“We haven’t had numbers like this since like 2019,” Mr. Benedetto said. “Now, there’s three to four guys competing for a varsity spot. The last few years, it was, if you fit the weight class, the spot was yours. You can’t breed competition until you have numbers.”

That competition and drive directly translated to results on Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Andrew Peers Memorial tournament at Walt Whitman High School. After a non-league match against Rocky Point on Friday, Dec. 5, didn’t go as well as they hoped, Riverhead dominated on Saturday.

“Great bounce back from Friday,” Benedetto said. “They wrestled through positions and wrestled to win. Need to keep the momentum going.”

The Blue Waves won the entire event, totaling 270 team points. The win featured five champions, including Jayden Glennerster (110-lbs), Kamel Coaxum (132), Luis Manuel Delacruz (150), Colby Baran (165) and William Stackevicius (190). Riverhead had nine total finalists.

“These kids are hungry,” Benedetto said. “They really want to do well. Before, maybe we had two or three guys that wanted to do well. Now the whole team wants it. They’re all pushing each other and it’s a great sight to see.”

Many wrestlers came back to the program after taking time off. Baran, who has mainly focused on golf, is back after taking a year off. Kevonte Newsom is back for his senior year after taking two years off. 

“I think part of it is seeing the success of all the other sports like basketball, softball and baseball,” Benedetto said. “Once kids see that attention, they want it too. Wrestling is one of those only sports that you can shine on an individual stage. Winning in wrestling is unmatched.”

Another major part of the wrestling resurgence, Benedetto said, is the recruitment at the middle school level. There are talks of reviving the Riverhead kids’ wrestling program. 

“It’s a great effort by middle school coaches,” he said. “We have a ton of freshmen in the program. Joe Gianotti is relentless at Pulaski Street as a phys-ed teacher, just breaking kids down and not leaving them alone until they sign up to wrestle.”

The current struggles in wrestling at Riverhead are directly related to the numbers. It’s hard to argue otherwise. Riverhead has a rich history of wrestling, having produced eight all-state wrestlers and dozens of county champions over the years.  

“If we have to forfeit every other match because we don’t have someone at that weight class, it’s tough to win,” Benedetto said. “It’s tough to keep the kids motivated knowing we don’t have a chance every night. We’re ahead on the scoreboard and then we have to forfeit three weight classes, and all of a sudden we’re behind.”

Now there are wrestle-offs in practice constantly. Spots are decided by what’s shown in practice. Every weight class is earned. Two of the best wrestlers in the program, Zach Gevinski and Christopher Ramos, are in the same weight division.

“Those guys are going to make themselves better every day in practice,” Benedetto said. “Let them decide who is the better wrestler for that starting spot. It’s only making them better and our program better, seeing competition like that. There’s nothing wrong with Riverhead taking first and second in the county for a given weight class.”

With the numbers hopefully on the up-and-up for the years to come, Benedetto has one main focus this season. 

“Get everyone a few tough, hard-fought wins,” Benedetto said. “Once they realize that the hard work translates to success, the sky is the limit. Wrestling is a slow, grinding progression. Winning a tough, 5-4 decision when the stakes are the highest is something everyone needs to feel. It’s a feeling that can’t be replicated. If we get them to feel like a few times, they’ll be chasing that feeling for the rest of their career.”

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Flash forward 24 years later and, effective Dec. 1, Ms. Edwards was officially named director of health, physical education and athletics at Riverhead Central Schools.

“When I saw the position open up, I knew I had to throw my hat in the ring,” Ms. Edwards said. “When you love athletics and you love education and you love being around kids, there’s no job better. It’s my dream job. And most importantly, Riverhead is home.”

After a lengthy interview process in the spring with Bob Hagen, Riverhead’s new superintendent of schools, and the board of education, seeing her phone ring with his name plastered on the screen this summer instantly brought mixed feelings.

“He started talking about how much of a great candidate I was and saying all these nice things about me,” Ms. Edwards said. “Listening to all this, I was waiting for the ‘but.’ I had already programmed myself to accept not getting the position that I didn’t realize, there was no ‘but.’ He just offered me the job.”

