Trent Crossan scored three rushing touchdowns to lead Sachem North in a 35-6 victory over in-district rival Sachem East to open the 2013 season on Wednesday night.
Crossan totaled 162 rushing yards on 10 carries in his first live game action since going down with a leg injury in Week 3 last season.
“It feels good to be back,” the senior quarterback said. “It was a big stage for this game and gets everyone excited with this atmosphere. It’s awesome coming back to this.”
After starting the game off with the ball on the 50 yard line from a failed onside kick attempt, Sachem North (1-0) took just two plays from scrimmage to score first at 11:25 when junior halfback Kevin Bragaglia scored on a 10-yard rushing touchdown.
Bragaglia shined again on the next series. He picked off a pass from Danny Wolff to Dylan Foisey after it tipped the receiver’s fingers and fell gently in the hands of a diving Bragaglia.
Following the turnover, Crossan went 40 yards on the opening play to give Sachem North a 14-0 lead.
The extra point on that touchdown proved to be historic as Sachem North senior kicker Bryan Morris set the Long Island career extra point mark. He finished a perfect five-for-five in attempts on Wednesday and now has 125 career extra points.
Sachem East (0-1) scored its only touchdown of the game with 2:26 left in the first quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by Connor Farrell. Kenny Whigham rushed 23 yards to within North’s 5 yard line and Farrell finished the drive off with a dive play. East failed to convert on the two-point conversion.
Crossan ran for a 20-yard touchdown in the second quarter and topped it off with an 81-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Sachem North sophomore Steve Anacreon scored his first varsity touchdown in the fourth quarter and finished with 5 carries for 29 yards.
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Notes & Quotes
- Sachem North senior Michael Slattery recorded his first career carry and rushed two yards in the fourth quarter.
- Bragaglia recorded another interception in the second half giving him 11 for his career, which sets a new career interception record at Sachem North. The previous record of 10 was held by Justin Dowling since 1999-2000.
- Sachem East quarterback Danny Wolff was 9-for-18, throwing for 61 yards and 3 interceptions. Whigham had 9 carries for 62 yards.
- Sachem North’s Malik Pierre had 10 carries for 73 yards, while Bragaglia also had 10 carries for 36 yards.
- Sachem North senior lineman Bryan Gresalfi on the rivalry game: “It’s like every other game and we have to treat it like that. We have to treat East like every other team.”
- Sachem North now leads the all-time series against East, 5-1, and has outscored them 168-73.
Scoring breakdown
- N: Kevin Bragaglia, 10-yard run, Bryan Morris XP
- N: Trent Crossan, 40-yard run, Morris XP
- E: Connor Farrell, 1-yard run, 2-PT conversion failed
- N: Crossan, 20-yard run, Morris XP
- N: Crossan, 81-yard run, Morris XP
- N: Steve Anacreon, 6-yard run, Morris XP
-Words by Chris R. Vaccaro