Hatcher scores five TDs for Amityville
Amityville's Da'rell Hatcher (20) runs untouched for a 60-yard TD run during the Suffolk Division IV game. (Oct. 15, 2011) Credit: Alan J Schaefer
His streaks to the end zone ended Glenn's run of 17 straight victories, and there were accolades all around for the virtuoso performance turned in Saturday by Amityville running back Da'rell Hatcher. He scored five rushing touchdowns and gained 366 yards on 23 carries in a 42-28 victory over Glenn.
"It was great because they had been No. 1," Hatcher said of Glenn, which led the power ratings entering this key Suffolk IV game. Both teams are 5-1. "And," Hatcher added, "also breaking their winning streak."
Glenn had Long Island's longest streak among public school teams, but it could not be extended. Hatcher ran 40 yards for his first touchdown and had two more by halftime as Amityville took a 26-7 lead.
"He was outstanding, our [offensive] line was outstanding, the holes were there for him," quarterback Sean Walters said. "We didn't think the score was going to be like that."
When Glenn tried to answer by scoring first in the third quarter on Nick Wagner's 22- yard reception from Rich Czeczotka, Hatcher came right back with a 65-yard run and scored on the two-point conversion to give the Warriors a 34-14 lead. Hatcher's other scores came on runs of 40, 1, 3 and 7 yards.
Amityville wide receiver Willie White, who caught a touchdown pass from Walters in the first quarter, said what Hatcher achieved "explains itself. I got on him in practice about running hard and he showed it out on the field. This game he really broke out. It was definitely big. It took a lot off my shoulders, a lot off our QB's shoulders."
Hatcher said of White, "He made me compete. But I give credit to the O-line. Without the holes, there wouldn't have been a run game."
Offensive lineman Adonis Green appreciated the compliment but said Hatcher was the architect. "If what we do doesn't work, he'll tell us and we work on it," he said. "He had the holes opened, saw it and ran."
Hatcher could have scored a sixth touchdown late in the game, but Amityville coach Chris Taylor said, "We don't operate that way. We have a lot of respect for Glenn."
Glenn coach Dave Shanahan said of Hatcher, "He's a great back and he ran really hard. He ran with passion."
The Glenn players agreed. "He's fantastic," Czeczotka said. "Hopefully, next time we play them, we can shut him down."
Wagner added, "He played a great game; he was a man possessed today. He did a great job and we just couldn't stop him."
Glenn was a bit stunned by the loss but promised to rebound. "We're trying to figure out how we feel right now," Czeczotka said. "We played a hard game and hopefully we'll see them again in the playoffs."
"It definitely hurts a little bit, but nothing last forever," Wagner said. "We're not going to let it get us down too much. Obviously, we'll just learn from it and move on. Our season isn't over and sometimes you learn more from a loss than a win, so we're definitely going to learn from this and keep our heads up."
