Jack Hannigan (307 yards rushing, 3 TDs) helps East Islip upset Bellport
East Islip's Jack Hannigan scores a touchdown in the first half against Bellport in a Suffolk II semifinal at Bellport High School in Brookhaven on Nov. 15, 2014. Credit: Daniel De Mato
Jack Hannigan ran for 307 yards on 36 carries with three touchdowns Saturday in leading East Islip into the county final for the 20th time. But it was his one touchdown pass that almost defied description.
"It was borderline Johnny Manziel," East Islip coach Sal J. Ciampi said, comparing his workhorse quarterback to the former Texas A&M phenom, after the Redmen rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to defeat Bellport, 34-21, in a Suffolk II semifinal game played at Bellport.
Hannigan's 7-yard touchdown pass to Hugens Tranquille with 5:38 left in the third tied the score at 21. It capped a drive that began with a surprise onside kick that East Islip recovered on the Bellport 49. "It was a play-action and he rolled to his right," Ciampi said. "He got hit on the arm, spun around and then spun to the inside. Off his back foot he hit Tranquille in the end zone. One of my best friends texted me that it was Manziel-like. It was that good a play."
Fifth-seeded East Islip (7-3) scored 27 straight points and shut out No. 1 seed Bellport (8-2) in the second half. The Redmen advance to Saturday's title game against Half Hollow Hills West at 4 p.m. at Stony Brook's LaValle Stadium. Bellport finished 8-2.
Most of Hannigan's damage was done on the ground. After his acrobatic TD pass, East Islip forced a Bellport punt and Hannigan capped a 63-yard drive with a 12-yard TD run for a 28-21 lead with 2:53 left in the third.
After a shanked punt early in the fourth quarter, Hannigan put the game out of reach with a 6-yard touchdown run. He added 56 yards passing to his offense total, completing 3 of his 4 passes. His 36 carries matched the total number of offensive plays run by the Clippers, according to Ciampi.
"He takes a pounding. He's also a quarterback who plays inside linebacker for us," said Ciampi, who will play in his eighth county title game in his 14 years as coach. "He's banged up but he just wants to run the ball on every single play. He's a horse and we rode him and took control of the game."
