Chiefs Take Bite Out Of Hempstead Tigers

Under blue skies Friday afternoon, the Massapequa Chiefs and Hempstead Tigers resumed the football game that Mother Nature had interrupted the evening before.

The Chiefs were up 12-8 when play was suspended Thursday by the massive storm that passed through the area. They were able to hold on for their first win of the season 31-22 to even their record at 1-1.

Going into the game, the 12 Massapequa points came on rushing touchdowns by quarterback Michael Barry. The Chiefs an excellent chance to add to that lead early in the third quarter when they blocked a punt. 

Despite the excellent field position, the Chiefs were stopped and it was the Tigers turn to put a drive together. Hempstead scored and completed a two point conversion which put the Tigers ahead, 16-12.

But Massapequa immediately struck back. Vassili Grigorakos, returned the kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown causing bedlam amongst its fans. While the team failed on its two-point conversion, the Chiefs led 18-16.

The fourth quarter opened with yet another Barry touchdown, his third of the game. But the special teams' woes continued and the Chiefs missed the extra point, bringing their lead to 24-16.

Mid-way through the fourth quarter the Chiefs recovered a fumble resulting in the final touchdown by Barry, his fourth of the game. Massapequa was finally successful on the extra point and led 31-16.

Hempstead fought back and scored a touchdown of their own with 4:42 to go in the fourth, but failed in a two point conversion, narrowing the score to 31-22.

Massapequa once again got the ball, and with 40.5 seconds remaining on the game clock, got to Hempstead's 10 yard line. At 10.2 seconds they were at the 5, at which point they just let the clock run out, claiming a hard-fought victory.

While his team was victorious, Chiefs coach Pat Nolan feels his team still needs work if they're going to have any chance of capturing a championship this season.

"We did a great job, but it's a little inconsistent, though," he said. "We just have to get better. We just made too many mental mistakes, and that's happened before."

"We got a lot of work to do," Nolan added. "We're not cooking on all cylinders, and we've gotta keep working, concentrate on the fundamentals, attention to detail, and levels of mental toughness."

Nolan even had constructive criticism on the performance of Barry despite his four touchdown game.

"He's got a lot to learn," the coach said. "But he's a good kid, works hard, he's just gotta get better...with our schedule, he's gotta get better."