Down 27, Lions roar back 30 straight points erase 27-0 deficit for Lawrence White caps comeback on TD pass from Corona
Sarra, Gregg. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 09 Sep 2012:
One of the great comebacks in Suffolk football history unfolded yesterday at Clifton LaPlatney Field in Bay Shore. You had to be there to believe it.
Sophomore halfback Isiah White’s 15-yard catch and dash for the end zone with the winning score capped an unfathomable 30-point rally as Longwood erased a 27-point third quarter deficit and came back for a stirring 30-27 victory over Bay Shore in a Suffolk I opener.
The winning score came on fourth-and-3, the second Lions touchdown to come on fourth down during the comeback. White caught a short pass from Kyle Corona, followed two blocks on the edge and outran the secondary to the end zone.
“I could feel the momentum shift late in the third quarter,” said Corona, who engineered four straight scoring drives, including three in the final 8:47. “They scouted us well and shut us down in the first half but our coaches made some key adjustments and we made big plays at the end. Our guys were in great condition and there was never any quit in the team.”
Bay Shore quarterback Jake Sheets had thrown for two scores, a 35-yarder to Joel Nunez and a 42-yarder to McKinley Skinner, and rushed for another as the Marauders built the 27-point third quarter lead.
“Our guys believed in the process and each other and played hard for 48 minutes,” said first-year Longwood coach Aden Smith. “What an incredible comeback.”
Longwood‘s first score came when White capped a 12-play, 68-yard drive with a 2-yard scoring run with 2:45 left in the third. The run served to avert the shutout – but something much more was brewing. The score on fourth down didn’t sound any alarms on the Bay Shore sideline. But it should have.
Bay Shore went three-and out for the first time and Corona then directed a 10-play, 56-yard drive as Elijah Green scored on a 2-yard run to make it 27-14 with 8:47 left. Now there was concern on the Bay Shore sideline and for good reason.
“We were fired up and they were gassed,” White said. “We were feeling it.”
“We were in control,” said Bay Shore coach Jim Giattino. “We were playing real well and then a complete momentum shift. What a heartbreaker.”
On the next series, Longwood stopped a fourth down conversion try and the Lions took over at their 25. “Our defense came up with a big stop in our end of the field,” Corona said.
On first down, Corona hit Serenity Bishop with a 25-yard pass and three plays later Dyshawn Taylor broke two tackles and scored on a 14-yard run to make it 27-21 with 4:50 left.
“I followed a great block,” Taylor said. “And then I had to drive through a tackler or two and into the end zone.”
Taylor’s scoring run set up White’s heroics on the final play of the game. To get to White’s run, Longwood needed a spectacular diving 12-yard catch by wideout Rich Wickwire for a first down at the Bay Shore 21.
“The throw came in low as I crossed the middle and I had to dive,” Wickwire said.
Said Corona, “It was a great catch, he saved me. He made the play of the game.”
Every play in the final 15 minutes held special meaning in an unlikely and unforgettable win.
SUFFOLK I: Longwood wins it
Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 16 Sep 2012:
Longwood 28, Brentwood 12: Isaiah White had 107 yards on 22 carries and two TDs for Longwood (2-0). Kenneth George had two sacks and Darrell Jones had two interceptions. Brentwood is 0-2.
L – White 10 run (Aponza kick)
L – Taylor 5 run (Aponza kick)
L – Corona 37 run (Aponza kick)
B – Harris 40 pass from Hall (kick failed)
B – Harris 30 pass from Hall (run failed)
L – White 2 run (Aponza kick)
McKean tosses 3 TDs Connetquot wears down Longwood with long drives And ‘D’ does the rest as Thunderbirds start 3-0
Ronis, Adam. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 22 Sep 2012
Connetquot had three drives of at least nine plays in the first half that amounted to no points. While the scoreboard showed nothing, it left the Longwooddefense on the field for a long time and it paid off later.
Brian McKean threw three touchdown passes on three of the next four drives that went three, three and one play as Connetquot dominated host Longwood in a 27-0 victory Friday night in Suffolk I football.
McKean came out throwing and didn’t connect with his receivers early on. As the game went on, he got into a rhythm and wasn’t afraid to throw the ball into tight windows. His receivers often made tough catches with defenders close by.
“The receivers we have are great,” McKean said. “They made great plays and it makes me look good.”
On the second play from scrimmage to open the second half, Will Kistinger intercepted a pass. Three plays later, Mc – Kean hit James Higgins for an 11-yard TD to give Connetquot (3-0) a 13-0 lead.
Later in the quarter, it took one play for Connetquot to score when McKean found Tyler Nason, who caught the ball with a defender on him and went 32 yards for a score with 6:32 left to make it 20-0.
While McKean and the offense clicked in the second half, the T-Birds’ defense dominated Longwood (2-1).
“The defense and special teams won us this game,” Connetquot coach Mike Hansen said.
The defense scored the final TD on a 30-yard fumble return by Sean Moore with 1:01 remaining.
Connetquot had the ball for the majority of the first half but it appeared it would amount to nothing.
