High School Football

BY BOB HERZOG

The awards dinners in Nassau and Suffolk are both on Monday night. I already know who won the Hansen and Thorp Awards so I won't discuss those here. But here's my take on the team awards, for which I have no inside information.

Obviously, Riverhead will be awarded the Rutgers Trophy as the best team in Suffolk. That's a no-brainer considering the Blue Waves were the only undefeated team in the county. I'll be interested to see who finishes second -- once-beaten Sayville or once-beaten Babylon. Both are L.I. Champions and both had sensational seasons. Sayville would get my No. 2 vote because we all know they really should have had an undefeated season but were denied it on a controversial officials' decision. It would have been interesting to see who would have won the Rutgers Trophy if Sayville and Riverhead were both undefeated.

The real suspense on Monday night will surround the Rutgers Cup winner. No Nassau team won an LIC for the second year in a row. So who gets the nod -- once-beaten Seaford, twice-beaten Bethpage or twice-beaten Freeport? My vote would go to Seaford, because it won 11 straight and was competitive in losing to Babylon in the L.I. title game. I've heard some rumblings that Bethpage, which lost an OT heartbreaker to Sayville in the LIC, might be a sentimental choice because there are rumors that this was venerable coach Howie Vogts' final season.

I'm as sentimental as the next guy and have great respect for Mr. Vogts and his assistant, Erwin Dill. But Seaford was the more dominat team all season. And though the Rutgers Cup is not a cumulative award, the Vikings also went undefeated until the LIC in 2007. They deserve a reward.

Newsday will have full coverage of both Rutgers winners plus profiles on the Hansen and Thorp Award winners in Tuesday's print and on-line editions.

BY DARREN SANDS

Good afternoon and welcome to today’s live blog of the Class IV Long Island championship between Babylon and Seaford. We’re here live at LaValle Stadium on the campus of Stony Brook University and we’re almost ready to get started.

Seaford (11-0) returns to the Long Island title game after losing to Amityville in the L.I.C. in 2007. They finished the season as the only undefeated team in Nassau County. Seaford is a year older and a bit tougher and will depend on its best player, Nick Barbuto to carry the load. Rob Perpall teams are known for their discipline -- especially on defense -- but Barbuto is a dynamic runner whose speed can change a game.

Babylon (10-1) is back in the L.I.C after falling in heartbreaking fashion to Amityville -- here at Stony Brook -- in the Suffolk County championship.

Back with updates soon!

FOURTH QUARTER

Babylon has won its fourth-ever Long Island Championship 35-28.

0:35 left -- Babylon has recovered the onside kick. Babylon will take two knees and game will be over.

Babylon 35, Seaford 28 -- 38 seconds left

0:38 left -- Mike Gallo caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Rigoli to make the score 35-28. This game is not over. Seaford will go for an onside kick.

4:09 left -- Griffo intercepted a pass from Rigoli, and Babylon has the ball inside the Seaford 20. Babylon has likely just sealed the win. The Babylon fans can smell it, and they're going wild.

6:19 left --Babylon has recovered the onside kick.

Babylon 35, Seaford 22

6:35 left -- Andrew Alba ran in for a 1-yard touchdown for Seaford, completing a 10-play, 52-yard drive. You can expect an onside kick that is actually probably absolutely necessary.

Babylon 35, Seaford 14

10:58 left -- Stephen Loudon caught a 14-yard pass from Griffo to set up a 1-yard touchdown to Sean Melow to make the score 35-14. It was a 9-play, 35-yard drive.

THIRD QUARTER

1:27 left -- Babylon just went for it on 4th and 3, and converted it. They've got a first down now with the ball on the Seaford 21.

3:53 left -- Seaford went for a fake punt and it failed. Griffo tipped the ball and Babylon will take over on the Seaford 35.

Babylon 29, Seaford 14

6:40 left -- Schweitzer intercepted a tipped pass and returned it 31 yards to the house to give Babylon a 29-14 lead. Seaford must score quickly on this next drive to keep this one close.

KEY HALFTIME STATS (Babylon 22, Seaford 14)

First downs: Seaford 7, Babylon 9
Total offense: Seaford 168, Babylon 162
Time of possession: Seaford 12:09, Babylon 11:51
Third-down conversions: Seaford 0 of 6, Babylon 3 of 6
Fourth-down conversions: Seaford 3, Babylon 1

SECOND QUARTER

HALFTIME -- Babylon 22, Seaford 14

0:00 left -- Babylon's J.T. Pate intercepted a pass from Rigoli with four seconds left in the half. Babylon ran one play and as time expired.

Babylon 22, Seaford 14 -- 2:06 remaining.

2:06 left -- Seaford completed 9-play, 70-yard drive on Andrew Alba's 1-yard touchdown. Seaford quarterback Chris Rigoli completed a two-point conversion to receiver Mike Gallo to make the score 22-14.

3:40 left -- Joe Fallorino busted through to the second level for a 35-yard run, which set up Seaford for 1st and 10. Seaford has the ball on the 5 yard line.

Babylon 22, Seaford 6 -- 5:58 remaining

5:58 left -- Sean Melow trudged into the end zone, and Babylon has taken a 22-6 lead with 5:58 remaining in the first half. It was a 5-play, 37-yard drive.

Babylon 15, Seaford 6 -- 10:39 remaining

10:39 left -- Griffo kept an option for a 3-yard touchdown, and Babylon has taken a 15-6 lead. It was a bruising, 9-play, 73-yard drive. Brian Schweitzer, it should be said, has shown no ill-effects from his head injury.

FIRST QUARTER

1:01 left -- Greg Griffo completed a 36-yard pass to Alex Grandal, putting Babylon inside the 10-yard line. They ran another play as time expired, and it will be second down and seven.

Babylon 8, Seaford 6 -- 4:31 remaining

4:31 left -- Bryan Schweitzer's touchdown completed a six play, 37-yard drive which tied the game at 6. Babylon went for a two point conversion and executed a perfect option play turned pass to take an 8-6 lead.

