Jack Coan scores three TDs in Sayville's victory in Suffolk III championship game
Sayville quarterback Jack Coan #17 crosses the goal line for a touchdown during the Suffolk III championship game against East Islip at Stony Brook's LaValle Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015. Credit: Daniel De Mato
It looked as if it was time for a comeback when Kyle Nuñez blocked Jack Coan's quick kick- style punt early in the third quarter. Turns out it was time for Sayville's defense to stand up, be counted and ultimately put East Islip down for the count.
"All year long, we outscored people. Today we out-defensed them," Sayville coach Rob Hoss said. "We won it with defense, and that's nice to see."
Sayville held East Islip out of the end zone after the blocked punt and limited the Redmen to 174 yards in a 21-7 victory in the Suffolk III championship game Sunday at Stony Brook's LaValle Stadium.
The Golden Flashes (11-0) will face Plainedge (11-0) in the Long Island Class III championship game at noon Sunday at Stony Brook. East Islip finished 9-2, with both losses against Sayville.
Unlike the first meeting, in which Coan rushed for 309 yards and had three TD passes in a 49-17 win, the Redmen put the clamps on him. The junior scored all three touchdowns on short runs but was held to 63 rushing yards and 107 passing yards. Those are modest totals for Coan, who has passed for 2,180 yards and 34 touchdowns and run for 1,051 yards and 13 TDs. It was the only time this season he did not throw a TD pass.
"It wasn't his day," Hoss said, "but the defense bailed us out. To hold East Islip to one touchdown showed that we can win on both sides of the ball."
That was evident when the Redmen tried to capitalize on the blocked punt. Kyle Fleitman picked up a first down on a 2-yard quarterback sneak to the Sayville 11, but after being tackled by Liam Bailey at the 9 on a quarterback draw, Fleitman threw three straight incompletions. Linebacker Kevin Kolar batted away the fourth-down attempt in the end zone.
"After the blocked punt, we got in the huddle and said we had to hunker down," Bailey said. "It was all about heart right then. To be honest, we love the challenge of being in the red zone."
Not that East Islip was able to penetrate the Sayville 20 very often. The Golden Flashes built a 21-0 halftime lead, limiting the Redmen to 31 yards. They finally bent in the fourth when Fleitman hit John Sihpol with a 25-yard TD pass with 4:35 left to cap an 80-yard drive.
"Our offense has been great all year," Kolar said. "They deserve the attention. But this was a great game for the defense to step up."
Sayville's offense was superb on the first drive of the game, converting four third downs. Coan completed three passes, including a 20-yarder to Jason Intermesoli and a 9-yard sideline pass to Mike Dionisio to keep the drive alive. Coan ducked under a would-be sacker and scored from the 8 to cap the 16-play, 80-yard march. But Sayville's other scoring drives were 34 and 30 yards, thanks to the defense. The Golden Flashes totaled only 228 yards.
"It's good for our offense to know the defense will get them good field position," said tackle Mike Leach, who, like Bailey, is a three-year defensive starter. "Our defense loves a challenge. It's very nice for us to get some love."