After graduating from Riverhead in 2001, Ms. Edwards starred for Springfield College in softball, playing catcher. She smacked 26 home runs in her collegiate career, which set a school record at the time. Following her playing career, she coached at the college level in the Boston area before coming back to Long Island.

“My whole family is here,” Ms. Edwards said. “Family always pulls you back, and that’s exactly what keeps me here today.”

Ms. Edwards accepted a position to coach Pierson in softball and field hockey. During her time there, the field hockey team won a New York State Championship for the first time in school history, and the softball team made it to the state championships three years in a row.

“It was a crazy time because once we started getting success in softball and field hockey, other teams started following suit,” she said. “Baseball started getting good, soccer, every sport wanted that taste of success. At that point, winning becomes the expectation, which is exactly the mentality I want to bring to Riverhead.”

In 2013, Ms. Edwards got an opportunity to head into the administrative field, accepting the assistant athletic director position at McGann-Mercy, a private school in Riverhead. That assistant tag didn’t last long as she fully took over the program shortly after. She held the position until the school closed its doors in 2018.

“While I was at Mercy, I realized this is the job I was meant to do,” Ms. Edwards said. “The opportunity to make an impact on kids across the board and give them a true chance at success was so fulfilling. I wanted nothing more than to do it again.”

She decided to go back to school and received her master’s degree in physical education from Adelphi University. Edwards then accepted a teaching job at Wantagh while being the assistant softball coach for a few years before most recently heading to East Hampton High School to coach their softball team. 

“No matter where I went, I always wanted to come back home,” Ms. Edwards said. “I live in Riverhead. I was born in Riverhead. This was always my end goal.”

When Hans Wiederkehr, Riverhead’s interim athletic director, first heard of the hiring and met Ms. Edwards, he knew instantly she was the right person for the job. 

“Energy,” Mr. Wiederkehr said. “If you don’t have energy in this position, you’re done. And if it’s not positive energy, it’s even worse. She has the energy, and she legitimately wants the best for Riverhead athletics. It’s not just talk. Nobody wants this more than her.”

Mr. Wiederkehr will stay on board to help with the transition and to build off of what’s been done already. The main focus has been on youth sports. In partnership with the booster clubs, youth sporting opportunities have skyrocketed in Riverhead.

There’s football, soccer, basketball, lacrosse — anything youth-related, it’s been started. Most recently, there’s been an emphasis on kid wrestling taking root again.

“Our buildings are full with kids’ sports every day of the week,” Mr. Wiederkehr said, showing off a detailed sheet on his desk. “Parents have stepped up. There’s many volunteers that are committed to turning things around, and both of us are committed to helping do that.”

Another thing Ms. Edwards plans on tackling is the playing fields. 

“We want to make this place pristine and top-notch like our athletes deserve here,” she said. “We’re working hard with the grounds crew to clean this place up. Every day, we have a new project.”

To Ms. Edwards, the budget cuts excuse is gone. There are no more excuses. Riverhead will succeed.

“The fact of the matter is I care,” she said. “This is my home. I know all these long-time Riverhead families. I want the best for this town, and I believe in this town. Riverhead athletics is changing. We’re already seeing major progress. All I want to do is foster that success and make it an expectation.”

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It was a tremendous turnaround for the program, but entering into a new season, Riverhead is looking to build on that success and prevent a year-two hangover.

“The main thing is, I need the kids to understand that it’s a new season,” Fabian said. “Just because we had success last year doesn’t mean we are obligated to have the same success this year. We still have to have the same mentality of playing hard for the whole 32 minutes, every game.”

This year presents a major hole in the lineup. Riverhead lost two of its stars to graduation in Liam Lennon and Deshawn Watkins. Lennon was the team captain and voice of the team. He provided size, heart and hustle. He led by example. Watkins was a threat to score every time he stepped on the court. He averaged 16.1 points per game and scored as many as 41 points on one occasion.

