Malhas field goal spurs Babylon's win

Alex Malhas, the Babylon kicker, and Patrick Hogan, the Mount Sinai wide receiver, reflected each other almost perfectly Friday night in Babylon.

For Malhas, it began with a furrowed brow, full of frustration, followed by the unexpected bliss of seeing the football sail through the uprights. For Hogan, it was momentary glory, and then, the unwanted futility of seeing the ball sail past his hands.

After he caught a pass from Austin Kay and broke two tackles for a 14-yard score to bring Mount Sinai to within two points with 1:07 to play, Hogan, under tight coverage from defensive back Michael Jackson, dropped the potential game-tying two-point conversion pass as the Panthers held on to upset the Mustangs, 16-14, in Suffolk IV.

Contrast that to Malhas' night. With 10:28 left in the second quarter and Babylon (5-2) down 8-6, Malhas shanked his 35-yard field-goal attempt wide, a miss that cost Babylon the lead. Malhas, a soccer player in his first year on the football team, trudged off dejectedly.

With 7:20 left in the third, again Babylon put the game at his feet. This time, the 34-yard kick was straight but short. Again, Mount Sinai (5-2) held on to its two-point lead.

After a drive that began in the third quarter carried over into the fourth, the Panthers found themselves at fourth-and-13 at the Mount Sinai 19-yard line. It was a 32-yard attempt that never wavered, giving the Panthers the 9-8 lead.

"I was afraid. But I did it for my team," Malhas said. "They helped me pull through. And it felt great. I knew it was good."

Babylon scored on its next possession when Frankie Mankiewicz (24 carries, 120 yards) dove 3 yards for a touchdown and a 16-8 lead. Eric Schweitzer scored Babylon's first touchdown on a 3-yard run.

Mt. Sinai's Mike Donadio finished with 115 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.

Babylon secured the fourth spot in Suffolk IV and will have home-field advantage for the first round of the playoffs.