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Put an offense that scores over 38 points per game together with a defense that shuts out its opponents almost half of its games and you have the makings for a pretty spectacular season.
And so it goes for the fall version of the 2021 Walt Whitman Wildcats, who host Ward Melville on Saturday at 1 p.m. in a Suffolk County Division I semifinal playoff game in Huntington Station.
You can click here to purchase tickets.
Whitman (9-0) pummeled Riverhead 48-0 in their first-round playoff matchup Friday night, scoring on each of its first five possessions. It was the team’s fourth shutout and the fourth time the Wildcats scored more than 40 points.
Whitman Quarterback Nicholas Bottoni completed all seven of his passes for 210 yards, including three touchdown strikes. AJ Evans scored two touchdowns, gaining 78 yards rushing on just seven carries.
It was Ward Melville who gave Whitman its biggest test this season, back on Oct. 16. Whitman outlasted the Patriots, 41-35.
Below, see all of Walt Whitman’s results this season, courtesy of Section XI Athletics.
Walt Whitman is making its second consecutive trip to Suffolk’s Division I semifinals. The 2020 team — which played during spring 2021 due to a delay necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic — reached the semifinals for the first time in 31 years, defeating longtime archnemesis Longwood to reach the finals.
The Wildcats fell to perennial Division I power William Floyd in the championship. Earlier this fall, Whitman handed Floyd its only loss, 27-0.
Tickets are required for entry into Whitman’s playoff contest at home against Ward Melville. They cost $8 purchased in advance or $10 at the gate. Tickets are $5 for students at the gate.
Below, check out some photos taken during Whitman’s first-round win over Riverhead. Click on the numbered boxes to see them all.
Photos are courtesy of South Huntington School District.
