Oceanside can't stop Freeport
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Oceanside's Nick Sherry looks for running room during last Saturday's Conference I playoff game at Freeport.
Ron Manfredi/Herald
For a little more than a quarter of last Saturday’s Nassau Conference I playoff opener, it looked like Oceanside and Freeport would have a repeat performance of the barnburner the teams played when they met during the regular season and combined for 90 points.
But then Kevin Allen took over. Freeport’s senior running back raced for a career high 309 yards and scored six touchdowns to lead the defending champion Red Devils to a 63-24 victory over visiting Oceanside. Junior Nick Sherry scored two touchdowns to lead the Sailors.
Oceanside first-year coach Rob Blount gave props to Freeport, the No. 1 seed. “They’re such a talented, physical team,” Blount said. “We stayed with them for a little while, but then they wore us down. Allen was just awesome. It was a Thorp Award type performance.”
It appeared that the game would replicate the memorable Sept. 12 battle won by Freeport, 48-42. The Red Devils found the end zone twice in the opening quarter, but Oceanside answered both times. Sherry scored on a 53-yard run, and quarterback Tyler Heuer was on the receiving end of a touchdown pass from fellow junior Gene Garay.
After Oceanside place kicker Danny Goldstein nailed a 32-yard field goal to give the Sailors a 17-14 lead in the second quarter, Allen scored from a yard out to start a run of 35 consecutive points for Freeport. Heuer was 12-for-23 for 159 yards.
Despite the loss, Blount was more than satisfied with his first season at Oceanside.
“We didn’t put any expectations on the boys at the beginning of the season, because we really didn’t know what we had,” Blount said. “We set a few goals. We wanted to get to .500, play well at home and make the playoffs. The program gained a lot of respect.”
“We didn’t put any expectations on the boys at the beginning of the season, because we really didn’t know what we had,” Blount said. “We set a few goals. We wanted to get to .500, play well at home and make the playoffs. The program gained a lot of respect.”
The future looks incredibly bright for the Sailors, who finished the season with a 5-4 record. Heuer broke six school passing records, which says a lot, being as former NFL quarterback Jay Fiedler was the previous record holder. Heuer, who threw for 21 touchdowns passes, twice threw for five scores in a game.
Heuer will have plenty of weapons returning, next season. Garay, who set a school record by pulling in 11 touchdown passes, including four in the opening game with Freeport, emerged as one of the county’s best receivers. Heuer, Garay and senior lineman Joe Wetherell earned All County honors.
Sherry, a running back who can makes things happen on the ground and as a receiver, found the end zone six times. Junior Chris Hughes had 17 receptions. Both will return in 2010. Oceanside will have to replace one of its most consistent offensive performers; Goldstein was 34 for 35 on extra points.
Blount is excited about the program’s progress. The JV team also had a fine season, finishing 5-3. “To be one of the top eight teams in Conference I is an accomplishment,” Blount said. “The development of the team was outstanding.”
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