the ball. In addition to his three rushing touchdowns, which he scored back-to-back-to-back to start the game, the senior also returned an interception 99 yards for a pick-six. 

The Wildcats’ struggles on offense were apparent as many drives stalled after just a few plays. But they finally broke through on a 27-yard pass by Clifford to Kershis in the fourth quarter. Kershis would score again before the end of the game on a 21-yard catch.

It was a bittersweet ending for a Shoreham-Wading River team that defied the odds after a lackluster start to the season. The team started 1-2 with losses against John Glenn and Bayport-Blue Point, and a spot in the Suffolk County championship didn’t look to be in the cards. But behind a punishing offensive line and a shifty rushing attack that featured Kershis and Clifford along with brothers Mike and Sean Casey, the Wildcats won seven games in a row, including an 18-point comeback thriller in the semifinals against Babylon. 

Sean Casey, who was battling a stress fracture in his foot and had to sit out against Babylon, did suit up for the Long Island championship and played in the first quarter before getting removed and never returning. The wide receiver/running back was seen on the sideline working on his foot trying to get it to a point where he could play, but it just wasn’t getting any better.

Kershis finished the season with 13 rushing and four receiving touchdowns. The senior put the team on his back, acting as the workhorse running back for most of the season. In the fast-tempo Wildcat offense, he never shied away from taking multiple rushing attempts in a row to punish the opposing defense. Clifford, who started the season as a wide receiver, scored two receiving touchdowns before throwing for eight TDs as the quarterback and rushing for seven others. The Casey brothers combined for 17 touchdowns over the course the season. 

The Wildcats took a major step forward after finishing 4-4 and losing in the first round of the playoffs last year. That 18-point comeback against Babylon to make it to the Suffolk County championship showed the true heart of this team. In the end, it was just Bayport-Blue Point’s year. The Phantoms (11-0) will face off against Seaford (10-1) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in the Long Island Championship game at Stony Brook University.