Seaford 6, Babylon 0

6:30 left -- Nick Barbuto's 4-yard touchdown completed a 10-play, 71-yard touchdown. Seaford, which converted a pair of fourth downs on the drive, missed the extra point.

8:30 left -- Perpall loves to go for it on fourth down. On third and short, Barbuto ran five yards up the left side for Seaford's first first down of the game. Seaford's Andrew Alba broke a long run, and Seaford has the ball on the Babylon 22.

11:58 left -- Seaford kicked off, and I use that term loosely. It was more like a squib kick meant to get the ball back. Babylon, which bobbled the ball, gathered it and started off with great field position at its own 44. They ran three plays and punted. Seaford will start on its own 29.

Welcome to the Class II Long Island Championship game between Riverhead (11-0) and Elmont (9-2) from Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium at Stony Brook University. Cody Derespina here blogging your way through the game:

KEYS TO THE GAME

RIVERHEAD:

Miguel Maysonet: Since the first game of the year Maysonet has been racking up big yards, and the star running back hasn't been held to under 100-yards all season. But his record-setting performance last week against West Islip (47 carries for 231 yards and a touchdown) was the stuff champions are made of -- and that wasn't even his best game this year. If he can put together a game half as good as last week's, Riverhead should find itself in a good position to win. Add to that that the ball is easier to hold than to throw in the cold November air, and Maysonet's performance becomes that much more important.

The Defense: To say riverhead has really played a "close" game all year would be deceiving: The team's closest margin of victory was a 20-8 defeat of North Babylon on Sept. 27, and the most points scored against them all year was 20 by Newfield on Oct. 24 (Riverhead won 46-20). All season long the defense has done a great job of limiting their opponent's offense, while giving the Riverhead heavy hitters plenty of breathing room to do their thing and score points.

ELMONT:

The M & M Boys -- Diashawn Miller and Justin Mayers: Miller has proved deadly accurate with his arm, going 51-for-59 for 793 yards and 12 TDs without an interception, as of Nov. 15. And when he runs, he picks up an average of 7-yards per carry. But Mayers is the one to be wary of on the ground, averaging over 7.5 yards per carry each time he takes the ball. Mayers has been particularly good in the playoffs too, scoring three times against Hewlett last week and three times against Carey the week before.

That That Don't Kill Me, Can Only Make Me Stronger: Though they haven't been as utterly dominant as Riverhead, the 9-2 Elmont team has been a team of turn-arounds. After begining the season 1-2 with losses to Carey and Hewlett, Elmont picked itself up and hasn't been defeated since, turning those earlier misfortunes on their head by beating Carey and Hewlett in the playoffs to secure a spot in the LI Championship Game.

LIC Facts:

- Next weekend marks the end of a four-year Championship Game drought for Riverhead.
- Elmont will make its first appearance in the Long Island Championship Game.

back soon with updates...

Riverhead won the coin toss and is set to receive...

9:01 : Greg Meyer returned the ball 19 yards to the 25 on an Ahkeel Rodney kickoff. Rasheen Moore then drove 21 yards on a number of nice blocks and bobs before Miguel Maysonet gained 13 yards on two carries in a row to get a first down. Maysonet again with a rush, with a trend that's becoming somewhat apparent. Riverhead is also moving quickly. Another Maysonet carry for two yards brings up a 3rd and four, and a rare pass to Timothy Fitgerald picks up the first down. Maysonet carries two more times to bring the ball to the 14, before Tim Velys pass is broken up by Michael Robinson. A handoff to Maysonet brings up 3rd-and-1 from the five and Maysonet (surprised?) basically walks in for the touchdown, but Velys point-after attempt is no good. 6-0 Riverhead

Drive: 75 yards, 11 plays in 2:55

8:01 : Elmont returns the ball along the sidelines 31 yards to the Elmont 46, so the Spartans are in a good position to strike back at Riverhead. Justin Mayers gets eaten up (2 yard gain) on a rush, Diashawn Miller throws an incomplete pass that ends up along the sidelines and then misses an easy shot (though Riverhead was in good position to still deny a first down). Elmont punts.

4:50 : Velys throws a deep incomplete shot from the 27 before Riverhead gets back to what works with Maysonet gaining 21 yards on a strong sideline run. Maysonet up the middle and he fumbles, but Riverhead recovers. With that scare out of the way, Velys hits Fitzgerald for another first down. Maysonet gains five, Velys scrambles and, with no good options, throws it away. Maysonet with a world of room gains 11 and the first down. The tempo this drive for Riverhead is slower, but still quicker than most teams. Maysonet for six yards, Maysonet for seven yards (and the first down), Maysonet for three, Maysonet gains eight and stumbles at the 1-yard line, Maysonet runs in for the touchdown.......if anyone was wondering, Maysonet is really good. Greg Meyer runs it in for the two-point conversion. 14-0 Riverhead

Drive: 73 yards, 12 plays in 3:05

4:39 : wow. The kickoff is fumbled and picked up by Riverhead. They are at the 33 and in great position (understatement) to put up a huge crooked number and its only the first half. Tim Velys hits Tim Fitgerald on the first play for 33 yards and the touchdown. Velys kick is wide left. 20-0 Riverhead.

Drive: 33 yards, 1 play in 4 seconds.

2:38 : Riverhead isn't messing around. They try an onside kick, but Elmont recovers. Diashawn Miller throws a 37 yard pass to James Myers and Elmont needs to start scoring soon if they're going to have a shot. Rush is stuffed, some nice blocking allows Justin Mayers to gain four setting up a crucial third and five. Mayers trys another run but gets no gain as that good Riverhead defense is living up to the hype. On fourth-and-five Elmont goes for it, Miller puts up a good fight running to the left side, but comes up a yard short for a turnover on downs.

1:19 : For the first time Riverhead looks semi-human, gaining just two yard in two downs to set up a third and eight from the 14. Maysonet from Velys, but its short and Riverhead has to punt.

