Syosset Football Loses to Oceanside 41-14

Score: Oceanside 41, Syosset 14

Records: Oceanside 2-0, 2-0; Syosset 1-1, 1-1

Hero: Tommy Anderson's running helped the Braves move the ball despite falling behind 20-0 at halftime. With the Sailors clogging up the middle to shut down North-South runner Joe Morris, the shiftier Anderson found space. His 1-yard touchdown run broke up the shutout with 7:14 remaining in the third quarter. 

Turning Point: The Braves had closed the deficit to 20-14, and it looked like the fans were heading toward a barn-barner of a fourth quarter. But with 1:29 left in the third, Oceanside pulled off a flea-flicker on fourth-and-6 from the Syosset 39. Quarterback Tyler Heuer handed off to Gene Garay, who ran to his right before throwing a lateral back to Heuer. The QB then hit Joe Swanson in stride at the goal line for a score that crushed the comeback.  

Quote: "We can't put the ball on the ground like that and expect to win,'' said Syosset coach Paul Rorke of the Braves, whose team lost four fumbles. 

Bottom Line: The Braves lost two fumbles and failed to convert on a fourth-and-2 in the first half alone. That wasn't going to work against Heuer, who responded to Syosset's second lost fumble with a 54-yard touchdown run for the 20-0 lead.

Key Stat: Nick Bilianis kept the Braves in the game on both sides of the ball in the third quarter. First he intercepted a Heuer pass and returned it to the Oceanside 6. Then he punched the ball in from the 1 to cut the deficit to 20-14 with 4:50 left in the third quarter.   

Who's Next: Syosset home vs. Plainview Saturday, 1:30 p.m. 

Conference I

TEAMS…………….1….2….3….4 – F

Syosset……….0….0….14….0 – 14

Oceanside….14….6….7….14 –  41

O – Nick Sherry 2 run (Travis Feinberg kick)

O – Chris Hughes 10 pass from Tyler Heuer (Feinberg kick)

O – Heuer 54 run (kick failed)

S – Tommy Anderson 1 run (Logan Fischer kick)

S -- Nick Bilianis 1 run (Fischer kick)

O – Joe Swanson 39 pass from Heuer (Feinberg kick)

O – Heuer 1 run (Feinberg kick)

O – Michael Pignotti 30 interception return (Feinberg kick)