Shoreham-Wading River football season ends with playoff loss to Bayport-Blue Point
After spending 31 years coaching the William Floyd varsity football team and winning 15 Suffolk County titles along the way, Paul Longo found his first season at Shoreham-Wading River to be a learning experience.
The Wildcats posted a 5-3 regular-season record and made the Suffolk County Division IV playoffs as the No. 7 seed. Their season ended Friday night at Bayport-Blue Point High School as the Phantoms — last season’s Long Island champions — took control of the game and never looked back, winning 42-6.
It was John Franchak’s night. The Bayport-Blue Point running back had 13 carries for 180 yards and three touchdowns. He also added an 82-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to start the second half.
“They’re a perennial powerhouse in this division,” Longo said. “Credit to them. They were the bigger, stronger, and faster team today.”
Coaching at a small school in Division IV is much different from coaching at one of the largest schools in Suffolk County. First, there are fewer athletes to choose from. Before the season, Longo wasn’t sure the school could field a junior varsity team, but his recruiting efforts helped fill the roster.
“That was one of the most important things I wanted to accomplish this season,” Longo said. “We wanted to make the playoffs, but we also wanted to make sure we had a JV team. Without a JV team, you can’t build a program.”
The Wildcats improved on last year’s 3-6 record despite roster issues and injuries and players’ commitments to other sports.
“It’s just nothing that I have been used to all these years,” Longo said. “If a top player goes down here, we really don’t have another guy. We used a wide receiver at running back for most of the season. But there are no excuses; we have to adapt.”
Though SWR beat Babylon, Wyandanch, Center Moriches, Greenport/Southold/Mattituck and Port Jefferson, the Wildcats struggled against some of the best teams in the division. In addition to the playoff loss, they also lost to Sayville, Mount Sinai and Glenn — teams that consistently put a winning product on the field.
“Our talent level is there,” Longo said. “We have great athletes here. But we need to get bigger. I think our size against some of these better schools is the difference maker. I think a full season of being in the weight room will make all the difference.”
Some of the big-time athletes returning next year are quarterback Noah Gregorek and wide receivers Gavin Cleary and Javon Wright, who were all major contributors this season. Wright had an effective game on the ground, running for 74 yards and scoring SWR’s lone touchdown in the playoff loss.
“We played two freshmen out there in the playoff game today, and I thought they played well,” Longo said. “The majority of this team is juniors, and I’m excited for what we can accomplish next year. This is just the start, and I’m proud of them. I’m proud of our seniors that stepped up and led the team, and I’m proud of everyone that bought into the system. We’ll be back.”
