Walters sparks Amityville to win
Amityville High School running back #20 Da'rell Hatcher, left, takes a handoff from quarterback #7 Sean Walters in the second quarter of a Suffolk County Division IV varsity football game vs. Babylon at Amityville High School. (Sept. 16, 2011) Credit: James Escher
It was a fairy tale game for Amityville quarterback Sean Walters. First there were geese. Then, of course, there was the proverbial golden egg.
Walters did, indeed, receive an unexpected gift from a seemingly unpromising source in the Warriors' 24-14 win over Babylon in Suffolk IV football last night -- a game that was delayed by (yup, you guessed it) a flock of rogue geese that clogged the endzone in the first quarter.
With the score tied at 6 in the third quarter and Babylon threatening on fourth-and-1 at the Amityville 46, Eric Willis stuffed running back Frank Mankiewicz for no gain. One play later, Walters showed his ability to make good on good breaks, streaking through a hole up the middle to cruise home untouched for a 41-yard TD and the 12-6 lead.
"Coach [has us going] at a fast tempo," Walters said. "The line did its job blocking . . . I saw a hole and read it read it right."
While that was fortuitous enough, the real gift came in the second quarter. Down 6-0 with 3:07 left and on his own 24, Walters unleashed a long, third-down pass that was intercepted by Zach Fredericks at the Babylon 40, seemingly stifling an Amityville offense that had struggled to ignite in the early going.
Fredericks, though, was promptly stopped by Willie White, who forced a fumble recovered by Damian Palmer. Three plays later, Walters again went airborne and again, the Panthers seemed primed for the interception. This time, the ball was tipped to Elijah Kelly, the intended receiver, who tumbled into the endzone to tie it with 1:26 left in the half.
"I think that was the change in the game," Walters said.
Amityville scored twice in the third -- the second TD on White's six-yard run -- and again in the fourth on Palmer's 62-yard run on a breakaway off left guard before Jeanne Cruz's one-yard TD drew Babylon to within 10 with 1:49 to go.
"It was a release," to beat conference-rival Babylon, Walters said. Whether one happy ending will translate to happily ever after is still to be seen.
"We won't know until we finish the season," Walters said.