“Those are big shoes to fill,” Fabian said. “Those guys were leaders on our team. We have a lot of talent returning, and everyone is going to have to chip in to have success. We need our top guys to be the leaders this year.”

Three starters return to the unit from last year. Peter Lagnena is entering his final year as a Blue Wave and in scrimmages thus far has been lighting up the net from deep. The shooting guard averaged around 12 points per game last year and is going to be stepping into a major role this season.

“We’re doing our best to put the best product on the floor,” Lagnena said. “We’ve all been working hard all off-season, trying to get better and blend together as a team. We’re truly a family on and off the court.”

Anaiis Mitchell, who has been the facilitator at the point guard spot since his freshman year, will need to take on the scoring load in his junior season. He’s shown flashes of his ability to get inside and finish strong at the rim — occasionally throwing down dunks in transition. He scored as many as 21 in a game last season. 

“I’ve always been a pass-first point guard,” Mitchell said. “I love to get everybody involved in the offense. But losing two of our big scorers, we all need to get more aggressive, including myself. I think we got a lot of great players this year and can find the same success if we believe in ourselves.”

In the off-season leagues, Landon Zaleski stepped up as a major contributor in the scoring column. He routinely scored 20 points a game by hitting outside jumpers and finding his way into the paint. A junior this year, Zaleski will be a major part of this offense and defense. 

Two transfers headline this year’s team. Josiah Rodney, who previously played at Riverhead before transferring to Southampton last year, is back this year. In his senior season, he’ll be able to score with the best of them and provide that key player inside for crucial rebounds. Arnezz Rountree, a guard from Bellport, will round out the starting five for Fabian. He’s got scoring ability, hustle and bounce.

“We definitely missed Josiah last year, so we’re thrilled he’s back with us,” Fabian said. “We expect him to be a major contributor. He can score off the ball and run the floor well. Arnezz is a flat-out true basketball player. He’s got a motor. He’s long. He’s lanky. He’s fast, and he works really hard.”

A major change this year has been the interest level in basketball in general. This year, the varsity team has 16 players and the JV team has 18. 

“The buzz is back in school,” Lagnena said. “People want to be on a winning team. I think last year showed what we can do and more want to be a part of it.”

Fabian couldn’t go deep in his bench last year and had to rely on the starters to play big minutes. In big games, the starting five would stay out the entire 32 minutes, barring foul trouble. By the end of the game, legs were gone, but they pushed through.

“We truly have depth now,” Fabian said. “I don’t mind going 9 or 10 deep in a game now. It’s going to be a massive difference in our ability to finish games. I have confidence in all the guys on the team.”

Also expected to be major contributors who played big minutes last year are Jack Bartolo and Sentrell Hires. The rotation is still being worked out, but everybody will have a role.

“Our job as returners is to make everyone feel comfortable,” Mitchell said. “The faster we can get a feel for what everyone’s role is going to be, the faster we’ll be able to find success. We did a great job this off-season figuring out what we have. Now we just need to put it all together.”

Riverhead opens its season on Thursday, Dec. 4, in a non-league home game against Ward Melville at 4:30 p.m.

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Eddie Bedell, 18, has officially been part of the scouting world since he was in first grade. He started in a troop in Riverhead that his mom, Emily, led before heading to Wading River and East Hampton, ultimately finishing his scouting tenure with a troop in West Islip. Despite what the paperwork may say, Mr. Bedell was truly a scout from birth. He was meant for this — it was in his blood.

“My family has always been big into scouting,” Mr. Bedell said. “My mom got the highest rank in the Girl Scouts. My grandpa was a pack leader in East Hampton. All my uncles were in scouting. It was inevitable that I would follow in their footsteps.”

Over the years, Mr. Bedell worked hard to earn badges every time he attended a camp. Attaining Eagle Scout wasn’t always something he desired, but as the badges started to pile up and he grew older, it became apparent that the highest rank was within reach.