0:36 : A very short punt sets Elmont up at the 40 yard line, but they haven't been adept at taking advantage of opportunities so far. Justin Mayers with a good run for 11 yards and the first down, Miller is intercepted at the 1-yard line and Riverhead has the ball back again.

0:00 : Maysonet for 22 yards, Velys passes for six yards, and the quarter comes to an end with Riverhead leading 20-0.

First quarter totals for Maysonet - 19 carries for 140 yards and two touchdowns.

10:50 : New quarter, same old plan - Maysonet, Maysonet. Maysonet run, but a there's a flag against Riverhead for holding and then two Velys incompletes before Riverhead punts.

6:26 : Elmont starts at the 21 as Riverhead's kick goes out of bounds. Brian Cole runs for 13, Cole runs again and has a huge hole up the middle for a 25 yard gain as Elmont finally looks like it's in a bit of a groove. As soon as I say that, however, Elmont runs two straight and picks up only two yards. A hold against Elmont on third down backs them up to 3rd and 20, but, up against the wall, Miller throws a perfect strike to Myers for the first down and Elmont is back in bussiness. Mayers gets nothing on a run, and Brian Cole grabs four yards on a pass but takes a big hit at the end of it. Miller throws for Adelbert Clerge, but the pass is too low and even a Clerge dive can't save it. They go for it on fourth down and Riverhead intercepts at the 18 yard line and the ball is returned 59 yards to the 23 yard line.

6:19 : On the first play Maysonet has a huge hole and runs it in for his third touchdown of the game. The two-point conversion is good on a Greg Meyer carry. 28-0 Riverhead.

Drive: 1 play, 23 yards, 7 seconds.

4:14 : Elmont returns it 26 yards, fumbles and then recovers. Elmont is alternately getting in some good runs for decent yardage and then getting stuffed at the line of scrimmage. The Riverhead defense is coming up big, preventing Elmont from getting comfortable at all. Elmont drives down to the Riverhead 45, and goes for it again on fourth down, turning the ball over on downs (again) after an incomplete pass.

2:25 : Velys pass is incomplete, Maysonet picks up four, Maysonet picks up two and now Riverhead is punting.....no they're not, faking everyone out (on and off the field) and getting the first down. Velys throws 34 yards and Meyer runs it 9 yards and Velys extra point is good. 35-0 Riverhead.

Drive: 55 yards, five plays

1:41 : Myers has a beautiful return of 45 yards, but a flag on the 29 yard line means the ball is coming back, ruining good field position for Elmont. Miller throws and it looks like an easy catch, but there's confusion on the play and it just narrowlyn avoids being an interception. Another pass almost gets picked (this one the defender actually gets a hand on), and another Miller pass almost picked off. The defense is right on top of the recievers, in better position to catch than they are. The Elmont running game has been non-existant this drive. Elmont punts 35 yards out of bounds to the 46 yard line.

0:00: Maysonet runs on 2nd and 10 for seven yards and Velys, under pressure, tries to run for the first down but is 1/2 yard short. On fourth and inches, guess who gets it? Maysonet for four yards and the first down. With the clock expiring, Riverhead doesn't run another play.

Halftime Stats:

Maysonet: 27 carries, 202 yards and three touchdowns
Velys: 6/13, 87 yards and a touchdown
Fitzgerald: 4 catches, 50 yards and a touchdown

327 yards of total offense in the first half for Riverhead
139 yards of total offense in the first half for Elmont

Remember, Elmont has surprised people in the past, 35-0 is a deep hole, but there's a whole half to play. Back soon for the third quarter.

10:49 : Elmont starts the second half at the 32-yard line, Brian Cole for 2 yards, after a loss of three Miller can't hit Myers aroud midfield and Elmont punts to the 33-yard line with no return by Riverhead.

10:03 : Flag on the first Riverhead play of the half losing 10 yards for the Bue Waves, Maysonet picks up nine, Velys throws the ball away, then completes it on the following play, but the receiver was out of bounds when he made the catch. Riverhead punts to the 39 and James Myers returns it to the seven yard line for 56 yards. Myers would have had a touchdown, but he slipped just shy of the endzone.

9:10 : That Myers return was really something -- perfect blocking and strong, athletic movies by Myers. And now, Elmont is squandering its chances again, failing to gain an inch on two straight plays. Cole grabs the pass from Miller and runs into the endzone, having to only break one defender. The two point conversion fails. 35-6 Riverhead.

Drive: 7 yard drive, three plays in 53 seconds

8:04 : Rodney's kick goes out of bounds at the 26 yard line. Maysonet gets the ball, but there's a flag on the play costing Riverhead five yards. So far in the second half Maysonet is still getting the ball semi-regularly (though not with as much frequency as in the first half), which means that Maysonet has a shot to the break the LIC game record of 303 yards. Fitzgerald nearly catches a deep pass from Velys, but it gets broken up and now Riverhead is punting.

5:40 : Elmont gets the ball at the 18 yard line. Miller, under pressure, is sacked by Andrew Smith for a loss of three yards. Miller hands the ball off to Mayers and he's immediately tackled for another three yards loss. Miller hands off to Cole, but not for much as Elmont is going to be forced to punt again.

4:22 : A 20 yard punt puts the ball on the Elmont 37, setting up Riverhead for a possible backbreaking score. Maysonet gains five (he's at 220 yards now), Maysonet gains three, Maysonet gets five more and the first down. Maysonet runs it in 23 yards, easily right up the middle, for a touchdown. Velys' kick is good. 42-6 Riverhead.

Drive: 36 yards in four plays in 1:06

1:27 : Riverhead tries another onside kick and it's recovered by Elmont at the Elmont 44. Miller shovels the ball to Mayers for the 100th play of the game, but only gets two yard. Miller shovels to Mayers who gives it right back to Miller who completes the pass for the first down. Miller's place is incomplete to Mayers and is almost intercepted. Actually the only reason the pass isn't intercepted is because the defender was in full hit mode against Mayers. Had he been going for the ball he almost certainly would have had a touchdown. On the next play, Miller actually does get intercepted by Edwin Perry for a 22 yard return to the Riverhead 40 yard line.

