It was Homecoming at Glenn High School, but the Babylon Panthers proved to be an unwelcome guest. They went ahead and put a damper on the festivities, beating the Glenn Knights 47-10. The fearsome Black D stifled its opponent for the third week. They held the Knights to only four first downs and a net 184 yards. The Panthers crushed the rush which was held to a net negative 27 yards on 20 carries. Babylon chalked up five sacks, two by Kyle Gredder and one apiece by Zak Viverito, Ish Mohammed and Frankie Deesing. They picked off three passes, two by Tim Schweitzer and one by Beau Bachety. Another interception by J. T. Pate was called back. And when they weren't forced into turnovers, the Knights were held to three and out six times.

The task was to stop the heralded Glenn passing game which featured Ifeani Momah, the 6'7" wide receiver. Throughout the contest, Bachety banged the big end on every play, foiling his pass routes and delaying the aerial game so the Panther line could get in and chase quarterback Dennis Gannon with a big rush. Cornerbacks Schweitzer and Bill Parker broke up most of the other passes and Schweitzer tipped one, enabling Bachety's pick. Momah did get three receptions good for 140 yards. One was on a failed punt play where kicker Steve Motyka lobbed a desperate fly ball downfield that Momah leaped high to grab for 20 yards. Another was on Glenn's last offensive play of the game, a long pass down the right side that he caught and raced for a 79-yard touchdown. Without the big guy's three catches, Glenn's net was 44 yards.

The offense clicked, as well. The Panthers roared for 321 yards on 53 carries. Babylon scored seven TDs for the third week in a row. Fullback Jake Casciola capped the first possession with a 10-yard burst through a gaping hole on the right side between guard Matt Martinez and tackle Alex Mangini.

Glenn answered with a 27-yard field goal by Matt Fisher. It was the first score yielded by the Black D and the first time an opponent penetrated beyond the midfield stripe this year. Babylon then had its way, scoring forty unanswered points. In the second quarter, the Panthers moved in close on three straight drives and scored from the 1 by tailback Ish Mohammed between guard Marc Martinez and tackle Matt Lauria, from the 3 by Mohammed off right tackle and from the 1 on a QB sneak by Chris King over center Jim Mahr. The last one was set up by a 53-yard blast up the middle by Casciola.

Babylon's opening drive of the second half went 67 yards on seven plays. The key was a 42-yard run by Eddie Rifice who went through right guard and slipped left, taking the ball to the Glenn 12. Matt Griffo capped it from the 1. On the last play of the third quarter, Schweitzer fielded a punt and raced left, shedding defenders for a 47-yard TD runback.

The Smurfs did their part beautifully. They moved the ball well and scored on a 47-yard sweep around the right side by Joe Bender. Their drives are often successful because of the downfield blocking provided by the wideouts - Adam Schuler, Peter Vames, Sean Gargiulo, Dom Rifice and Conor Tennyson - the outside guys who so often spring the ball carriers for extra yardage. Linebacker T. J. DeMartino replaced injured captain Anthony Parrinello in the second quarter and contributed very well on the defense.

Key stats: Casciola had 16 carries for 110 yards, Rifice 5 for 62 and Bender 6 for 61. Mohammed had 61 total yards in rushing and returns. In addition to his TD, two interceptions and five extra point kicks, Schweitzer had 111 yards in kick returns. Babylon had to punt for the first time this year. Parker's three boomers totaled 113 yards.

Babylon's next game is home, Friday night at Williams Field against the Southampton Mariners (1- 2). The Mariners finished atop the division last season and nipped the Panthers here 23-21 in the regular schedule. Babylon struck back with an overtime win in the playoffs eliminating Southampton. Looks like the fur will be flying. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.