Class II Long Island Championship preview
Bellport's Mike Burton (38) dives for the 8 yard touchdown in the first half. (Nov. 20, 2010) Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
CLASS II
GARDEN CITYTROJANS (10-1)
VS.
BELLPORT CLIPPERS (8-3)Noon at Stony Brook U.
Two coaches, 434 victories. Tom Flatley (224 wins) of Garden City and Joe Cipp Jr. of Bellport (210) are no strangers to championship games.
Garden City, defending Class II champions, once again has the stingiest defense on Long Island, allowing a total of 73 points. Maybe not as dominant as last season, but still pretty tough.
Carey found that out last weekend as the Trojans reversed their only loss by stopping the Seahawks, 27-6. Garden City played without starting linebacker Conor McDonnell, who broke his leg in the team's semifinal victory over Wantagh. Another starting linebacker, Brian Fischer, may be out this week. But the Trojans still have Steve Jahelka, an elite two-way player. Junior Patric Berkery took up the offensive slack against Carey with 119 yards and three touchdowns.
Bellport is soaring into the LIC. Not only have the Clippers won six in a row since a rough start, but their 32-14 victory over East Islip got their coach the Suffolk record for career victories. "Bellport is all about family. No one can stop us if we stick together," star tackle Ryan Sloan said last week.
No one has stopped Travis Houpe lately. The 5-5, 180-pound fireplug ran for a Suffolk playoff record 332 yards against East Islip, with three touchdowns, including a 92-yard masterpiece. A speedy, hard-hitting defense features Sloan and edge-rusher Dante Johnson.
Garden City is making its Long Island-best 12th LIC appearance, posting a 4-7 mark. Bellport is appearing for the eighth time, tied for the most in Suffolk with Babylon and North Babylon, and is 5-2.