0:00 : Maysonet just got taken out of the game (I guess no record) and walked off to huge applause and an even bigger hug by his coach. Maysonet has had some season this year, and if you've seen any of his stats, trust me, he's just as good in person. Third quarter expires and Riverhead appears 12:00 away from an LIC win.

11:04 : Riverhead punts 31 yards to the Elmont 25. Steve Kimmelman was in at QB for the Blue Waves on their last possession.

4:13 : James Mayers showed off some good moves on his last run for 16 yards, running down the right side before cutting back up the middle to avoid defenders. Elmont is putting together a methodical drive, mainly on the ground, running down the clock now.

When judging Elmont for this game, keep in mind that they started the year 1-2 and still made it to the LIC. They took it to teams in the playoffs that took it to them in the regular season, showing grit and determination. But Riverhead has just been a monster this season and, in particular, this game. When the offense and defense are clicking on all cylinders, it's hard to stop it.

Elmont has a bad snap at the 17 yard line and luckily for them recovers the ball at the 29. On second and 21 the pass is knocked down.

3:58 : Miller carries the ball 18 yards on third down to set up a fourth and four and, like they've been doing all game, Elmont is going to go for it. Miller throws on fourth down and its incomplete for a turnover on downs.

1:00 : Rodney Rollins is getting a lot of carries for Riverhead here as the clock is winding down to a sure Riverhead win.

0:00 : And that's your game, Riverhead wins with a very convincing 42-6 victory over Elmont. Thanks for reading and make sure you check out the blog later on for tonight's final LIC game and the paper tomorrow for in-depth coverage from the Newsday Action Sports Team.

BY BOB HERZOG

Is there a class ceiling that limits the upward mobility of Long Island’s small-school football teams? If the dominoes fell right this weekend, would Babylon and Seaford, Saturday's Class IV participants in the Long Island Championship at Stony Brook, be denied the Rutgers Cup or Rutgers Trophy?
“I think the perception is that the Division I schools have the better kids. I think the lower-division teams sometimes get short-changed in the Rutgers Cup voting,” said Babylon coach Rick Punzone.
His Panthers have sustained one of the longest runs of excellence in Long Island football history, having played in the last 13 Suffolk County championship games. Yet in 2003, Punzone pointed out, Babylon was the only Suffolk team to win the LIC and at 10-1 wound up third in the Rutgers Cup voting. Division II Riverhead, unbeaten until a 28-0 loss to Garden City in the LIC, won the award as Suffolk’s best team.
“Sometimes it hurts being a small school. I think we do get overshadowed by the bigger schools,” Punzone said. “Most years, I think that for one game, we can compete with the big boys. Maybe not on a week-in, week-out basis.”
Seaford coach Rob Perpall, whose Vikings have their own impressive run of excellence with four county titles in the last 11 years and a second straight unbeaten season entering the LIC, declined to get into a big-school, small-school debate. But having coached in all four Nassau classifications during his 39-year career, Perpall offered this perspective:
“At one time or another, all four conferences have had excellent players. It’s just that the larger conferences usually have more of them,” Perpall said. “The best football player that ever lived came out of Manhasset – Jim Brown, Conference IV. What does that tell you? Every level has produced good teams, good coaches and good players.”
That’s certainly the case this year, where Babylon is 10-1 with only an overtime loss to Glenn marring its perfect season, is the highest scoring team on Long Island. Seaford is 11-0 with the toughest defense on L.I. to score against. Such dominance is no surprise for either team. In fact, they’ve made winning a habit.
“We’ve had some nice success,” Perpall said. “So has Floyd, Babylon, Bethpage, Freeport, Garden City. Winning breeds winning. The hard part is getting it going.”
At Babylon, Punzone acknowledges that his club has been so successful “that some people think we’re a big school.”
There is strong evidence that Babylon and Seaford will continue to push that class ceiling. “There’s a winning tradition that extends to the JV, the ninth grade and the junior high programs,” Punzone said. “Most of those coaches have played for me and run the same offense and defense.”
At Seaford, Perpall noted that in 2008, for the first time in school history, the middle school, JV and varsity teams all had unbeaten regular seasons. “The most important thing in any program is that the kids have to buy into what you’re doing,” Perpall said. “They’ve done that here. The young kids want to copy the older kids. Some years we get better athletes, but you can over-achieve if everyone buys in.”
And perhaps still get overlooked in the end.
Perpall is hoping that doesn’t happen this year. He has the only undefeated school in Nassau. If the Vikings survive today, could Seaford’s first Rutgers Cup be waiting, or will the upper classes rule?
“I think we can get a fair shake,” Perpall said, “as long as the people voting realize that they’re voting for the team that had the best season. They’re not voting for the team they think is most powerful.”
But as any lawyer will attest, predicting a jury’s verdict is a perilous game.

BY DARREN SANDS

Hey everybody! Welcome to the second game here at Hofstra, which features a very intriguing matchup between Sayville and Bethpage.

Sayville's journey here has been marked with physical loss, controversial losses and emotional wins. A win here for Sayville, which is 3-0 in this game, would be a storybook ending. Sayville (10-1) doesn't just win these games -- they blow teams out.

They, of course, have to get past Bethpage (10-1) whose ball control offense can dominate a game. The program has won five of nine Long Island titles. They're ground effort is led by Kevin Glueckert and a stout, confident offensive line that is experienced and understands they're role in the offense. Back with updates soon, as we just minutes from kickoff.

OVERTIME

Sayville 13, Bethpage 7

Sayville's Dillon Boos punched the ball in from the 1-yard line and has won the Class III Long Island Championship, 13-7. It was on the third play from scrimmage after Boos completed a pass on the 1 to Nick Stover for the first down.

