After winning a county championship you could imagine it’s tough to rally a team about winning a second championship. Emotional pep talks can only go so far. Unless the team is vying to be the first at something and that was the case with this group of Sachem football players, who are now the first to win a Long Island championship in program history.
“Put a stamp on it,” Sachem defensive coordinator Dave Caputo told the team before the game. “You are the best if you put a stamp on it today. You are the best. The best.”
“This is your legacy,” Sachem coach Dave Falco bellowed in the locker room. “You want to be remembered? You want to add 2013 to the banner in the gym? This is your chance.”
All of the questions have been answered and the season has been signed, sealed, delivered and stamped. History was made. Sachem beat Farmingdale, 27-21, in a thrilling upset come-from-behind victory and it can never be taken away from these players or coaches.
Celebrating with his teammates after the game, Sachem senior Trent Crossan looked at Malik Pierre and yelled, “We made history! We made history!”
“It’s the greatest thing ever,” Pierre said. “Coach Falco said we’re immortal, the first team in Sachem history to do it. That’s why I kissed the trophy. I almost cried.”
There has been talk for weeks about sealing a legacy and making history, which is easier said then done. But at Sachem the program is built on its previous heros and big games. The winning culture is cyclical. Student-athletes expect to win and be a part of something bigger then themselves when they put on the Black & Gold.
“We are one of seven to win a county championship, but we wanted to set a legacy for ourselves when we leave and be the first to win a Long Island championship and we did it,” said senior Justin Rivera.
At Sachem it’s not just a memory. There will be physical reminders for players in the trophy case, on the gym banner, on the team’s website, on this website, in the history book written about the program, on the trophy forever rewarded to the Class I Long Island champion and, of course, on the championship ring the players will receive.
“It’s fantastic we get to build a legacy,” said junior lineman Anthony DiMatteo. “Sachem is a program built on tradition. We take inspiration from the past. I’m glad that this is a place where we can continue that.”
Even after 53 seasons of football, hundreds of wins and enough history to fill a book with, there still seems to be ways to make history. This team wrote its own chapter, it made its own mark on the program and will be talked about forever.
“This is the best feeling in the world,” added senior offensive lineman Bryan Gresalfi. “I love these guys. This has been our dream since we were little. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere but here with this team. Coach Falco has been saying that all week. For us to come out and do this is just the best.”
See you in 2038 for the 25 year team reunion!
-Words by Chris R. Vaccaro