Seaford holds off West Hempstead

Last Saturday’s Seaford-West Hempstead Conference IV football game could not have gotten off to a better start for the Vikings or a worst beginning for the host Rams.

Seaford’s offense controlled nearly nine minutes of the clock in the opening quarter while putting West Hempstead in a 20-point hole on two touchdown runs by Nicky Silvestri and another trip to the end zone from Patrick Bizzarro.

Seaford (3-2) did not produce any points the remainder of the game, but its first-quarter outburst proved enough in a hard-fought 20-13 win against the previously unbeaten Rams (4-1.) The Vikings’ victory snapped a two-game losing streak that included a 7-0 setback to defending Conference IV champion Roosevelt and a 13-5 defeat at Locust Valley.

 “The offense stepped up when they had to and the defense stepped up big at the end of the game and they came up with gigantic plays,” Seaford head coach Rob Perpall said. “It was a big, big team effort by everybody.”

West Hempstead responded from the early deficit with 13 second-quarter points on touchdown runs from Enrique McFarlane and Bruce Gibbs. The Rams appeared poised to send the game into overtime on a drive inside the Seaford 20-yard line before a botched snap on a fourth-and-one allowed the Vikings to take over with under two minutes left.

Seaford running back Justin Cestro iced the victory with a 10-yard first down conversion one play after he had one of his fingers popped out and then placed back in position on the sidelines by trainer Michael Spreckels.

“Everybody stepped it up today,” said Cestro, who finished with 51 yards on 16 carries. “This is our biggest win so far this season.”

A major reason for West Hempstead’s 4-0 start to the season was the speed of McFarlane and Gibbs out of the backfield, but Seaford managed to contain the duo from doing their usual damage. 

“You have to give credit to Seaford’s defense because they never let them crack,” West Hempstead head coach Dom Carre said. “As soon as soon that hole was open up and they were able to get a burst, they got grabbed by someone else so they weren’t able to get in the open field like they usually do.”

Seaford entered the game without the services of starting quarterback Matt Naitland, who was injured in the Sept. 28 loss at Locust Valley. Starting running back Kyle Kolodinsky took Matland’s spot as signal-caller and guided a rushing attack that amassed nearly 400 yards on the ground. The Vikings, who ran all plays out of a full-house backfield formation and did not attempt a pass all day, were led offensively by 141 yards from Bizzarro.

“That is a great team and a well-coached team,” Perpall said of West Hempstead. “I’m real proud of my team today because they faced adversity and overcame it.”

West Hempstead will try to return to its winning ways this Saturday at Locust Valley for a 2 p.m. kickoff. Seaford faces North Shore at 5 p.m. in its annual homecoming game.