J.V. Footballers Play Well in Loss

The East Hampton High School girls swimming team and the junior varsity football team each lost season openers Friday, though discounting the 13 points awarded for diving, Craig Brierley’s girls would have defeated Connetquot, the home team, which wound up a 93-88 winner.

The jayvee football team, which has 25 on its roster, played well in a 20-0 loss under the lights at Hampton Bays that night, according to its coach, Joe McKee, who cited the play of Danny Ortiz, Kevin Bunce Jr., Topher Cullen, John Berti, Nick LaValle, and Alfredo Chavez, “a newcomer who, because of all his tackles, probably was the player of the game.”

A fumble near the end of the first half resulted in a 14-0 deficit going into the break. “We drove the length of the field to open the second half, but turned the ball over on downs at their 15,” the coach said. “It was pretty even after that.”

Cullen, the quarterback, passed well, he said. Ortiz and Bunce ran well and, as linebackers, defended well. Berti, McKee said, had an interception and a long pass reception, and LaValle played well as the offensive line’s center. 

East Hampton will be at home against Bayport Monday at 4:30 p.m. Eighty youngsters, McKee added, signed up for flag football at East Hampton’s Herrick Park Friday. Practices are on Tuesdays at 5:30. Games are played under the lights on Fridays, beginning at 6 p.m.

“Connetquot was second in the county last season, while we were sixth,” Brierley said in an account of Friday’s nonleague swim meet. “It was a very good start to the competitive season, with strong efforts and lessons learned.”

East Hampton, with Darcy McFarland, Nicole Gutierrez, Emily Dyner, and Caroline Hoff, won the 200-yard medley relay; Sophia Swanson won the 200 individual medley; Oona Foulser won the 50 freestyle; Swanson won the 100 butterfly; Caroline Brown won the 100 backstroke, and Jane Brierley won the 100 breaststroke.