Bethpage ran three plays, the last of which was intercepted. Sayville will take over on the 20.

Sayville won the coin and has decided to play defense first.

FOURTH QUARTER

0:00 left -- Bethpage took four shots at the end zone to no avail. Pat O'Connor intercepted a pass as time expired. The game is going into overtime.

0:28 left -- Nick Stover of Sayville threw an interception to Kyle Eskridge. Bethpage gets the ball back with 28 seconds left on the clock.

0:37 left -- Sayville's Pdgurski picked off a pass in the end zone.

1:22 left -- Rob Cafiero ran for a first down when Bethpage had 4th and 4 yards to go. The fourth down conversation allows Bethpage to take a few shots at the end zone.

Bethpage 7, Sayville 7 -- 3:00 minutes left.

4:00 left -- Boos went keeper for no gain on first and goal from , and then he made a great play to the left side, breaking a tackle in the process but surging nonetheless, his touchdown tying the score at 7.

6:41 left -- Cory Caulfield appeared to suffer a pretty bad back injury, but walked off under his own power just minutes ago. With that said, Sayville has the ball inside the Bethpage 35 and is moving the ball pretty well, though without their star tailback.

11:12 left -- Sayville worked the ball down the Bethpage 29, but went for it on fourth down and turned the ball over on downs. The Flashes missed a Golden opportunity to perhaps tie the game, as Boos made an incomplete pass intended for receiver Charlie Podgurski.

THIRD QUARTER

Bethpage 7, Sayville 0

5:12 left -- Boos fumbled yet again, this time allowing Bethpage to recover on its own 42. The only thing worse than these mistakes is that they are so frequent.

Bethpage 7, Sayville 0

5:47 left -- Joe Miceli scored a 6-yard touchdown, completing a 5-play, 20-yard drive to make the score 7-0. Bethpage finally punched it in, converting off of a turnover by Sayville deep in its own territory.

8:15 left -- Dillon Boos mishandled a shotgun snap, and Bethpage's Matt Carrello recovered it just inside the Sayville 20.

12:00 left -- Glueckert ran a 67-yard kickoff inside the 30 yard-line to start the second half. He's got some real speed. But can Bethpage convert?

KEY HALFTIME STATS:

Boos is 8 for 17 passing with two interceptions. Will Sayville continue to try to air it out in the second half?

Total yards: Bethpage 108, Sayville 151
Rushing yards: Bethpage 90, Sayville 113
First downs: Bethpage 3, Sayville 8
Time of possession: Bethpage 10:42, Sayville 13:18

SECOND QUARTER

Bethpage 0, Sayville 0

0:15 left -- You think those plays were big? Well Sayville's Doug Meehan just intercepted a pass from Bethpage's Rob Cafiero on the 1. The pass was intended for an open Kevin Glueckert. Sayville took over and ran one running play to get off the goal line.

1:00 left -- Sayville made two huge plays on defense: The Golden Flashes just tackled Bethpage for losses of 14 and 6. Bethpage, which had the ball on the Sayville 5, now has it on the 25 with just 23 seconds remaining in the half.

2:01 left -- Jimmy Haugen showed off his speed and ran the length of the field, 61 yards, down the five yard line on a hand off. The only problem was that Sayville's Nick Stover was showing off his, too, and caught Haugen at the 5-yard line.

5:20 left -- Bethpage Rob Swierkowski sacked Boos for an 11-yard loss, forcing Sayville to punt.

7:25 left -- Glueckert picked off a pass from Boos on second down with Sayville threatening in the red zone. Sayville appeared to run it in on the previous play, but was called for a crucial holding penalty that put them back another five yards. Essentially, this game should be 7-0, but its still scoreless because of two crucial mistakes by Sayville.

9:51 left -- Sayville quarterback Dillon Boos has had a couple of receivers drop balls -- balls that have been right on the money. So this time he ran for a first down on his own: by running. Sayville is surging, down now to the Bethpage 22.

Bethpage 0, Sayville 0

FIRST QUARTER

0:00 left -- Bethpage fumbled the ball as time expired but quickly recovered. Sayville's defense doesn't get as much credit as its spread offense does, but they've done a fine job keeping Glueckert under control, and its running game from controlling too much of the clock.

4:54 left -- Sayville just went for it on 4th-and-7, opting not to go for a 37-yard field goal into the wind. Glueckert and the Bethpage offense got the ball back, and answered with a 20-yard run up the middle.

11:46 left -- Bethpage's Rob Cafiero picked off Dillon Boos on his first pass of the game. Bethpage will start from Sayville's 40-yard line.

BY MARC JIMENEZ

Good afternoon readers and welcome to today’s Class I championship game between Freeport and Connetquot. Both teams are coming off impressive wins in their county title games. In its 34-21 win over Massapequa, the Freeport defense harassed quarterback Rob Von Bargen all day. He was sacked five times, intercepted three times and fumbled twice. Meanwhile Freeport Erick Lapice had a solid game, running for two scores and throwing for one.

Connetquot, which defeated Lindenhurst, 17-3, will counter with Joe Zuco running the ball while QB Ryan Andersen will look for Jon Sternbach to make plays in the open field. Also expect linebackers Jeremy Leggiero and John Smith to have big games.

Kickoff is set for noon. Will be back with updates throughout the game.

12:00 Freeport won the coin toss and deferred to Connetquot.

7:00 Connetquot's Jon Sternbach took the opening kickoff 32 yards to the Freeport 48. Jeremy Leggiero rushed for 2 yards on first down. Two plays later, Joe Zuco gained 7 on 3rd and 8 before picking up the first on a 4-yard gain. Leggiero gained 5 to move the ball to the 30. Then on 4th and 2 at the 27, Zuco plowed up the middle for 4 yard and the first.

6:18 Anderson was sacked by Maalik McVea on 2 and 7 and fumbled. Freeport recovered.