There are numerous requirements to be considered an Eagle Scout. One of them is that a scout must earn at least 21 merit badges in total, with 14 of them specifically tied to Eagle Scout requirements. Some of these required badges include personal fitness, communication, family life, first aid and even cooking. During his time with the scouts, Mr. Bedell earned 34 badges.

“The badges are really geared towards your interests, which I thought was super cool,” he said. “But the required badges definitely challenged me, including the one that had me conquer my fear of public speaking. Everything you do in Scouts translates to the real world. You learn so much and truly become a well-rounded individual.”

A scout also has to serve in a leadership position for at least six months, demonstrate Scout Spirit, attend a Scoutmaster conference, complete a significant community service project and then take part in a final Eagle Scout board of review.

Mr. Bedell took his time deciding what to do for the community service project was something. His intention was to leave a lasting impact on the town he grew up in.

“I wanted to do something at Aquebogue Elementary School,” Mr. Bedell said. “I had so many great memories there as a kid. Some of the best teachers I ever had were in that school.”

His first idea was to create a raised garden bed, but that was shut down because of it being a potential tripping hazard. While walking around the playground at Aquebogue, Mr. Bedell noticed that the picnic table by the trees that was there when he was a child had become dilapidated. Creating a new table became the first part of his contributions to Aquebogue.

“I wanted something that would last long, so I used composite,” he said. “I also made it wheelchair accessible because I feel like people with disabilities aren’t seen enough. I made it octagon-shaped, so now they can pull right up to the table and have someone to the left and right of them.”

Mr. Bedell was also inspired to make a bench in commemoration of his favorite teacher, Keri Stromski, who was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer and passed away at age 48 in 2021.

“I was always very close with the Stromskis,” he said. “She was a teacher in Aquebogue, but I was also in Troop 161 with her son. I wanted to honor her. She loved Winnie-the-Pooh in her classrooms, so I chose a Winnie-the-Pooh quote.“

Mr. Bedell’s bench that sits by the back of the school reads, “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.” 

It’s a quote that he took and held on to his entire life.

Eagle Scout has to be reached before the scout’s 18th birthday. Mr. Bedell got all the requirements completed a week before he turned 18.

“It was a long road with a lot of steps and paperwork, but I’m glad I stuck with it and reached Eagle,” he said. “It’s a major achievement, and I’m proud to be able to say that I did it.”

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Riverhead Boys Basketball

Riverhead Girls Basketball

SWR Boys Basketball

Head Coach: Kevin Culhane (18 years)

Last Season: [10-10] (5-9 League VI), missed playoffs

Key Returnees: Zach Makarewicz, 11, guard; Tyler Lievre, 10, guard; Max Boerum, 12 forward; Carter Baumeister, 12 forward; James Cook, 12, guard

Key Losses: Dylan McClelland, Jack McInnis

First Game: Friday, Dec. 5: Westhampton Beach at Shoreham-Wading River, 6:30 p.m.

“Out of all the years I’ve coached here, I think this team may have one of the best in terms of talent,” coach Kevin Culhane said in the summer. “I’ve had some great teams, but if we can put it together like I think we could, we might have a special year and surprise a few teams.”

The Wildcats can score with the best of them. Any one of their starting five is capable of making a major contribution on the scoreboard. They’ll rely on the hot hand on a game-by-game basis.

SWR Girls Basketball

Head Coach: Chris Coster (first year)

Last Season: [18-2] (14-2 League VI), Suffolk County Class A Semifinals Loss

Key Returnees: Kady Keegan, 12, guard; Anabel Keegan, 12, forward; Shealyn Varbero, 11, guard; Leslie Jablonski, 12, guard

Key Losses: Alyssa Bell, Grayce Kitchen, Morgan Lesiewicz

First Game: Thursday, Dec. 4: Mattituck at Shoreham-Wading River, 4 p.m.

For the first time in two decades, Shoreham-Wading River girls varsity coach Adam Lievre will no longer be on the sidelines. Lievre coached the team to the school’s first Suffolk County championship in 2023 and was close to winning another in subsequent years. He decided to step away from the team to spend more time with his two sons — one of whom (Tyler) plays on the boys varsity team. Chris Coster steps into a polished program and will try to continue the legacy Lievre leaves behind. 

