Brady Clark throws 5 first-half TD passes as Bayport-Blue Point rolls in opener
Bayport-Blue Point quarterback Brady Clark fades back to pass during a Suffolk Division IV football game against host Mt. Sinai on Friday. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Air show!
Brady Clark set a Bayport-Blue Point record for touchdown passes thrown in a half as he fired five scoring strikes in the first two quarters of the Phantoms' season opener at Mount Sinai.
Clark was 8-for-10 for for 220 yards in the first half to send top-seeded Bayport-Blue Point to a 48-6 win on Friday night in a Suffolk Division IV game. Clark finished the game with 335 all-purpose yards. He added a 7-yard scoring run in the third quarter and rushed for 115 yards on nine carries.
“I couldn’t wait to get started this season because I wasn’t happy with the way last year ended,” Clark said. “We let a Suffolk championship slip away in the final minute last year at Stony Brook and that really hurt. I’ve thought about it every night.”
Those emotions were washed away quickly Friday night. It took Clark just over a minute to throw his first scoring pass. On the Phantoms' opening drive, he found Michael Luce for 48 yards down the home sideline for a 7-0 lead with 10:46 left.
Clark’s next touchdown pass was a beauty. His long pass sailed over the defender’s head and hit JJ Aiello in stride as he crossed over the goal line for another long Bayport-Blue Point touchdown, this one for 46 yards and a 14-0 lead with 6:39 left in the half.
“I ran a go-route and the throw was money, right over my shoulder and in stride,” Aiello said. “Brady was on target all night.”
Bayport’s Riley Spencer recovered a fumble at the Mount Sinai 23, and two plays later Aiello added a 23-yard touchdown reception. This time, Clark eluded pressure from the back side and rolled to the visitor’s sideline to find Aiello on the scramble for the score to make it 21-0.
The Bayport defense forced another three-and-out. “Our defense was relentless,” Clark said. “They set us up for a short field on a few drives. And the offensive line provided a great pocket and time to throw the deep ball.”
Clark threw his fourth touchdown pass when he hit Luce behind the defense for a 51-yard score. Sean Anglim added his fourth extra point to make it 28-0.
“We had some quick strike touchdowns,” Aiello said.
The offensive line consisting of center Jeremiah Lee, guards Dylan Spano and Ryan Bachmore, and tackles Robert Galian and Jesse Munno dominated the front.
“It all starts with them,” Clark said. “They don’t get enough credit.”
The game took an unfortunate turn with 7:38 remaining when a Mount Sinai ball carrier was tackled hard on the home sideline at midfield drawing a flag for the hit. The Mount Sinai bench took exception to the hit and a brawl ensued. The officiating crew and administrators from both schools separated the players and restored order. No players were ejected, and the game, which was official, was halted at that point.
The teams lined up at midfield for the postgame handshake and there was no further incident.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