4:14 Freeport's drive stalled at the 42. On 3rd and 12, Lapice rushed for 7 yards before getting tackled. Freeport punted and Connetquot took over at the 11.

2:01 Connetquot's Zuco gained 2 on first down. Leggiero rushed for 7 on second, setting up a third and short. On the following play, Leggiero was stopped for a no gain. Connetquot punted and Freeport took over at the 49.

1:00 Freeport's Kevin Allen ran for 4 on first down and picked up 10 more on second to set up 1st and 10 at the 30. Two plays later, Lapice danced his way all the way to the 12.

End of First Quarter

11:11 Freeport's Jules Harvey lost 2 on second down, setting up 3rd and 9 at the 11. No matter though, on the next play, Lapice hit Ashanti Foster-Felder for a touchdown capping a 7 play, 44-yard drive that took 2:50. Freeport 7, Connetquot 0.

6:20 Connetquot took over at the 49 after a kickoff and a late hit. Zuco picked up 8 on first. Three plays later, Zuco moved the ball to the 32 on another gain of 8. Leggiero was hit hard by Jules Harvey on second down, losing 2 yards. Then on 4th and 8 at the 31, Anderson passed to Zuco for a 17-yard gain and a first down at the 14.

4:34 Connetquot was called for a false start on 3rd and 3 at the 7. Zuco picked up 2 yards on third and long, setting up a 4th and 6 at the 10. Connetquot called a timeout to think about it.

4:27 Connetquot's Anderson connected with Sternbach on a 10-yard TD to tie this one at 7. Connetquot covered 49 yards on 11 plays. Freeport 7, Connetquot 7

2:57 Freeport took over at the 23 on a 20-yard return by Michael Batts. Allen rushed for 2 on first before Lapice hit Sternbach with a 20-yard pass, setting up a 1st and 10 at the 45. Allen then gained 9 on first and 7 more on second. Connetquot called a timeout .

1:21 Lapice ran for 5 yards on first and Allen picked up 7 more on second, setting up 1st and 10 at the Connectquot 27. Freeport called a timeout.

0:32 After the timeout, Lapice was sacked by Leggiero, setting up a 4th and 10 at the 27. On the next play, Lapice threw to Foster-Felder in the end zone, but the pass was broken up. Connetquot took over at the 27.

End of Second Quarter Freeport 7, Connetquot 7.

Halftime stats:

Rushing -- C: Zuco 45 yards on 14 carries, Leggiero 19 yards on 6.
F: Allen 50 yards on 7 carries, Lapice 21 yards on 4, Harvey 13 yards on 7.

Passing -- C: Anderson is 3-of-3 for 27 yards with a TD.
F: Lapice is 2-of-4 for 31 yards and a TD.

Turnovers -- C: 1, F: 0

4th down conversions -- C: 4 of 4. F: 0 of 1.

Third Quarter

12:00 Freeport's Harvery took the kickoff 10 yards to the 18.

10:29 Lapice threw wide of his receiver on 3rd and 2 at the 38 and Freeport was forced to punt. Connetquot took over on its 41.

7:46 Zuco picked up 2 yards on first and with a face-mask penalty, the ball was placed at the 46. Zuco rushed for 6, Leggiero picked up 3 on second and Zuco picked up 6 more to move the ball to the to the Freeport 46. Connetquot called a timeout.

2:19 Zuco rushed for 8 to bring the ball to the 22. Two plays later, Zuco gained 9 to set up a 3rd and 1. Leggiero ran up the middle, picking up the first, and Zuco ran for 6 to bring the ball to the 4. Zuco then ran the ball 3 mores times and scored on a 4th and 1 at the 1. Connetquot gained 59 yards on 15 plays. Connetquot 14, Freeport 7.

1:31 Freeport took over at the 20. Harvery gained 3 on first, then on second, Foster-Felder dropped a beautiful pass by Lapice at midfield. Freeport called a timeout. They are facing a 3rd and 7 at the 23.

1:22 Lapice ran for 9 to pick up the first and keep the drive alive.

0:20 Lapice gained 6 on another QB keeper, overthrew his receiver on the next two plays and was sacked on third down. Freeport punted and Connetquot took over at the 35.

End of Third Quarter Connetquot 14, Freeport 7

10:41 Zuco gained 12 yards on first down and another 41 yards, two plays later, to set up a 1st and 10 at the 11.

7:52 After a timeout, Zuco took it in for a score on 4th and 1, capping a 7-play, 65-yard drive. Connetquot 21, Freeport 7.

7:11 Freeport took over at the 29. Lapice's pass on first down was broken up. He ran for 10 yards on second to pick up a first. On the next play, Lapice threw to Foster-Felder in the middle of the field. The pass fell incomplete and Foster-Felder was hurt on the play.

5:59 Foster-Felder limped off the field on his own. Lapice was sacked on second, setting up a 3rd and 17 at the 33. His next two passes were low as Connetquot took over with great field position.

4:04 Connetquot called a timeout. The T-Birds are facing 4th and 6 on the 27.

4:02 Anderson's pass on 4th was incomplete as Freeport took over at the 27.

3:06 Lapice was sacked by John Smith, setting up a 3rd and 7 at the 40.

0:53 All Lapice on this drive. He ran up the middle and gained 9 yards for the first, then gained 11 on the next play. He ran for two yards on first then hooked up with Allen for a 13-yard pass. On 1st and 10 at the 25, his pass was thrown short to Foster-Felder. But then Lapice scampered for 8 yards on second and later he ran it in from 2-yards out for the TD. But Freeport caught a bad break as the snap on the extra point was low. Connetquot 21, Freeport 13.

0:51 Freeport went for the onside kick and Connetquot recovered.

End of Fourth Quarter Connetquot 21, Freeport 13

Final stats

Rushing -- C: Zuco 148 yards on 33 carries. Leggiero 27 yards on 10 carries.
F: Lapice 79 yards on 17 carries. Allen 76 yards on 12 carries.

