Mens’ Varsity Football 1988

After opening with two losses, and three in their first five games, the 1988 Raiders football team looked to be on their way to another disappointing season. But then the team caught fire under the leadership of second-year head coach Robert Reifsnyder. Entering the division playoffs with a 3-3 record, the Raiders reeled off consecutive victories over Commack, Sachem and Northport and found themselves with only East Islip to beat for the Suffolk County Big School championship. The Raiders had already lost to EI in the season opener; now they would face the powerful squad on its own home field. The game was a defensive struggle, tied 7-7 at the end of regulation. With the first possession in overtime, East Islip scored a touchdown and extra point to go up 14-7. The Raiders now needed to do the same to stay alive. On their first play, quarterback Andy Scott threw a strike to receiver T.J. O’Connell in the end zone for a touchdown. A successful kick would continue the overtime at 14-14. But coach Reifsnyder wanted no part of another tie: Pat-Med would win or lose right then. Out of the shotgun, another Scott bullet found an open Eddie Montalvo to seal a 15-13 Raider victory that would put the 1988 football season in the history books as one of the greatest in Patchogue-Medford history.