It was quite the barn burner at Mike KcKillop Memorial Field today, as the Riverhead Blue Waves defeated the Copiague Eagles 27-26. Both teams were looking for the first win of the season and in the end, Riverhead came away with the victory in a back-and-forth game.
The Waves were down 12-6 at the half, after two quarters of play plagued by penalties that cost Riverhead 90 yards. The Waves came back to tie it at 12 all late in the 3rd quarter, but Copiague quickly answered to end the third with an 18-12 lead.
After the Eagles increased their lead to 26-12 in the 4th, Riverhead scored a touchdown on a pass from quarterback Kyle Kelly to Josh Maccagli in the end zone, making it a 26-20 game.
Riverhead got possession late in the fourth quarter on a blocked punt by DJ Chandler. Then Blue Waves quarterback Kelly took the keeper and dove into the end zone to tie the score at 26-26.
With 48 seconds remaining, Riverhead kicker Alec Buczynski put it through the uprights to give Riverhead a one-point lead, 27-26. Riverhead held on for their first victory of the season.
RiverheadLOCAL photos by George Faella
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