Johnson keys Bellport's shutout of Newfield

Road warriors beware - winning streaks come to die in Bellport.

Entering yesterday's game, Newfield had the highest scoring offense in Suffolk's Division II and the stingiest defense. But this was Bellport, winners of five Long Island championships and 10 county titles. This was Bellport, a program that has won more playoff games than any team in county history. This was Bellport, a place Newfield had never found glory, a place steeped in winning tradition like it's the 12th man.

And thus the story of Newfield's fantastic season and unexpected run to the top of the standings was blown up by a swarming Bellport defense. History does have a way of repeating itself.

Defensive end Dante Johnson blocked a punt on Newfield's first possession to set up the first of three Travis Houpe touchdowns as Bellport rolled to a 24-0 victory before a crowd of more than 1,600.

The usually even-keeled Johnson was a bit worked up after Newfield's pre-game staredown at the middle of Bellport's Joe Cipp Field. The Wolverines, jacked up over a 7-0 start, the best in school history, came to Bellport with visions of an undefeated regular season and championship glory.

Johnson's block gave Bellport the ball at Newfield's 9-yard line, setting up a 4-yard scoring run by Houpe with 9 minutes, 23 seconds left in the first quarter. And Johnson's fumble recovery at the Newfield 3 set up Houpe's 3-yard scoring run with 2:49 left in the quarter.

"You can't come in here, stand on our field and scream at us and try to intimidate us," Johnson said. "We're not having it - we do our talking on the field."

SEE PHOTOSBellport 24, Newfield 0

Johnson had an immediate impact on yesterday's outcome. On the fumble, the speedy defensive end shed his blocker and wreaked havoc in the Newfield backfield.

"They tried to get a chip on me from the tackle but I'm too quick," Johnson said. "And [Ryan] Sloan forced the fumble and I was right there. Their defense is real good but we play great 'D' too."

Bellport (5-3) earned the fourth seed and a home game next week against Smithtown West on Saturday at 2 p.m. Newfield hosts Comsewogue, also at 2 p.m. Saturday.

The Clippers did it with a defense that shut down the hard running of halfback Shervon Barthelmy, who ran for a school record 303 yards last week. Barthelmy was held to 18 yards on seven carries in the first half.

"We didn't take care of the ball and made too many mistakes early on and never recovered," Newfield coach Joe Piccininni said. "We haven't turned it over like that all season."

Johnson wasn't done. His sack of quarterback Mike Silva ended another drive.

"He's very athletic," Bellport coach Joe Cipp Jr. said. "He was getting tremendous penetration."

This was unfamiliar territory for the Wolverines. They hadn't trailed in a game all season. And now they were down by two scores. "We didn't quit," Newfield linebacker Tom Diubaldo said. "We turned it over in our own end. We'll rebound."

After Bellport's first two scores, Newfield (7-1) responded with a 12-play, 64-yard drive to inside the Bellport 10. But the drive stalled when Eddie Carson came on a corner blitz and sacked Silva on third-and-8. On fourth down, Diubaldo took a screen pass for 14 yards to the 10, 3 yards short of the first down.

The inability to cut the lead in half seemed to deflate Newfield. To that point Bellport had gained only 39 yards on 18 offensive plays, but the Clippers responded by marching 90 yards, capped by Houpe's 20-yard touchdown run through the teeth of the defense. Quarterback Justin Honce keyed the march with a 40-yard strike to Armand Correa to the Wolverines' 25.

"Newfield plays great defense and we finally moved the ball," Honce said.

Houpe's two-point conversion run made it 21-0 with 1:10 left in the half. but the defense wasn't finished. On the ensuing possession, Sloan recovered a fumble at the Newfield 29 and Honce drilled a 31-yard field goal with 21 seconds left for the 24-0 halftime lead.

"You can't argue with our winning tradition," Johnson said. "That is how you earn respect. You win - all the time."

History repeats itself.