Passing -- C: Anderson was 4-of-5 for 39 yards with a TD.
F: Lapice was 5-of-17 for 62 yards with a TD.

Receiving -- C: Zuco 2 passes for 29 yards.
F: Foster-Felder 2 passes for 31 yards. Allen 2 passes for 21 yards.

Fourth down conversions: C: 6 of 7. F: 1 of 3.

Total offense (plays/yards) C: 53-197. F: 54-233

The Connetquot T-Birds discuss their confidence level as they prepare for Friday's Class I Long Island Championship game against Freeport.

The nZone talks to Sayville head coach Rob Hoss and quarterback Dillon Boos about Saturday's Class III Long Island Championship game matchup with Bethpage.

Marcus Henry here live from Mitchel Athletic Complex for the CHSFL AAA championship game between Iona Prep and St. Anthony's.

The last time these two teams hooked up it was all Iona as the Gales knocked off St. Anthony's 41-21. Some viewed it as a changing of the guard. But the way the wind is whipping around, Iona's dangerous passing game might have a tough time getting started.

First quarter:
Iona Prep first drive: The Gaels had no problems moving the ball as Jeff Mack cappted a 6-play, 80-yard drive with a 50-yard scoring run. Iona Prep added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.
Iona Prep 7, St. Anthony's 0

St. Anthony's first drive: The Friars made some headway as Brendan Schroeder completed a 40-yard pass play to Joseph Ingrao. But St. Anthony's fumbled the ball and Iona Prep recovered on the Friars 46 with 7:28 left in the first quarter.

Iona Prep second drive: Jeff Mack's footwork has left St. Anthony's reeling as he scored his second TD of the afternoon, a 17-yard run. Mack totaled 33 yards on the drive.
Iona Prep 14, St. Anthony's 0.

St. Anthony's second drive: Schroeder gave the Friars some hope with a 37 yard gain off an option keeper. But a holding penalty prevented the Friars from finding the end zone. Nick Ferrara connected on a 39-yard field goal.
Iona Prep 14, St. Anthony's 3

Iona Prep third drive: Iona Prep is moving the ball again facing a 3rd-and-2 from the St. Anthony's 44. We'll take time out as the quarter changes.

Second quarter:
Iona Prep's third drive: Mack had a 44-yard scoring called back because of a block in the back. But it didn't matter as he scored three plays later from 11 yards. The PAT was good to give the Gaels a 21-3 lead.
Iona Prep 21, St. Anthony's 3

St. Anthony's third drive: The Friars' persistance paid off as Kevin O'Malley capped an 18-play, 75-yard drive with an 8-yard TD run. The Friars tried to go for two, but Schroeder was sacked on the attempt. It was an impressive drive as St. Anthony's converted three fourth-down plays, including O'Malley's scoring run. Nick Mercurio had a 12-yard run and Chris Carberry had a 17-yard run and 10-yard catch on the drive.
Iona Prep 21, St. Anthony's 9.

Iona Prep fourth drive: The Gaels have let the Friars right back in it as St. Anthony's linebacker John Burk picked off a pass and returned it to the Iona Prep 41 with 50 seconds left in the half.

St. Anthony's fourth drive: The Friars almost looked out of it as they faced a 4th-and-16 from Iona Prep's 31, but Nicholas Flynn turned a broken halfback-pass play into a dazzling 31-yard scoring run with 9.5 seconds left in the half. The play was set up by Schroeder, who gained 15 yards on a quarterback keeper.
Iona Prep 21, St. Anthony's 16

HALFTIME SCORE: Iona Prep 21, St. Anthony's 16

THIRD QUARTER
St. Anthony's first drive: In the first real gamble of the game the Friars attempted to go for it on 4th-and-4 from the Iona Prep 42. Schroeder was stopped on the option and the Gaels took over.

Iona Prep first drive: St. Anthony's paid for the gamble as Mack ripped off a 48-yard TD run to extend Iona Prep's lead to 27-16. The PAT was no good.
Iona Prep 27, St. Anthony's 16

St. Anthony second drive: It was wasted drive for the Friars as Schroeder was picked off by Michael O'Hagan of Iona Prep on the Gaels' 27 yard line.

Iona Prep second drive: St. Anthony's paid for the mishap two plays later as Mack beat them again with a 61-yard scoring run. Mack ran into the 2-point conversion.
Iona Prep 35, St. Anthony's 16

St. Anthony's third drive: St. Anthony's failed to get the ball beyond midfield and punted after a three-and-out with 1:44 left in the third quarter.

Iona Prep third drive: The Gaels were on the march again as Mack broke free for a 46-yard run. But three straight negative plays has the Gaels facing a 4th-and-25 from the St. Anthony's 40. End of third quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER
Iona Prep punted on 4th-and-25. St. Anthony's fourth drive: St. Anthony's had another drive diverted as Iona Prep's Joe Ricci picked off Schroeder on the Gaels' 33.

Iona Prep's fourth drive: Sparked by a 29-yard catch and run by Chris Alfano, the Gaels scored again on a 19-yard run by Mack. The PAT was blocked.
Iona Prep 41, St. Anthony's 16

St. Anthony's fifth drive: Nick Flynn answered Mack with an 80-yard Kick return with 7: 55 left in the game. The two-point try failed.
Iona Prep 41, St. Anthony's 22.

St. Anthony's attempt at an onside kick failed. Iona Prep takes over on their own 46 with 4:37 left.
St. Anthony's recovered the onside kick. St. Anthony's fifth drive: The Friars took advantage of the opportunity as Schroeder hit Flynn with a 4-yard scoring play with 4:40 left. The two-point attempt was no good.

Iona Prep 41, St. Anthony's 28

The Jeff Mack show reached new heights as the junior running back ripped off a 38-yard TD with 3:29 left in the game to give Iona Prep a 48-28 lead. That's seven touchdowns and 400 yards rushing for Mack.

