Dan Aiello powers Bayport-Blue Point past Kings Park

The final score at Bayport-Blue Point Saturday made another loud statement -- the Phantoms are for real.

BBP, the preseason No. 1 seed in Suffolk IV, received a 78-yard touchdown catch and scoring runs of 44 and 40 yards from Dan Aiello on the way to beating No. 2 Kings Park, 35-7, in the teams’ first meeting in 51 years.

The Phantoms had already beaten the team that rallied late to beat them in the Suffolk IV championship game last season, No. 3 Shoreham-Wading River, 42-14, in Week 2. Mount Sinai and Miller Place fell to them, too.

So Bayport-Blue Point is a very impressive 4-0. Kings Park had been 3-0 after dropping down from Suffolk III.

“We went through arguably the hardest four teams in the division in the first four games,” said Brady Clark, the Phantoms’ senior quarterback. “We stayed tough. We played well through the whole thing. So I think everyone knows.

“We’re definitely driven by [the playoff loss]. We all know what happened. But also we’re a new team, a new group of guys, and we want to stay focused on this year and the goal. It’s the same goal as last year – win every game.”

The 2021 second-team All-Long Island pick threw for 177 yards and two scores, all in the first half, which ended with BBP ahead, 21-0. But after the first play of the second half, when Clark was playing in the secondary, there was an unsettling sight.

Clark was on the turf with an injury to his left knee. He walked off and missed just one play, a turnover, and was back at quarterback. But after a four-play series, he went to the sideline and didn’t return. Maclin Keyser took over and threw a 13-yard scoring pass to JJ Aiello, Dan’s older brother, in the fourth.

“You’re always worried when your starting quarterback is down,” coach Mike Zafonte said. “He’s a super-tough kid. He would’ve stayed out there if I let him. But we didn’t want to take any chances. … Precautionary.”

Clark is planning to start next Saturday at Port Jefferson, saying, “I think I’m good.”  

“He just twisted it on one play,” Zafonte said. “He’s going to get checked out and do all the right things. Hopefully, he’s good to go.”

On the third offensive play of the game, Clark began to run left, then dumped a pass off to Dan Aiello. The junior running back did the rest, racing for his 78-yard score.

“It was big, get on the board early, send a message early,” Clark said.

On the third play of the second quarter, Clark hit JJ Aiello over the middle for an 8-yard touchdown.

Next possession, next touchdown.

Dan Aiello ran right, broke a tackle and then another on the way to his 44-yard score.

“I was really determined,” he said. “I saw the end zone and wanted to get there.”  

He rushed for the 40-yard TD in the third. That came after Kyle Weeks helped Kings Park cut the lead to 21-7. Weeks, who ran for 114 yards and threw for 88, hit Ralph Perangelo for a 20-yard touchdown. But that was it for the Kingsmen’s highlights.

“I think we’ll learn from it and move on and get better,” coach Mark O’Brien said. “We’ve got plenty of football to play.”