Chris Franzese, KaRahn King propel Glenn into Suffolk IV football final

All week long, captain Chris Franzese and the Glenn football team shouted “get back, get back.” Glenn had lost to Kings Park, 28-8, in its season opener on Sep. 9.

The teams went head-to-head once again on Friday, and this time, a spot in the county final was on the line.

“We always said in practice, when someone makes a play against you, the next play you get back,” Franzese said. “So, they beat us the first game of the season and this could’ve been our last game of the season.”

The result was much closer this time around as third-seeded Glenn defeated No. 2 Kings Park, 24-21, in a Suffolk Division IV semifinal. Glenn (7-2) will play No. 1 Bayport-Blue Point (9-0) on Friday Nov. 18, at 4 p.m. at Stony Brook in the Suffolk IV final.

Kings Park (7-2) cut the lead to 24-21 on a 1-yard touchdown by quarterback Kyle Weeks with 5:10 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Kingsmen regained possession with 1:12 left, got into field-goal range, but ultimately ran out of time. After completing a pass inbounds, they attempted to spike the ball before a potential tying kick, but the clock expired.

Franzese put Glenn ahead 7-0 early in the first quarter with a 55-yard scoop-and-score following a Kings Park fumble on the second play of its first drive.

Weeks and running back Mark Griffin answered by taking turns moving the chains into Glenn territory. Weeks scored on a 1-yard run with 3:12 left in the first quarter, but the extra point attempt failed.

Weeks helped put Kings Park ahead 14-7 with 10:52 left in the second quarter by completing a 43-yard touchdown pass to Scott McConville, and running in the ensuing two-point conversion.

Running back KaRahn King answered immediately for Glenn, rushing for a 59-yard touchdown just one play later to tie the score at 14.

Both offenses ran the ball more often as the rain and wind became heavier as the game went on. Franzese rushed for 75 yards and King ran for 123 yards.

Glenn’s defense, led by linebacker Andrew Knott, held Kings Park scoreless in the third. Knott’s pressure off the line helped slow down the run.

Cooper Kassan drilled a 25-yard field goal to give Glenn a 17-14 lead heading into the fourth quarter. 

Early in the fourth, the Kingsmen snapped the ball high on a punt attempt and the Knights recovered it on the 4-yard line, which set up King for a 4-yard touchdown run to give Glenn a 24-14 lead.

“We have all the stuff, it is working,” Franzese said. “We fine tune a couple things that have been restricting us. We came out in the second half, and we didn’t have any doubts. We were in a good spot.”

Head coach Dave Shanahan is looking to win the program’s ninth county title and the first since 2011.

Shanahan said: “It’s hard to get there, and it’s harder to win."