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BABYLON FOOTBALL: In the Battle of the Panthers, the Babylon Panthers beat the Panthers of Miller Place, 27-7 in an efficient display of football last Saturday at Williams Field. Babylon's Big Black Defense repeatedly stifled the Miller attack. It was three and out for six straight possessions before the visitors managed a first down with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter. Pleased with the victory, Coach Rick Punzone applauded the team. "The defense was our key. They performed so well throughout the game. Coach (Mike) DeJoseph's game plan was well executed. Their (Miller's) defense threw us a few early wrinkles, but we adjusted and got untracked to handle it. Now we can look forward to World War III at Mount Sinai, Thursday night." Babylon used all of its active players. With the loss of so many seniors from last year's squad, there were many newcomers. Making their varsity debuts were Brendan Banks, Ryan Bliss, Kerry Carlock, Bryan Connolly, Alex Grandal, Jim Dawes, Kevin Foret, Greg Griffo, Kevin Kelland, Max Lockwood, Matt Loskamp, Mike Mammola, Ryan McKeown, Pat Pietrowski, Aaron Pinto, Adam Rodriguez, Cory Rugen, Mike Sullivan and Billy Vukovich. The defensive front was particularly effective- Matt Lauria, Marc Martinez, Beau Bachety, Mike Mammola, Keith Menger and Sean Melow. They contained the ground game to only 20 yards net and it wasn't until the fourth quarter before Miller could put up any passing yardage. They were held to 97 yards from scrimmage (rushing and passing) for the entire contest. Lauria and Mammola shared a sack. Cornerback J. T. Pate intercepted a pass at the Babylon 45 and toted it back to the Miller 27 leading to Babylon's last score. The first big play came on a punt return fielded by Pinto at the Babylon 32 yard line. He ran left and handed to Bryan Schweitzer who raced right but was met with a host of Miller defenders. Picking up block after block, Schweitzer danced left toward the middle, broke further left and went the distance, 68 yards. But the play was called back for an illegal block. Babylon's first scoring drive went 51 yards on nine plays. Keying the march were fullback Joe Bender's blast through right guard for thirteen yards and a left screen pass from quarterback Willie Rivas to Schweitzer for nineteen to the Miller 6. Rugen capped the drive as he raced it in through the left side in a big gap between Lauria and Pietrowski from the 1. Their second score came on a possession which went 63 yards on eleven plays. Striking through the air, Rivas completed four passes getting sixteen on a right rollout to Grandal and capping the drive by gunning to Schweitzer on a left flag into the end zone from the 13. Carlock added the first of his three extra point kicks. The second half began when Miller kicker Chris Zangara shanked it to the right and the ball was covered by Miller's Mark Jackolski at the Bab 37. But the Black D thwarted them again. Babylon's ensuing drive went 75 yards on eleven plays. Pinto capped this one on a fifteen yard burst through left tackle and a cut to the right for the TD. Bender later went in from the 1 over right guard following a thrust by center Tom Heavner, Martinez and T. J. DiMartino. Miller Place finally got on the board with 56 ticks remaining on the clock. Striking mostly in the air, quarterback Dean Haussel completed five passes, hitting Zangara on each. Tyler DeRosa went the last five around left end for the score and added the extra point kick. Key stats. Babylon had 282 yards from scrimmage - 63 passing and 219 rushing for 17 first downs. Rivas was 6 of 9 passing for 63 yards and a TD. Schweitzer ran for 99 yards on 20 carries and caught 4 passes for another 44 and a TD. He returned for an additional 25 yards and had a 68 yarder called back. Bender had 7 carries for 57 yards and a TD. For Miller Place, Haussel was 8 for 20 in the air for a net 77 yards - all to Zangara. Under the direction of Angela Turk and Charles Leech, the Babylon marching band was there to accompany the opening win. Meredith Carlock's cheerleaders got the crowd into it. And the chain gang, a staple at home games carried on their important job - Jim Ainslie, Tony Griffo, Kevin Muldowney and Steve Sacchi. Ainslie and Muldowney have an ongoing feud over who has been carrying the chains longest for the Panthers. Each claims about a hundred years.
This week's game is tonight (Thursday) at Mount Sinai. The Panthers and the Mustangs have developed a fierce rivalry over recent years. Babylon has maintained the edge, but fell to Mount (28-27) in last season's county final. Mount Sinai has been seeded in the first slot in the division. The Panthers will be roaring. Game time is scheduled for 7 pm.
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