Porters fall but make playoffs

The Porters Ryan Malone.

Sometimes things can fall apart in a hurry … a real hurry.


The Amityville Warriors struck for two quick touchdowns on big plays early in the first quarter and went on to wallop the Greenport/Southold/Mattituck/Shelter Island Porters, 48-14, in a Suffolk County Division IV football game at Greenport High School on Friday night. 


Despite the lopsided loss in their final regular-season game, the Porters (4-4, 4-4) made the playoffs for the first time since 2001 as the 8th seed and will meet the top-seeded Elwood/John Glenn Knights (8-0, 8-0) in a division quarterfinal on Saturday afternoon.


“Getting into the playoffs is a step in the right direction for us,” said Porters Coach Jim Anderson, whose team’s four-game win streak came to an end. “It helps bring the kids out for the program. There are 54 teams in Suffolk County and 32 are still playing … and we are one of them. We hope to come out and have a good showing.”


While the seventh-seeded Bayport-Blue Point (3-5, 3-5) had a worse record than the Porters , because of their strength of schedule the Phantoms had more power-rating points (107.5) than the Porters (103.95).


It was tough going from the start with an Amityville touchdown on a long pass in the first possession of the game. 


The Porters managed to score a pair of late touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Kyle Black cut off a tackle and scored on a 16-yard run. Then after the Porters recovered an onside kick, Tom Filipkowski burst around the right side for 4 yards to the end zone.


“We had a good week of practice and the kids were psyched, but Amityville is real good,” Anderson said. “Down the road we hope to be able to compete with teams like this.”


Anderson praised the defensive play of John McEnroe (three sacks) and Matt Grzesik.