But the once-foggy picture is now crystal-clear. Smith, the senior starting quarterback, will lead the East Meadow football team onto its home field as the No. 4 seed entering the Nassau Conference II playoffs Friday afternoon. It’s been two years in the making.

To his astonishment, the referee also dismissed him for denying a goalscoring opportunity - despite the ball having been pouched by Sam Tickle. Smith became the fourth Latics man to be sent off in the last eight weeks, after Christian Saydee (Lincoln City), Morgan Fox (Cardiff City) and Dara Costelloe (Port Vale).