Riverhead football looks to rebuild through youth programs

Though other sports at Riverhead are finding success at levels never seen before at the district, an athletic program is often judged by the success of the football team — especially in Riverhead. After all the history of success, winning championships and being competitive every year on the gridiron, it’s hard to see past the 0-8 season this year.

“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.”