It was by most accounts one of the best football seasons in Bonac history — and by all accounts, the best in recent memory. The East Hampton football team saw its historic run come to an end on Friday in the Suffolk County Division III semifinals, losing to Sayville 28-14.
“We’ve come a long way,” Joe McKee, the head coach, said afterward, tearing up. “I took it over in 2015 and it was in shambles. We got it going for two years, and then the floor fell out from under us in 2017. We had to go to a couple of J.V. teams, only for two years, and then we brought it back, going 1-7, 2-6, fighting through everything to this season, where all you have to do is look at the stands tonight. That was pretty phenomenal. For those people to come all the way up here and support us like that, it shows you what East Hampton football means to the community. Pretty heartwarming.”
Not just heartwarming, but loud. The East Hampton student section was packed, and so vocal they drowned out the Sayville students at times, chanting, “We can’t hear you!”
That energy fed the Bonackers, who came out strong, sacking Sayville’s star quarterback, Patrick Coan, on the Golden Flashes’ opening drive. Jai Feaster, a senior wide receiver from Bridgehampton, scored the first touchdown for Bonac with 4:05 left in the first quarter, taking in a beautiful pass from the quarterback, Theo Ball, for an 81-yard score to put East Hampton up 7-0. Yes, the kick was good.
Sayville’s Tristan Vitale tied it in the second quarter, but East Hampton wouldn’t let its lead slip away. Livs Kuplins, a senior wide receiver, ran up Sayville’s sideline before cutting across the field into the end zone to give Bonac a 14-7 lead going into the half.
“We had a lot of weapons. We’re a very explosive team,” McKee said. “That defense is one of, if not the, top defensive team in the league. You have to move the ball on them, but we have some explosive players. Livs brought the big run there. Jai had a big reception there.”
But that’s where East Hampton’s scoring ended. Sayville regrouped during halftime and came out of the locker room fired up. Coan showed the crowd why his team is undefeated this year, running the ball again and again. The efforts paid off, and the Golden Flashes, the defending Division III champs, punched their ticket to the finals once again. They’ll defend their title against Smithtown West in the championship game.
“It’s a tough loss. That’s a quality football program,” McKee said.
Many of McKee’s players were in tears Friday night, especially the seniors, who left the field as Bonac footballers for the last time. Tyler Rodgers, the starting center, also left with a limp. He hurt his ankle in the first quarter and was sidelined for the remainder of the game. Nick Jarboe, the team’s athletic trainer, said Monday that Rodgers had broken his ankle.
After the game, Rodgers linked arms with Alex Davis, a senior running back from Bridgehampton who hurt his ankle the week before against Islip. Davis was able to take the field against Sayville, but the injury clearly affected his play.
“Alex did everything he could to make a go of it, but he was hobbling around pretty good,” said McKee. “Tyler Rodgers has been our starting center all year, so then what happens, you gotta take a tackle and move him to center and take a new guy and put him in at tackle. Joe Martinez, a senior, came in. He didn’t get much playing time all year, but he came in and did a pretty nice job. But after a while it just caught up to us, I think.”
East Hampton left it all out on the 10 field and, even in a loss, gave the community a lot to celebrate. This was Bonac’s first semifinals appearance since 1994.
“Just watching them grow in the four years — they never gave up and they kept fighting till the end,” said a tearful Kathy Masterson, East Hampton’s athletic director. “Really proud of them.”
Coach McKee called it the best season of his career. “I’ve been coaching for 29 years and this was by far — and I’ve had some really good teams and a lot of fun — but this is by far the funnest year I’ve ever had. Just a great, great group of kids. Really nice boys, tough, and an absolute joy to coach. I thank them for everything they did for me and the pleasure they gave me this year. And in a couple of days when we meet, we’ll say a couple more things to hopefully make them feel a bit better.”
