East Rockaway falls to CSH in semis

Two touchdowns in a span of 2:30 in the fourth quarter allowed Cold Spring Harbor to pull away from East Rockaway for a 34-22 victory in a Nassau Conference IV football game played in a steady rain last Friday afternoon at Hofstra.

Quarterback Raymond Costa scored from 24 yards after a fake handoff with 8:51 remaining and added the two-point conversion to provide the eventual winning points for the third-seeded Seahawks (8-2), who avenged a Week 4 loss to the Rocks (6-4) and advanced to face defending champion Seaford in the title game this Friday at 7 p.m. at Hofstra.

“Playing in that type of weather for the first time was an adjustment, but I don’t think the rain had a lot to do with the result,” East Rockaway head coach Russ Pajer said. “Both teams had multiple fumbles. Cold Spring Harbor is a good team and they capitalized on most of their chances and we didn’t.”

Senior Jarell Brown had 142 yards and three touchdowns for No. 4 East Rockaway, which advanced to the semis with a first-round win over Malverne. Brown finished the year with 17 touchdowns.

“Jarell transferred from Malverne and was used to playing in a wide-open offense,” Pajer said. “It took him a little while to get comfortable in ours, but he really had a great year.”

Brown capped an important drive late in the first half with a 2-yard touchdown run, cutting the Seahawks’ lead to 14-8 after senior quarterback Andrew LaBarbera’s two-point conversion run. LaBarbera completed three passes on the hurry up drive, including a 20-yarder to junior Caleb Alvarez just outside the red zone. LaBarbera also drew a pass interference penalty in the end zone.

Cold Spring Harbor scored on its first possession, getting a 12-yard run by Richie Striano to lead 7-0 midway through the opening quarter. It extended the lead to 14-0 on Thomas Milana’s 63-yard touchdown 1:34 into the second.

A pivotal penalty call early in the third quarter allowed the Seahawks to regain momentum. Jacob Bruno’s 31-yard touchdown run came one snap after a drive was kept alive by a 15-yard flag against the Rocks, who trailed 20-8.

Brown broke a 17-yard touchdown run with 3:42 left in the third, set up by his own 37-yard run. However, East Rockaway would get no closer. Senior Logan Ackerman led the defensive effort with 10 tackles. Seniors Stefano Cilluffo and Isaiah Brathwaite each had a fumble recovery.

“We had an important fourth-and-2 in the fourth quarter where we came up inches short,” Pajer said. “One play doesn’t make the whole game, but there were a few we could look back on.

“It’s always hard when your season ends, but I think anyone who came out saw a good football game,” he added.