Then McKean made a play. He dropped the ball, picked it up, scrambled to his right and connected with Brian Lorentsen in the end zone for a 9-yard score as the half ended to give the T-Birds a 7-0 lead.
Connetquot was 1-7 last season and has surprised many early on, especially with a win over Floyd in Week 1.
“I knew they had it in them,” Hansen said. “We had some question marks, but the players have developed well and are off to a good start.”
Floyd 38, Longwood 6: A.J. Otranto completed 13 of 19 passes for 252 yards and threw three of his four TD passes in the first half to lead Floyd (3-1) over Longwood (2-2). Jawan Genkins made four catches for 73 yards and two TDs. Marc Coles made six tackles. Sept. 30
F – Genkins 15 pass from Otranto (Hurtado kick)
F – Genkins 12 pass from Otranto (Hurtado kick)
F – Nash 21 pass from Otranto (Hurtado kick)
F – Faison 56 run (Hurtado kick)
L – White 2 run (kick failed)
F – FG Hurtado 28
F – Nash 69 pass from Otranto (Hurtado kick)
Casali runs wild: 289 yards, 3 TDs Carries Sachem East on scoring runs of 74, 50, 34
Herzog, Bob. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 06 Oct 2012:
There was blood behind his ear. His eye black had smeared across his sweat-streaked face. His white jersey and pants were covered in mud and stained with grass. Steven Casali looked like he’d been in a brutal fight. But here’s the punch line: You should have seen the other guy.
Casali rushed for 289 yards and three touchdowns, made 14 authoritative tackles, forced three fumbles and recovered one to lead Sachem East to a gritty 25-17 victory over host Longwood last night in Middle Island.
“I just love the game,” said Casali, who accepted a scholarship to play linebacker at Division I Massachusetts. “This was about mental toughness. It was a war out there. Longwood played an awesome game and a physical game.”
That’s an apt description for how Casali played. He quite literally put the Flaming Arrows (3-2) on his broad shoulders and carried them past the feisty Lions (2-3) in an important Suffolk I game. Longwood led 10-0 late in the second quarter before something clicked for Casali. He burst through the left side, followed a block from Mike Marchello and exploded down the left sideline, shredding some tacklers and outrunning the rest for a 74-yard touchdown run that got Sachem East back into the game.
“We got smacked in the mouth by Longwood and Steven got mad,” Sachem East coach Mark Wojciechowski said. “He’s a special kid and a humble kid, but when he gets mad, he turns into the Incredible Hulk.”
He certainly ran and tackled like a super hero. On Sachem East’s first play from scrimmage in the second half, Casali again followed Marchello and blocking back Ryan Dippel for a 50-yard scoring run and a 13-10 lead. The Lions then caught a huge break when a poor snap on a Sachem East punt gave them possession at the East 5 and Dashawn Taylor, who scored on a 65-yard run in the first quarter, scored for a 17-13 Longwood lead with 2:53 left in the third.
Presumably, that made Casali mad once again. His 30-yard run moved the Arrows to the Longwood 20. On the next play, quarterback Danny Wolff faked to Casali – the defense understandably bit hard – and hit Dippel open down the middle for a TD and a 19-17 advantage.
After Casali made another huge tackle on third down, Longwood punted and five plays later, Casali went 34 yards for the clinching touchdown. “I’m a big guy and they don’t think I can run fast,” Casali said. “But I’ve been working on my speed. I can run.”
He said he was recruited at UMass to play linebacker, despite his 4.55 speed and power as a running back. “I’ll play either side of the ball,” Casali said, “but I have to say I like defense better. I love to hit people.”
Commack 18, Longwood 3: John Donovan had 194 yards and two TDs on 18 carries to lead Commack (4-2). Paulie Maline had six catches for 103 yards and a TD. Ryan Heizman was 8 of 16 for 126 yards and rushed for 48 yards on 6 carries. Willie Monroy added 11 carries for 78 yards. Rob Rosciano had 14 tackles. Oct. 14
Sachem North 35, Longwood 21: Tyler Andreassi ran for 115 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries to lead Sachem North (5-2) over Longwood (2-5). Sophomore Kevin Bragaglia added 105 yards on 10 carries. Malik Pierre ran for 98 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. Andreassi led the defense with seven tackles and a fumble recovery. Bragaglia and Chris Biryla both had interceptions. Oct. 21
Longwood 30, Central Islip 24: Isiah White scored on a 9-yard run with 2:24 left in the game as Longwood (3-5) scored 30 unanswered points to win in Suffolk I. White scored on an 11-yard run in the third quarter to pull Longwood within 24-8. Richard Wickwire scored on a 26-yard pass from Matthew McKeon in the fourth quarter and White scored on a 6-yard run to tie the score at 24. Central Islip is 0-4. Oct. 28
CI – Hawkins 11 run (Dees pass from Hawkins)
CI – FG Fuentes 33
CI – Louissaint 53 pass from Hawkins (Perez kick)
CI – Hawkins 1 run (kick failed)
L – White 11 run (White run)
L – Wickwire 26 pass from McKeon (White run)
L – White 6 run (White run)
L – White 9 run (run failed)
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