Seaford defeats neighboring Wantagh

The first football meeting between Seaford and Wantagh in 22 years was the warm-up for a bigger showdown. 
Seaford (5-0) broke open a close game at halftime last Saturday to pull away for a 32-6 home win against the Warriors and clinch an unbeaten regular season in Conference IV. The two South Shore schools located just 1.5 miles apart will now meet for the second time in two weeks this Saturday in the semifinal round of the playoffs.
“They are crosstown rivals just by location,” Seaford head coach Rob Perpall said of Wantagh, which moved to the Vikings’ league from Conference III last season due to declining enrollment. “It is an elite program up the street from us with great athletes and great coaches so for us to play competitively with them and then beat them is very special. 
Junior running back James McHugh scored three second half touchdowns starting with a one-yard score early in the third quarter for a 14-6 lead. Jake Murphy then ran in a two-point conversion to up the advantage to 16-6.
McHugh’s second touchdown on a one-yard plunge early in the fourth quarter followed by a subsequent two-point conversion gave the Vikings a 24-6 lead. He later executed a 7-yard touchdown and another two-point conversion to put an explanation point on Seaford’s victory against its new conference rival.

“He really rose to the occasion,” Perpall said of McHugh, who finished the day with 165 yards on 35 carries.  
Thomas Kofod also had a big game out of the backfield with 57 yards on 11 attempts.  Perpall credited his offensive line for the potent ground game anchored by Cody Cole, Craig Ackerman, Jake Kellner, Nick Luciano, Jack Murphy, Connor Catapano, Brendon O’Hagan, A.J. Arguello and tight end Robert Necco. 
Seaford opened the scoring in the first quarter on a 17-yard touchdown reception by Necco from quarterback Kyle Stark. The two then connected on a two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead. 
Wantagh (3-2) responded with a Tyler Martini one-yard touchdown late in the first quarter. Murphy broke up the ensuing two-point conversion attempt to keep the score 8-6. 
The touchdown was set up by a 24-yard pass completion from Bryan Piccirillo to senior tight end Ryan Graham on a third down and 11 down to the Seaford 12-yard line. 
The Wantagh running game featured a balanced attack led by 51 yards apiece from Martini and Mark Maniet. Sophomore Nick Cupelli ran for 50 yards on six carries.  
Wantagh head coach Keith Sachs was encouraged that his offense moved the ball at times, but noted that two second half turnovers and Seaford recovering an onside kick meant very few plays from scrimmage. “We only ran nine plays the second half,” Sachs said. “We just couldn’t get our offense on the field.” 
The playoff rematch between second-seeded Seaford and third-seeded Wantagh is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Seaford High School with the winner advancing to face either North Shore or Cold Spring Harbor in the finals. 
“I feel I have the best assistant coaches around and without them we wouldn’t be playing Saturday,” said Perpall of his coaching staff that features Brian Gilbert, Mike Wimmer, Joe Knoll and Ron Lacy.