After a slight hiccup and two-game losing streak, Sachem North was back to its old self Friday evening. The historic black and gold stars aligned for the Flaming Arrows as Sachem’s 1977 championship team was in attendance for a 35th anniversary celebration that brought the best out of the current players, pitted against Longwood in a Week 7 Suffolk County Division I contest.
Back was junior quarterback Trent Crossan, fresh from a week off was sophomore running back and defensive back Kevin Bragaglia and energized were nearly 50 other players, sporting their golden alternate uniforms for the first time this season, and ready to earn their fifth win of the year, which they did, 35-21, thanks to a spirited running attack and a win in the turnover game.
“We needed to get back to a little old school,” said Sachem coach Dave Falco. “You can’t feel sorry for yourselves, no body feels sorry for you. The guys laid it on the line tonight. They played hard Sachem football. We’re banged up, but we keep played hard.”
By old school Sachem football, Falco means hard hitting, strong running, making the untimely turnover and bringing that familiar black and gold swagger that started in the ’70s under Fred Fusaro – who was in attendance Friday – and has continued to present day.
Riddled with all sorts of injuries, including more on Friday, Sachem (5-2) has had the prototypical up-and-down season that keeps it entertaining. Even after winning the coin toss and capturing the emotion that ran through the air at Fred Fusaro Alumni Stadium, nothing was easy. Crossan threw an interception on the third play of the game, which Longwood returned 45 yards for a touchdown and 7-0 lead.
That was about the extent of Longwood’s production on the defensive side of the ball. Sachem turned its jets on the following series when Tyler Andreassi scored the first of three touchdowns in the first half on a 2-yard dive play with 2:54 left in the first quarter, ending a 97-yard drive that took almost nine minutes to complete.
Andreassi picked up a fumble recovery in the second quarter at Longwood’s 23 yard line, which Sachem turned into a touchdown when Kevin Lathan punched in a 2-yard touchdown burst later on the drive.
Then it was Malik Pierre who recorded a fumble recovery on Longwood’s next possession and Andreassi was there to finish with a 23-yard touchdown run that had every characteristic of a train coming through as the stadium music insinuates when he runs. Sachem led 21-7.
Andreassi, who left the game after the first half with a thumb injury, scored on another 2-yard touchdown and Pierre converted on a 5-yard touchdown later in the game.
Crossan, who was 0-for-4 passing and had 5 carries for 30 yards, took it easy and played more of a leadership role than a physical force on the field. He has not played a full game since Week 2 against Bay Shore, having only played one half against Pat-Med in Week 3 and a few snaps against Sachem East in Week 4 before finally sitting completely the last two games.
“The fact that he’s there, [other teams] have to worry about him,” Falco said. “He can go at any moment.”
That moment will have to be Week 8 against Connetquot and beyond that for a playoff surge in November.
“The regular season is great, but playoffs are what matter,” Crossan said. “I tried to run the offense, keep everyone calm and motivated. We’ll see what happens next week.”
In the trenches
- Stats: Sachem had 368 total offensive yards. Andreassi had 16 carries for 115 yards and 3 touchdowns, Pierre had 11 carries for 81 yards and 1 touchdown and Bragaglia had 10 carries for 105 yards and also had an interception. Lathan had 13 carries for 37 yards and 1 touchdown.
- Falco on the 1977 team reunion: “It’s great to see guys, who when I was a kid, were the stars of Sachem football.”
- Sachem kicker Bryan Morris just missed a 42-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter. It would have been the longest of his career. He is now 3-for-5 for his career in field goal attempts.
- Sachem’s next game is against Connetquot at home in a rare fifth regular season home game since the new turf field at Connetquot is not yet complete. Game time should be 7 p.m. and it will air on MSG Varsity.
RELATED: VIDEO: Watch highlights of the game from MSG Varsity
Scoring Summary
- L: Longwood interception return, kick good
- S: Andreassi, 2 run, Morris kick
- S: Lathan, 2 run, Morris kick
- S: Andreassi, 23 run, Morris kick
- L: White, 13 run, kick good
- S: Andreassi, 2 run, Morris kick
- S: Pierre, 5 run, Morris kick
- L: Longwood, 1 run, kick good
-Words by Chris R. Vaccaro / Photos by Ray Nelson