Iona Prep 48, St. Anthony's 28

St. Anthony's came back again as Nick Mercurio scored on a 48-yard run with 1;34 left. There's no quit in the Friars.
Iona Prep 48, St. Anthony's 35

It's the end of a dynasty.

FINAL SCORE: Iona Prep 48, St. Anthony's 35.

Adam Ronis here at Stony Brook for the second game of the day. No. 1 Glenn (10-0) hasn't allowed a point in the postseason and has scored 48 points in two games. No. 2 Babylon (9-1) suffered its only loss against Glenn on Oct. 18 in double overtime, 37-34. Be back for kickoff.

FIRST QUARTER
Glenn opens with the ball at their own 34. The Knights go three-and-out. The punt is fumbled and Steve Christofides recovered the fumble at the Babylon 37. Another three-and-out for Glenn, which punts it out of bounds.

Babylon takes over at its own 20. Bryan Schweitzer gets three straight carries and it brings up a fourth-and-1 and Babylon punts. A punt of 38 yards.

Glenn starts at its own 39 with 8:55 left in the first quarter. Stephen Loudon intercepts a pass and Babylon has the ball at the Glenn 49. Babylon goes three-and-out. Alex Grandal can't handle a low snap and is tackled at his own 46.

Another three-and-out for Glenn. A bad snap and Richie Smith blocks the punt for a 20-yard loss.

Babylon gets the ball at Glenn's 34. The Panthers go with three straight runs and faces a fourth-and-4 at the 28. A pass to Schweitzer goes for three yards and the Panthers turn it over on downs with 2:54 left.

Glenn starts at its own 25. Finally, a first down. Austin Cohen hets 13 yards on two carries and it's first-and-10 at the 38. The drive stalls after three more plays and Glenn will punt. It's a 30-yard punt with no return.

Babylon starts at its own 30.
End of 1st quarter Glenn 0, Babylon 0

SECOND QUARTER
Bryan Schweitzer gains six yards on second down to give Babylon a first down at its own 41. Greg Griffo gains seven yards to bring up a third-and-2. Schweitzer's second effort on a spin move gives Babylon another first down at the Glenn 45. Babylon is beginning to have success with the run as Schweitzer gets nine on first down to the Glenn 26.
Schweitzer with a nice touchdown run of 18 yards. Schweitzer ran into a crowd and broke free and then hurdled a defender at the six and went into the end zone. The extra point is good by Grandal. With 7:22 left in the half, Babylon leads 7-0.
The drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, time of 5:04

Glenn starts at its own 29. An illegal motion penalty makes it 3rd-and-9 from the 31. An incomplete pass and Glenn will punt. The punt goes for 42 yards.

Babylon starts at its own 23 and goes three-and-out. The punt goes 38 yards with no return.

Glenn starts the drive at its own 30 and also goes three-and-out. But a personal foul on Babylon for running into the punter for a 15-yard penalty. Greg Griffo commits the penalty. Glenn has a first down at its own 44. Austin Cohen gains 17 yards, dragging the pile forward. It's now 4th-and-10 at the Babylon 38. Glenn goes from a five-wide set and it is incomplete. A really tough half for quarterback Mike Massa. The cold has to be playing a factor because neither of these offenses resemble what we saw in the regular season.

Wow!! Malcolm Eugene comes through and pops Griffo, who fumbled the ball and Kyle Satchell recovers at the Glenn 33 for the Knights. It's now fourth-and-14 at the 29 with 18 seconds left. An incomplete pass in the end zone for a turnover on downs.

HALFTIME: BABYLON 7, GLENN 0

THIRD QUARTER
Babylon opens the quarter with the ball at its own 21. Babylon gets one first down and then punts.

Glenn starts at its own 31 and goes three-and-out. Sean Melow blocked the punt and Dan Lopez recovers it for Glenn and gets the first down at the 45. Glenn can't get a first down and punts and it goes into the end zone.

Babylon starts at its own 20 with 6:23 left and goes three-and-out. Joe Princiotta blocks the punt and Babylon recovers at their own 27 where Glenn takes over.

Glenn faces a fourth-and-5 at the 21. Cohen takes a pitch to his left and picks up 12 yards. Glenn has a first-and-goal at the 9. On second down, Cohen takes a pitch and scores on a 4-yard run with 1:22 left. Reyes Guevara kicks the extra point.
Glenn 7, Babylon 7

A Babylon player touched the ball on a kickoff and it rolls out of bounds at its own 4 where Babylon starts the drive with 1:19 left. The Panthers gte a first down at the 18.
END OF THIRD: GLENN 7, BABYLON 7

FOURTH QUARTER
Babylon picks up a first down to the 35. On 3rd-and-16, Griffo throws an incomplete pass. Babylon gets off a 27-yard punt.

Glenn starts at its own 46 with 8:57 left. John Cinnante runs for a first down on 3rd-and-3 to the Babylon 42. Glenn lines up for the punt and John Cinnante takes the snap and is short of a first down by one yard.

Babylon takes over at its own 33 with six minutes left. Babylon gets a first down at its own 43 after Schweitzer gains 5 yards. Schweitzer breaks free for a 53-yard touchdown run with 3:27 left and the extra point is missed. Babylon 13, Glenn 7

Glenn takes over at its own 30 with 3:22 left. Cohen loses 1 yard. An incomplete pass makes it 3rd-and-11. Massa completes a 5-yard pass to Eugene. It's 4th-and-6 at the 34. A Babylon offsides makes it 4th-and-1 at the 39 with 1:26 left. Cohen is stopped on a run and loses two yards with 1:21 left.

Babylon takes over at the Knights' 37. Schweitzer gains five yards and Glenn takes its first timeout with 1:15 left. Schweiter gains 3 to bring up 3rd-and-2. Glenn takes its second timeout with 1:11 left. Schweitzer gets the first down to the 26 and Glenn takes its last timeout with 1:07 left. Babylon runs out the clock.

FINAL BABYLON 13, GLENN 7