Losing one of their best scorers, Alyssa Bell, to graduation, the Wildcats will need to fill the scoring gap left behind to remain competitive. Shoreham-Wading River always retools and rebuilds year after year.  Their athletes always shine when the lights are the brightest.

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When I grew up in Riverhead, as a son of two Polish immigrants, football wasn’t something I was interested in playing. I played PAL soccer early on, and then got into little league baseball and CYO basketball as I grew older. But something in me was always curious about the sport because of the town I grew up in.

Back then, every Saturday during the fall, the stands at Coach Mike McKillop Memorial Field were packed with spectators. Cow bells echoed down Pulaski Street as the football team crashed through the Blue Waves banner and onto the field to the tune of ACDC’s “Hells Bells.” Being on the football team was a big deal. 

I remember watching crazy legs Eddie Wansor at quarterback, the bruiser Mike Owen at halfback and soft-hands Mike Heigh at tight end in 2003 when they won the Suffolk County championship at Stony Brook University. I was in the stands — watching with pride and admiration. Longtime radio voice of the Blue Waves Pat Kelly took me along to watch the game, as I was very good friends with his son. 

It was mind-boggling for me to see the support this town gave its football team. It wasn’t just family in the crowd at Stony Brook University. It was regular town residents, alumni, students — anyone with any connection to Riverhead, they were there. That’s how much it meant to everyone. There’s nowhere else they’d rather be on a Saturday. 

Though I played some football in middle school to try to be like my idols, being so new to the sport, I decided it wasn’t for me. I continued watching the games, seeing guys like Miguel Maysonet, Tyler Gilliam, Andrew Smith, Timmy Velys, Rasheen Moore and countless others find success.

So, my junior year in 2007, I decided to give it another go. It was the best decision I ever made. The memories I made that season will last a lifetime. 

Even though I was a newcomer, I was brought right into the brotherhood. There’s no team sport like football. Everybody has a role, from the headliner to the last person on the bench. It was the first time I understood what it meant to be on a team.

We practiced hard. Coach Leif Shay was strict and expected nothing but perfection. If one person on the team messed up, we all paid for it. We had to hold each other accountable. If you were on time, you were late — a philosophy I still hold in my life today. 

The 2008 group I was a part of was coached up since they were kids. They already built the foundation from youth football. It was led by parents who were committed and all in. By the time they were all on varsity, we had a shot at greatness.

I wanted nothing more than to be like my idols and win a Suffolk County championship. As the wins began to stack up, the potential of doing just that became a reality. We not only won the Suffolk County championship that season, but we were the first team in Riverhead history to win a Long Island championship.

When I tell you we were rock stars, that was an understatement. When we won it all, there were thousands of people at the Liberty Bell at Pulaski Street elementary school to ring off the 42 points we scored on Elmont. As we pulled up with a police escort, people were honking their horns, cheering, crying — it was like a movie. All the blood, sweat and tears paid off. Those guys will be my brothers for life, and it was only my first season.

Riverhead went on to win two more Suffolk County championships in 2012 and 2013.

The next big group was supposed to come through, but then COVID hit, austerity measures shocked the district, cutting sports and forcing parents to leave. We’ve been picking up the pieces ever since. 

It’s been a while since Riverhead was the team to beat for football, but we’re a football town. We’re due.

The coaches are committed to bringing that back from the bottom levels to the top. There are champions at every level coaching the youth. When I speak to the parents at those lower levels, they’re committed. Those groups of parents and kids need to lead the charge and not leave the district. The talent is here. They will become those idols for the next generation and so forth. 

But even though there have been championships won in PAL football, some parents have still decided to move based on the varsity team’s performance. Why not be the change and lead the charge to bring this program back to its glory days? Winning a championship with your friends will always mean more than winning a championship with complete strangers. 

