Football is a week to week kind of sport. Every game is the biggest game of the year. And so it is for the Huntington High School gridiron team, which hosts Smithtown East on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
The Blue Devils fell last Friday afternoon at Half Hollow Hills East, 28-21. Smithtown East lost to cross-district rival Smithtown West, 20-14. Both teams will take the field next weekend with 2-2 marks.
Huntington has outscored its opponents this fall, 90-62. Smithtown East has also outscored its four opponents by a 99-58 margin. The Blue Devils are in eighth place in the 14 team Suffolk Division II standings with 112.20 power points. Smithtown East is in tenth place with 111.50 power points.
Against Hills East last Friday, penalties and turnovers cost Huntington dearly, including a long touchdown that was called back. Nasir Youngblood ran for 117 yards and two touchdowns. Chad Rowe also scored a touchdown. The Blue Devils had momentum going their way late in the game, but time ran out before they could close their deficit with the Thunderbirds.
Huntington quarterback Torin Bograd completed five of six passes for 62 yards against Hills East. The Blue Devil defense got burned on several big plays, including an 80 yard touchdown run and a 60 yard touchdown pass.
“We’re looking to rebuild after last week’s lost,” senior Jaylen Bush said. “We always want to dominate on both sides of the ball and fight to the last whistle. This is a very important game.”
The Blue Devils will once again look to reduce their mistakes, cut down on their penalties, look for consistent gains on the ground and hope to realize some big running and passing plays. Every player on defense has a job to do, too.
Huntington’s final three regular seasons will be played at Northport (Saturday, October 19 at 2 p.m.), Deer Park (Friday, October 25 at 6 p.m.) and at home against Lindenhurst on Saturday, November 2 at 1:30 p.m.
