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Babylon Football: The Babylon Panthers hosted the Amityville Warriors, Saturday at Williams Field and won on a slippery, mud filled surface, 25-6. Helped by Miller Place, who beat Mount Sinai, 28-21, the Panthers broke a three way log jam at the top of Suffolk's Division IV and moved into first place. The Panthers are now 6-1 and the Warriors and Mustangs are 5-2, as are the Westhampton Hurricanes. The playoff positions are crowding. The win guaranteed a playoff slot for Babylon for the twelfth straight season. It was the 40th victory as head coach for Rick Punzone, a mark achieved faster than any football coach in Babylon history. Punzone credited the Warriors with a great effort. "The first quarter was all Amityville. They played well in the rain and the wind. But we adjusted. Griffo (Greg) came out of the bullpen and provided a spark again. Then Willie (Rivas) made a great completion (for a touchdown). We were able to challenge them up front and our punting, which was good all year, helped. Our opening drive in the second half into the wind was big." Initially, Amityville's offensive line was dominant. Center Reggie Robinson, guards Rance Sinclair and Rockens Dajuste, tackles Kevin Roberson and Lamar Thompson and tight end Steven Medard helped the Warriors maintain ball control until midway into the second quarter. Working from the shotgun, Marcus Gardner had 68 yards on 16 carries and completed 4 passes for another 27. He had 29 yards in kick returns and a total 124 all purpose yards for the game. The Warriors drew first blood. In the second period, a sack by Medard and a five yard penalty put the Panthers back deep. They tried a quick kick which was fielded by Tyler Heller at the Babylon 38-yard line and raced to the 30. A penalty on the play put the pigskin at the 15. Two plays later, Gardner zipped up the gut from the 12 for the TD. The gaping hole was provided by Robinson and Dajuste. The ensuing 2-point pass attempt was intercepted by Bryan Schweitzer. Then the Panthers buckled down. They took advantage of the prevailing conditions to stifle the Warrior attack, and with a balanced offense, seized the momentum throughout the remainder of the game. Babylon went 73 yards on 6 plays for its first score. Griffo rolled left and on a pass which appeared partially blocked, he lofted one to Alex Grandal who out leaped a pair of defenders for a 23-yard reception. Two plays later, with the ball on the Amityville 36, Griffo fired over the middle and hit J. T. Pate on a right post at the 18. The fleet receiver took it in and raced for the end zone to tie the game. Picture play. Babylon's attempt at a 2- pointer was also stopped. The Panther defense rose up to meet the Warrior challenge and settled in to stop their offense cold. Tackles Keith Menger and Marc Martinez and ends Beau Bachety and Matt Lauria took charge. They forced an important turnover when a pass appeared to be batted by linebacker T. J. DeMartino went high in the air and was picked off by Martinez inside the Amityville 30. The Panthers went 26 yards on 4 plays, the key a 21-yard left flair to Schweitzer. Fullback Sean Melow capped it with a 5-yard burst over left guard for the TD. The Warriors stopped the 2-point attempt again. Babylon took a 12-6 lead into halftime. The Panthers owned the second half in the intermittent rain. They opened by going 91 yards on 13 plays with 4 first downs. The drive ate up over seven minutes. The key was a 29-yard fly from Griffo to tight end Sean Gargiulo moving the ball past midfield to the 47. Schweitzer capped it with a blast between right guard and tackle (Martinez and Lauria) and lots of second effort past the line, breaking right and into the end zone. Amityville stopped Babylon's third 2-point try. The Black D held the Warriors to four-three-andouts through the second half. In the final frame, Lauria's 53-yard punt was downed at the Warrior 2 on a super play by Grandal. Babylon took the ball after Taurcan O'Kelley punted out of the end zone to the 36. On the first play, Rivas gunned down the left side and hit Pate on a fly for the TD. Kerry Carlock kicked the extra point. Babylon running backs Dom Rifice and Ryan Bliss ran down much of the remaining clock. Some stats: Babylon had 132 yards rushing and 145 in the air for a net 277 on offense with 11 first downs. Schweitzer had 21 carries for 80 yards and a TD. He also caught a pass for 21 yards and had 19 yards in kick returns for a total all purpose 120 yards. Griffo was 4 of 5 passing for 109 yards and a TD. Pate had 2 catches for 72 yards and a pair of TDs. The Babylon defense held the Warriors to 109 yards rushing and 27 in the air for 136 yards and 6 first downs.
Saturday, the Panthers play the Bayport Phantoms (3-4) at Bayport. A win would clinch first place in the division. The Warriors will host the Port Jefferson Royals (2-5). Mount Sinai is at Southampton (4-3) and Westhampton is at Mercy. Game time for each is scheduled for 2 pm.
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