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Babylon Football: The Babylon Panthers paused on their way off the field after the end of the game. They waited for the Westhampton Hurricanes to file past on their way to the bus. And the Panthers applauded their tough opponents as they passed by. Class act! Babylon had just won in double overtime, 21-20, against a team that was brilliant throughout a rugged defensive struggle. It was the playoff opener on Saturday, a clear day with a strong cold wind. Westhampton finished the season at 6-3. You just knew this one would be a nail biter. The last two games between the two were beautiful struggles, both in Westhampton Beach. In the playoff opener of the 2004 season, another cold day with a strong wind, they were tied 7-7 and went into overtime. The Panthers scored and made the extra point. The Hurricanes scored and tried for a 2-pointer, but were stopped inches from the goal line. And Babylon won 14-13. Their next meeting came this year on October 12. The lead changed five times on the way to Babylon's 18-15 win. The final Hurricane possession in each half ended with a Babylon interception in the end zone or close to the goal line. Babylon coach Rick Punzone praised his team and its defensive focus. "Our team was resilient for six quarters. We asked for a shutout and the guys did it, considering Westhampton's only score (in regulation) was a kick return. Every kid did his part." "It was one of the most exciting games ever played on this field," said Athletic Director Bob Mayo. "The kids on both teams were great." The struggle was scoreless until 2:53 remained in the third quarter. Both defenses dominated. Westhampton's front four (Brian Sapp, Matt Dibellis, John West and Jake Mainzer) provided a difficult wall against Babylon's backs. Babylon's front (Keith Menger, Marc Martinez, Beau Bachety and Matt Lauria) was equally as tough. The Thelinebackers (T. J. DeMartino, Cory Rugen, Conor Tennyson and Sean Gargiulo) did the job against Westhampton's strong rushing game. Westhampton kept Babylon well below its average 281 yards per game, holding the Panthers to 155 yards. Westhampton was held to 184 yards by the Black D. The turnover battle was won by Babylon who had four takeaways and yielded only two giveaways. Rugen stripped and swiped a ball and there were interceptions by the three Gs - Gargiulo, Greg Griffo and Alex Grandal - to thwart four Hurricane drives. Westhampton had a pair of fumble recoveries by Mainzer and Sapp. They also chalked up five sacks to hinder the Panther passing attack - two by Jack Clark and one each by Dibellis, John Berchin and Paul DiLandro. Babylon broke the scoreless tie well into the second half. Griffo's pick at the West 43 was carried to the 27. Four plays later Aaron Pinto took an inside handoff through left guard, cut downfield, skipped past a couple of tackles and fought his way into the end zone for the touchdown. The play went 17 yards. Kerry Carlock added the first of his three vital extra point kicks. In such a defensive contest, those seven points looked pretty darn big. But, not so fast. Joe Lenihan took the kickoff at his own 14, moved left, found the gap and raced all . . . the . . . way. Scott Johnson added the first of his two extra point kicks and within fourteen seconds they were tied up again. Regulation time ended as it did in that playoff game three years ago - tied at 7-7. Now, the rules for overtime play have one team beginning with the ball at the other team's 20-yard line, first and ten. Possession, and end of the field are determined by coin toss with the turns for both teams at the same end. Westhampton went first at the south end. A procedure penalty moved them back to the 25. Two plays later, quarterback Chris Bougatsos gunned a fly down the left side to Mike Aydinian whose circus catch got them 24 yards to the 1. DiLandro banged it in over right guard for the score and the 'canes were up 14-7. The Panthers came back and scored on five plays. The key was a right square out from Griffo to Grandal, good for thirteen yards to the 6. Tailback Bryan Schweitzer capped the drive blasting over right tackle from the 2. And now they were tied at 14-14. Following a second set of decisions, Babylon had possession first at the north end going against the wind. They scored on five plays. This time the key was a right roll out with Griffo hitting Schweitzer for 12 yards to the 1. Griffo then sneaked it in behind center Tom Heavner for the go-ahead score. Carlock's deep pressure third kick made it 21-14. Now it was the Hurricanes' turn. Tailback Kyle Hubbard raced off right tackle for 9. Fullback DiLandro drove up the middle for three more and a first down. Flanker Clark took a handoff on an inside reverse and went off right tackle from the 8 for the TD. You'd always rather the attempt to be blocked, but this time the extra point attempted kick went wide right, making for a tough memory. It was over. Babylon prevailed 21-20 and Westhampton's season ended in another heartbreaker. Other stuff: Schweitzer had 21 carries for 82 yards and a TD. Tack on his catch for 12 yards and a 25 yard kickoff return for a total 119 all purpose yards. Hubbard had 19 carried for 70 yards for the visitors. The five sacks by the Hurricane defense cost the Panthers 51 yards. Earlier in the day, the Babylon JV football team beat the Glenn JV, 22-7. Coached by Bill Singleton and Tim Halvorsen, they ended the season undefeated at 8-0.
The varsity Panthers (8-1) move on to the Suffolk County Division IV championship game against the Amityville Warriors (7-2). Amityville bested Mount Sinai 28-22 in their semifinal at Mount Sinai. Babylon will enter the County Final for the twelfth straight year and won six of the previous eleven. In their regular season meeting this year (October 27), the Panthers beat the Warriors 25-6. The last time the two met for the County Championship was in 2004. The Warriors took that one, 34-14. Each has something to prove and a key loss to avenge. Both will be sky high. The game will be held tonight (Thursday) at Stony Brook University's La Valle Stadium. Game time is listed at 7 pm.
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