Westhampton Beach Football Team's Season Ends With Semifinal Shutout Loss to East Islip

Members of the Westhampton Beach football team are thankful for the ride despite a 17-0 shutout on the road at East Islip in the Suffolk County Division III semifinals on Friday. As seniors gathered together and embraced one another following the loss, they thought less about the winning and losing, and more about what being a part of the program has meant to them.

“This team was truly something special,” said senior quarterback Will Gamnbino. “I’m truly humbled and honored to have been a part of Westhampton Beach’s rich tradition of success, and there is so much I will take with me from this, like lifelong friends and lessons from the good and the bad times. My teammates and coaches made me a better person both on and off the field. We created a bond that can’t be broken.”

Still, the seniors felt like they had more to give, knocking on the door and coming up empty several times during the playoff matchup.

“I believe we did not play up to our potential,” said senior running back Nolan Michalowski. “East Islip is a very good team with a very good coaching staff. We played well on defense, but offensively we couldn’t get the ball moving. We did not seize our opportunities, and it ended up costing us.”

Michalowski carried the ball more than half of the plays during the November 10 game, attesting to No. 2-seeded East Islip’s (8-2) strong defensive efforts that has allowed just 40 points in its last five games.

“Their line is one of the best in the division — they sent a lot of guys and pressured us a lot and that made it very tough to break through,” he said. “I just tried working with what I had and tried making the most out of every play.”

Senior wide receiver Kevin Smith, a top target for Gambino, said East Islip’s players coming in as prepared as they were proved difficult to overcome. The last time the two teams met, on September 22, the No. 3 Hurricanes (6-4) came out on the losing side of a 23-20 finish.

“The atmosphere was great with everyone there under the Friday night lights, but it was very frustrating that we were unable to move the ball,” he said. “There wasn’t much working for us — at all. The loss is heartbreaking, especially knowing we were two wins away from our goal of being Long Island champs.”

His field general said the support from the community, still, helped ease the blow felt by the loss.

“I can’t thank the community enough,” Gambino said. “East Islip is always a tough team to play. They are very physical and were prepared for us, but the fans packing out our games every Friday and supporting us every chance they got meant a lot to us. It’s something I’ll always remember. The things they have done for our team were incredible.”

Senior middle linebacker and guard Aidan McDermott said regardless of the outcome, he knows each and every one of his teammates did all they could.

“We didn’t get the outcome that we wanted, but I think everybody played hard and gave it their all,” he said. “It was a great season, and it was an honor to make it this far with my teammates.”

McDermott himself recorded multiple tackles, including several for losses.

“I just stuck to what I was taught — reading the guards — which worked out well,” he said. “They had a tough line on offense and defense, which gave us some problems, but we came back and did a better job in the second half.”

East Islip was up, 7-0, at the end of the first and 14-0 heading into halftime, so the regroup did help the Hurricanes, which limited their opponents to a 20-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

“I feel like we underperformed — didn’t play up to expectations — but what means most to me is every single one of these guys have become brothers, and I let them know that. I love them all so much,” Smith said. “We have been through the highs and the lows together, and every one of them has taught me all that I know and the coaches shaped me into the man I am today — pushing me way past my comfort zone to make me comfortable with the uncomfortable.”

Michalowski said there’s no other group he’d want to be a part of, and no other coaching staff he’d want to have played under.

“It’s been a pleasure,” the senior said. “I walk away from this experience with countless lessons, and friendships that will last a lifetime. I’ve loved representing Westhampton Beach, and I am forever grateful for the memories I’ve made as a Hurricane.”

His teammate said competing on the gridiron alongside his best friends has been one of the most uplifting experiences of his life, yet.

“I couldn’t have asked for anything more from this team,” McDermott said. “I’ve made unforgettable memories with these guys, and now have brothers for life. This game has taught me valuable lessons that I will continue to use throughout my life. Being a part of this team was a blessing, and something I will never forget.”