Longwood Lions Run Wild in Playoff Victory

The Longwood Lions made a statement in their playoff opener, putting together a dominant performance in a 48-14 victory over Walt Whitman in a Suffolk Division I quarterfinal. The No. 3-seeded Lions overwhelmed the visiting No. 6 Wildcats with an explosive ground attack and plenty of big plays on both sides of the ball.

Kyon Sarwari led the way with a performance that was nothing short of spectacular. Sarwari carried the ball just six times but piled up 229 yards and three touchdowns, setting the tone early with touchdown runs of 53, 91 and 61 yards — all in the first quarter. That's three trips to the end zone before many fans had even settled into their seats.

Longwood finished with an incredible 413 rushing yards, showcasing the strength and physicality of its offensive line. Tackles Ayari Graham and Ed Princivil, guards Trey Glenn and Matt Reany, center Jacob Duarte and tight end De'Andre Levell helped create the running lanes that allowed the Lions to repeatedly break into the open field.

Sarwari wasn't the only one making noise on the ground. Jeremiah Edghill and quarterback Ryan Greene each finished just shy of 90 rushing yards, while Elijah Stevens and Mark Davis also contributed to the impressive team total.

The Lions received contributions through the air and on defense as well. Greene connected with Travis Gibbs for a touchdown pass, while Gibbs added an interception. Davis made his presence felt on the defensive side with a 33-yard pick-six, giving Longwood another big scoring play.

At 7-2, Longwood has earned the right to keep playing, but the challenge gets tougher next weekend. The Lions will travel to face No. 2 Sachem North in the Suffolk Division I semifinals, looking to carry their momentum into another postseason showdown.