It takes a village to turn things around. And we have it. Anyone with any association with Riverhead will tell you — we all bleed blue.

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Though Duff left the district to attend St. Anthony’s when sports were cut after two failed budgets, he continues to put Riverhead’s homegrown talent on the map. Though his high school may say St. Anthony’s on his bio, his hometown of Riverhead is right there next to it.

The 6-foot-6 wide receiver left his mark at St. Anthony’s, finishing with 132 catches for 2,606 yards and 26 touchdowns in his career. All three categories were the highest in school history. He helped St. Anthony’s win its first ever NYCHSFL Championship during his junior season. 

After becoming the No. 1 football recruit in all of New York, Duff had the luxury of sifting through nearly 40 collegiate scholarship offers. He eventually settled on Rutgers University to continue his athletic and academic career. Though many schools saw him as more of a tight end, Rutgers gave him their word he would play wide receiver there, which helped sway his decision. Ian Strong, Duff’s high school teammate, had committed to Rutgers a year earlier, so there was instant familiarity in the wide receiver room.

Now in his sophomore season at Rutgers, Duff has played his way onto the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, which is presented to the nation’s most outstanding college football receiver. With his size and speed, he’s a nightmare matchup for any defense — too fast for a linebacker and too big for a cornerback. 

On Oct. 25, he brought in six catches for a career-high 241 yards and a touchdown in a win over Purdue. That was the second-highest receiving total in school history. Through 10 games this season, Duff has corralled 53 passes for 923 yards and scored six touchdowns. The 923 yards receiving is good for fifth in all of the NCAA. 

Playing in the Big 10 conference, Duff plays against the best of the best. Rutgers currently holds a 5-5 record and is one win away from becoming bowl eligible. They will face off against Ohio State and Penn State to finish out the season. 

Even though he’s hundreds of miles away, Duff donates to the Riverhead PAL football program year after year. 

“Riverhead will always be my home,” Duff said after signing the national letter of intent with Rutgers two years ago. “I’ll never forget where I came from.”

He’s stuck to his word. The PAL program says there’s also been talk of him doing a skills camp in town. 

Still only 19 years old, Duff will be eligible for the NFL after his junior collegiate season. Ethan Greenidge, an offensive lineman who starred at Villanova University, is the most recent home-grown Riverhead talent to make it to the NFL. Every indication thus far points to Duff being the next. 

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“Hey, I get it, it’s a results kind of business,” Riverhead athletic director Hans Wiederkehr said. “But beyond the scoreboard, things are changing. Kids are committed to getting better. Don [Nelson] is doing a great job bringing pride and accountability back. It’s going to take time. I know we’re all tired of hearing that, but the proof at the lower levels is there. And though maybe we didn’t get a win on varsity this year, those kids worked hard as hell and will be the foundation of what’s to come.”

Coach Nelson is committed to turning things around. This is the town he grew up in. This is the team he suited up for. But the change can’t happen without a focus on the youth programs. 

During one of the Riverhead football parents’ meetings this year, the seniors on the team were asked how many of them played PAL football growing up — only two players raised their hands. 

“We have a lot of things working against us,” Nelson said. “We have a varsity team with only 24 players and most of them picked up the sport late. We got guys playing both ways and getting exhausted against teams that have 40-50 guys on their roster and can keep their guys fresh. It’s not an excuse, it’s just reality.”

The football foundation at Riverhead has been building for the last few years. The youth programs are winning. Last year, the 10- and 11-year-old PAL football teams won championships in their respective divisions. This year, almost every team made the playoffs. Former Riverhead alum, Mike Heigh, who won the Zellner Award for the most outstanding lineman in Suffolk County in 2003 and won a Suffolk County championship at Riverhead as a player, has been involved in the PAL program, holding various titles over the past 15 years. He has witnessed a major change.

“The people in charge the last three years at the PAL level are committed to building every kid on the team, not just theirs,” Heigh said. “The sixth and seventh graders we have now have what it takes to win it all, if not at the very least put our name back on the map. They’re all being coached by guys that had success here as players. We’re here for the kids. We want nothing more than to bring Riverhead back to where we once were. We just need the parents to believe and have patience.”

