Sayville's Kyle Messina picks up some yardage during a Suffolk...

Sayville's Kyle Messina picks up some yardage during a Suffolk Division III football game against Half Hollow Hills West in Dix Hills on Saturday, October 29, 2022. Credit: Peter Frutkoff

Right guard Griffin Perez didn’t sign up to play offensive line for the accolades. He signed up to hit people.

Perez was the leader of a Sayville offensive line that steamrolled previously undefeated Half Hollow Hills West, 41-7, in a Suffolk Division III football game Saturday in Dix Hills. The Golden Flashes totaled 338 yards of offense, including 292 yards on the ground.

The main benefactor of that unit was sophomore halfback Kyle Messina, who rushed 23 times for 231 yards and four touchdowns.

“Our offensive line, we’re all great friends, and we do everything together,” said Perez, a team captain. “We play as a unit and take great pride in watching our backs rip off big runs. This was a huge game against Hills West. And we came here to make a statement.”

Message delivered.

Sayville (8-0) went on two long, time-consuming touchdown drives of 78 and 79 yards capped by short Messina runs in the first half to build a 21-0 lead. The other score came after a 37-yard punt return by Anthony Morrione to the Colts' 5-yard line to set up a Jake Tripptree 1-yard scoring run.

“We have such a balance between our offense and defense,” Sayville coach Reade Sands said. “They definitely feed off each other. And our special teams played well.”

On its opening possession, Hills West (7-1) drove to the Sayville 14 before linebacker Michael Sands blocked a 31-yard field-goal attempt. That defensive spark sent Sayville on a seven-play, 78-yard march capped by a Messina 2-yard run for a 7-0 lead with 3:30 left in the first quarter.

The Golden Flashes took a two-score lead on Tripptree’s quarterback keep for a 14-0 lead.

Sayville got the ball back with 6:33 left in the half and went on the run to close the half. It was a signature Sayville march. The Golden Flashes went 79 yards in 10 plays, all on the ground, before Messina scored from 2 yards, with eight seconds left. Owen Burke added the kick to make it 21-0.

“We went old school,” Sands said. “We just went with some power running to keep the clock moving and their offense off the field. Our offensive line dominated the front, and we were getting 5 yards a clip.”

Center Vin Bonfanti, guards David Christiansen and Perez, tackles Liam Higgins and Ryan Leniec and tight ends Ben Sands and Jackson Neugebauer pushed the Colts' front around as Messina keyed the drive with 51 yards on six carries.   

“It all starts with our line,” Messina said. “They’re amazing.”

And the Sayville defense shut down a Hills West offense that averaged 41 points. Hills West quarterback Joseph Filardi, who had thrown for a Long Island-leading 27 touchdowns through seven games, was under intense pressure all game. He completed 8 of 29 passes for 84 yards and rushed 14 times for 88 yards.

The teams traded touchdowns to open the second half. Filardi directed an impressive 12-play, 69-yard scoring drive capped by a Jalyn Jacques 2-yard scoring run to make it 21-7 with 7:54 left in the third quarter. Filardi keyed the march with some hard running. He totaled 51 yards rushing on the drive.

Sayville responded with a nine-play, 60-yard touchdown drive capped by a Messina's 3-yard run for a 28-7 lead.

On Hills’ next possession, Filardi tried to elude heavy pressure and threw off balance right into the arms of junior linebacker Neugebauer, who returned the interception 79 yards for a pick-six and a 35-7 lead. Linemen Elijah Kongolo and Matt Louie gave chase for the length of the field but couldn’t catch Neugebauer.

Sayville closed the game with a five-play, 96-yard scoring drive, keyed by a 75-yard run from Messina. He scored his fourth touchdown from 6 yards.

“We want to be remembered as one of the elite offensive units in Long Island football,” Perez said.

It’s clear, the road in Suffolk to the Long Island Class III championship game goes through Sayville.

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