Heuer's 5 total TDs lead Oceanside past Dalers

Once Tyler Heuer of Oceanside found his rhythm, he gave Farmingdale the blues.

After a slow start, the Sailors' sensational senior quarterback was in step the rest of the game, making sweet music with six receivers and leading Oceanside (5-0) to a 41-17 Nassau Conference I victory over host Farmingdale on Friday night before a standing-room crowd of more than 2,500.

It was Oceanside's first victory over Farmingdale (3-2) since 1977, ending an 18-game losing streak. "Yeah, one of our teachers told me that today," said Heuer with a grin after throwing three touchdown passes and running for two more. The 6-21/2, 195-pound senior now has 18 touchdown passes in his first five games. But his night started out with a few sour notes.

Heuer hit only three of his first nine passes, and the Dalers scored on their first two possessions to grab a 14-0 lead. But with Nick Sherry's runs (16 carries, 110 yards) opening things up, Heuer started humming midway through the second quarter and never stopped.

Heuer orchestrated a beautiful 10-play, 85-yard drive that included two slick pitchouts to Sherry, four completions to four receivers and two of his own runs, including a 1-yard dive for a TD that cut the deficit to 14-13. Farmingdale took a 17-13 lead on a field goal just before halftime.

After a fumble recovery on the Farmingdale 29, Heuer ended a short drive with a 1-yard quick slant to Gene Garay (seven catches, 121 yards). After a 3-and-out, Oceanside marched 80 yards in eight plays, with Heuer's deep slant to Garay for 34 yards setting up a 2-yard TD run by Sherry to make it 27-17.

The Sailors put the game away by recovering the ensuing onsides kick, which led to a five-play 47-yard drive capped by Heuer's bullet to a diving Phil Ragona (seven catches, 102 yards) for a 22-yard score.

"Once we get started moving the ball, it's hard to stop us," said Heuer, who wound up 20-for-32 for 259 yards, plus 48 yards rushing. "We work real hard on our footwork and on different patterns. We've definitely got a little swagger going. This is something none of us has ever experienced."

Oceanside coach Rob Blount, building something special in his second season, acknowledged, "Farmingdale slowed us down in the first quarter. They had some schemes ready for us."

But once Sherry started running over people, the Dalers had to put an extra player in the box and that allowed Heuer to get untracked. "He likes being in rhythm," Blount said.

And leaving defenders singing the blues.