Amityville Stuns Huntington Football, 20-19

Quarterback Sean Walters led Amityville to the Suffolk Division IV championship game a year ago, so what was one drive? He got the ball 93 yards away from the end zone Saturday with 3:28 to go. 

A Huntington defense playing without one of its leaders – and a boisterous homecoming crowd – stood in the way. 

But Walters beat the clock, shredded the Blue Devils defense and silenced the crowd with a masterful, 14-play drive that helped Amityville stun previously unbeaten Huntington, 20-19, in a Division III football game. 

“We doubted the team," Huntington running back / linebacker Troy Greene said. "They came back. They beat us.”

Related: Game Photos

Walters completed 6 of 13 passes for 84 yards on the drive, capped by an 8-yard touchdown pass – his third of the second half – floated over the defense to Deon Richards in the right corner of the end zone with 1:27 left. But that wasn’t all.

Even after the score, Amityville (3-1) still trailed 19-18. Walters’ shuttle pass to Eric Willis on the two-point conversion won it. Huntington swarmed Willis, but not before the ball appeared to nose over the goal line. 

“We should have stopped him,” said defensive end Shaheem Lewis, who tipped a pass and came down with an interception in the first half. “It shouldn’t have happened.”

Huntington, which dropped to 3-1, appeared to have the game in control. The Blue Devils led 12-0 on Anthony Puca’s 1-yard touchdown to make with 8:56 left in the third.

Greene, running in place of injured co-captain and Homecoming King Devon Nelson, took nine straight handoffs and powered his way for 68 yards. His 1-yard score and Patrick Reilly’s kick put Huntington ahead, 19-6.

“Best player goes down, the team has to step up," Greene said. "That’s what I tried to do. I stepped up.”

Then things got wild.

Amityville drove the length of the field, only to fumble an apparent touchdown through the back of the end zone for a touchback.

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But then a Huntington fumble gave the Warriors the ball back. Walters tossed a 31-yard touchdown on the next play, a strike to O’Neil Armstrong. Amityville’s two-point attempt was stopped short with 9:18 left. The Blue Devils still led, 19-12.

After its next drive stalled, Huntington recovered a fumble on the punt at the Warriors’ 35. Instead of putting the game away, Huntington’s offense was pushed backwards.

“The momentum changed," Huntington Coach Steve Muller said. "Give them credit. They kept playing. Somewhere along the line we just didn’t make the plays we were supposed to make. That’s the game.”

Quarterback Ben Kocis’ punt pinned Amityville deep, setting the stage for a dramatic final drive. No one could have accounted for Walters’ resolve or poise.

Greene led Huntington with 99 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Nelson had 60 yards on 11 carries before leaving in the third quarter with a right knee injury. 

But neither touched the ball in the game’s final minute. Kocis threw three straight incompletions under heavy pressure before being sacked on fourth down.

Now Muller must get the Blue Devils refocused and find a way to replace a key starter. Huntington faces Deer Park on the road next Saturday at 3 p.m.

        Suffolk Division III Football

H – Long 15 pass from Kocis (kick failed)

H – Puca 1 run (run failed)

A – Green 32 pass from Walters (pass failed)

H – Greene 1 run (Reilly kick)

A – Armstrong 31 pass from Walters (run failed)

A – Richards 8 pass from Walters (Willis pass from Walters)

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