Though the football program is still building, it’s hard to ignore what major steps have already been taken across all the other sports. And it’s being led by parents and kids that have decided to stay here and spearhead a renaissance. 

Riverhead softball won its first Suffolk County championship last year in school history. Riverhead baseball made the playoffs for the first time in 10 years last year. They hadn’t won a playoff game in 20 years. Last year, they won two. Riverhead boys basketball made the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and won its first-round playoff game.

The Riverhead boys’ golf team has won six consecutive league titles and advanced to the Suffolk County team semifinals in three of those six years. The golf team sent both boys and girls representatives to states.

The Riverhead girls’ wrestling team had its first Suffolk County champion last year. The track and cross-country teams have set school records. The list goes on and on. Maybe football is not there yet, but it’s coming.

Even with the chips stacked against them, Riverhead had chances to beat several teams this year. In the loss against Central Islip, Riverhead missed a two-point conversion that would have won them the game in the final minute. Against Patchogue-Medford and Brentwood, the Blue Waves went into halftime with the lead. 

“Those wins are going to come,” Nelson said. “I haven’t even had a full year here yet. We’re going to keep recruiting and keep getting these kids bigger, stronger and faster. Nobody is giving up. I’m not giving up. The coaches aren’t giving up. The kids aren’t giving up. They fought for a full 48 minutes every game. I’m proud of every one of these kids. We got a lot of talent coming back, and we’re going to work like hell to get this thing right next year.”

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It was the third time in six years that Riverhead had made it to the final four. 

“I tell the kids now that we’re no longer the hunter,” Riverhead head golf coach Steve Failla said. “We are the hunted. It’s something that we’ve grown accustomed to over the years now. I guess it’s a good problem to have and a sign of where we’re at as a program.”

Unfortunately, Sayville won the match, 7.5-1.5 (204-213 by total strokes) and later went on to win their first team championship in seven years, defeating Sachem, 8-1.

Riverhead, led by senior Colby Baran, had a terrific run this year. They hadn’t lost a match until Monday morning. In the playoffs, they defeated a perennial powerhouse in Southampton, 6.5-2.5 in the opening match. Baran shot a 3-under par 33 at Cherry Creek Golf Links. Then, showing the depth and promise of the team, Riverhead defeated No. 5 Half Hollow Hills East, 8-1.

“When we played Hills East, it was the first time we won a match that Colby lost,” Failla said. “Usually, if he doesn’t win, the team doesn’t win. So to come out and dominate like we did, I was super proud of the boys.”

But against Sayville, Baran was the only individual winner, and one matchup ended in a tie. 

“I’ve always said it’s the team that’s playing the best golf that day that will win,” Failla said. “Today was Sayville’s day. I thought we have been playing our best golf of the season in the playoffs, but today just wasn’t our day.”

Riverhead was also without their No. 3 golfer Mason Sidik, who was recovering from a procedure and couldn’t get back in time to play against Sayville. But with such a deep roster and constant competition during the season, it was the next man up.

One of those golfers who got an opportunity was Wes Kujawski. After being on varsity as an eighth-grader last year, during a competition in tryouts this season, Kujawski finished 11th on the team and was placed on JV. Now a freshman, Kujawski was the No. 1 on JV all season long. And once the playoffs rolled around, he got his chance again.

“I keep the competition up all year round here,” Failla said. “There’s no free meals on the team. Any spot is constantly up for grabs. Those that work the hardest will get rewarded.”

Every year, at the end of the season, Failla brings JV’s No. 1 golfer up to compete against the team’s No. 5 and No. 6 players in the lineup. A week into the competition, Kujawski had secured the No. 5 spot in the varsity lineup and started for the team in the playoffs.

“Competition is what gets us where we’re at every year,” Failla said. “There’s a reason we find success year in and year out. We’re ready to compete against other teams because we’re used to it every day in practice. The numbers speak for themselves.”

