Blue Waves win PAL football titles

A blue wave crashed through the Police Athletic League on Sunday, sending a clear message – Riverhead is back.

More spectators filled the stands and lined the fences than at any varsity football game this season to see two PAL football championship games. The 10-and-under Riverhead Blue Waves were taking on West Islip and the 11-and-under team followed right after against West Babylon at the Pulaski Street Sports Complex.

Riverhead has been struggling on the varsity level for years following the COVID budget cuts and two former championship-team members have vowed to turn it around, starting at the youth levels. Former standout tight end/defensive end on the 2003 championship team, Mike Heigh, coaches the 10-year olds and former electric receiver on the undefeated 2008 title team, Rasheen Moore, coaches the 11-year olds.

Both squads won their respective championship games in what looks like a big step toward restoring Riverhead football. Neither game was close: the 10-year old team defeated West Islip, 28-0 and the 11-year old team beat West Babylon, 22-6.

“It’s our mission here at the PAL level to win back our community and regain parent’s trust in our program,” Heigh said. “I take it very personal after growing up here with all the success we had and seeing parents take their kid out of the district for better opportunities. We have the athletes, we just need the parents to buy in and that’s exactly what’s happening now.”

From the first play of the game, the 10u Blue Waves set the tone. Quarterback Miller Sumwalt faked a handoff and kept it himself, taking the ball all the way to the endzone on a 65-yard scamper. 

Riverhead never let up. After Jah’Kari Booker came up with a sack to force a West Islip turnover, Willie Martin chugged his way into the endzone on a 55-yard run from scrimmage. The Blue Waves defense, which was fierce all game, forced a fumble in the next possession which was then picked up by Raskeem Gamble and taken to the house for a 95-yard touchdown. Brendan Murphy scored the final Blue Wave touchdown in the fourth quarter.

“It’s hard when our varsity team is losing because it doesn’t give the younger kids something to look up to,” Heigh said. “We’re trying to bring that winning mentality back to Riverhead. We’re dedicated as coaches and we know that the kids that we have here just need the right mentors to get this thing back on track.”

Heigh even keeps some of the major parts of varsity football in the youth leagues such as the hammer award. Leif Shay, arguably the most successful football coach in Riverhead school history, created the award to recognize the player who delivered the biggest hit of the game. That player’s name would then be painted on the hammer and the award continued throughout the season. Though the hammer is much smaller in PAL, it’s always carried out pregame by the captains.

“We want to make it as close to varsity as possible in the sense of the culture we grew up in,” Heigh said. “We keep them together year round. We’re building that winning mentality and we coach these kids up hard so that way when they do get to varsity, they’re all on the same page. It’s always been one big family for us growing up here on the football field. I think we’ve lost some of that in recent years.”

Though the 11u team allowed West Babylon to hang around for the first half, the Blue Waves were eventually able to pull away behind the elite running of halfback Jayveon Hopkins.

Much like the 10u team, Hopkins scored on the first play of the game, outpacing the defenders by multiple strides. West Babylon had their hands full trying to tackle the shifty Hopkins all game.

After Riverhead forced a fumble to start the second half, it was Hopkins that found a crease and extended Riverhead’s lead to 16-6. With West Babylon trying to manufacture some points to get back in the game, the Blue Waves forced yet another fumble to take over possession.

“These kids worked their butts off all year long and the results are showing,” Moore said. “Look around and see how much of the community came out to support us. They believe in what we’re doing here.”

Riverhead was stuck in a 3rd and 15 on the following offensive possession, and needed one big play to pretty much seal the game. Quarterback Ryan Shields slung it across the middle to Lucas Levesque who earned the first down with the catch. Then it was Hopkins turn again as he found the endzone after shifting gears in the middle of the field, breaking a few tackles and tip toeing his way along the sideline. 

After the game, each player was given a championship ring. And as Moore handed them out, he took his time to thank every player for their contribution this season.

“It’s not easy getting yelled at by a coach all season long,” Moore said. “I just wanted to let them know that I appreciate each and every one of them. They all played a part this year and they worked hard to earn this championship. Success doesn’t happen overnight.”

Though they’re years away from getting to the varsity level, winning two championships in back-to-back age groups bodes well for the future. The hope is that they all stay together.

“What we needed at the PAL level was to get the parents to buy in,” Heigh said. “We have the right coaches in place to set the kids up for a successful athletic future. We’re slowly going to bring this program back – one age group at a time.”