Baran is one of four seniors to play their final team match for Riverhead. His contributions over the five years on varsity will be greatly missed. He’s the only Riverhead golfer in history to make it to the New York State individual championships three times. 

“Anthony Caputo was the first to make it to the states in 2019,” Failla said. “Then Colby pushed that bar forward. All the success we’ve had just encourages the younger generation to golf. There’ll be another to push it even further. Riverhead golf is no longer in the shadows but beaming with pride. The local support we get is unmatched. We’ve got kids working at all the major golf courses in the area, and when I show up there, I’m not only congratulated on the accomplishments of the program but the type of young men we’re producing.”

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Because of this, the Wildcats brought a flawless 15-0 record and a top-five ranking in New York state into the playoffs. 

After defeating Islip 4-0 in the Suffolk County Class A semifinals, Shoreham-Wading River was tasked with taking down Elwood/John Glenn in the Suffolk County championships. The two teams played just two weeks prior, closing out the regular season, and the Wildcats narrowly escaped as Zach Makarewicz scored the game-winner in overtime that sealed the league championship.

It was one of those games that needed a response — that time, the Wildcats were there. 

But in the championship, Elwood/John Glenn got their revenge. The Knights got the victory in overtime with Jake Piacentini finding the game-winner with eight minutes remaining before penalty kicks. For the first time this season, the Wildcats looked up at the scoreboard at Walt Whitman High School on Sunday to see: Knights 2, Wildcats 1. Their season ended, leaving behind questions on what could have been.

Shoreham-Wading River got on the board first with 14 minutes left in the first half as Tyler Nowaski dribbled past two defenders flanking down the left-hand side before scooting it over to the center of the goal, where Makarewicz tipped it past the goalie with finesse. It was Makarewicz’s 21st goal of the season, which landed him sixth in all of Suffolk County for goals scored in his junior campaign.

Though both teams made runs forward, there were no true opportunities to score the rest of the game. It looked as if SWR would escape with a 1-0 victory until there was a blunder on the defensive end. The ball was played into the back line, where two defenders found themselves so close together that they were unable to get enough space to get a pass by the Knights’ Isaac Perez, who came running full speed to put pressure on the ball.

Perez got his foot on the pass, and the ball leaked toward SWR’s end of the field. With free rein, the senior sprinted ahead and found a trailing, wide-open Cooper Kassan, who found the back of the net for the 30th time this season to equalize the game at 1-1.

It was a devastating blow to the Wildcats, who had all the momentum up until that point in the game. 

But the Wildcats, as they’ve done all year long, put their heads down and tried to answer. Just three minutes later, Matthew Thomsen had a chance to score on an almost wide-open net. The senior got the ball in the air on a perfect touch towards the net, only to have David Palencia, Glenn’s junior goalkeeper, dive across the net out of nowhere and make an incredible save. 

As it did in the season finale, the game between the two powerhouses went into overtime, where the Wildcats tried to manufacture the game-winner. 

“I thought we were the better team out there,” SWR head coach Dani Braga said. “I truly feel like we deserved to win that game. But honestly, I thought the officiating was very suspect today.”

Nowaski, who was a threat all game long, got a pass in the box with a defender draped all over his back in the first overtime period. As he turned to goal to try to attempt a shot, it looked as if the defender yanked him down for a clear penalty, only to get it waved away by the referee. There was also what looked like a handball in the box by the Knights later in overtime.

“There was a bunch of stuff like that over the course of the day, and I don’t know what to make of it,” Braga said. “To end the game that way with a team this talented is a tough pill to swallow right now.”

After the loss, Braga, who is in his first season coaching the Wildcats, walked around and acknowledged every player on the team with either a head embrace or a handshake. A win would have given the Wildcats their first County championship in 20 years.

“These kids have done everything I have asked of them all season,” Braga said. “They never questioned anything. They never questioned fitness. They never questioned positioning. They believed just as much in me as I believed in them. Sometimes this just game sucks.”

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