The Babylon Panthers faced off against the Amityville Warriors last Saturday afternoon in the mud at Babylon's Williams Field. At stake was the right to move on to the Suffolk Division IV final. Babylon won it 33-14, by coincidence the same outcome and score as in their previous meeting on September 19.

The main contest was between Babylon's offensive line, The Big Cats, and Amityville's defensive front, the Warrior Wall. Babylon's ground game was too much on this day as they ran for 313 yards on 55 carries. For the first time in years, the Panthers didn't throw a single pass. Amityville quarterback Gavin Kretz completed 13 of 30 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown. But the Warriors were held to a net 60 yards rushing by Babylon's defense. The Black D forced three turnovers. JT Pate and Mike Sullivan intercepted a pair of passes (JT's fourth of the year, Mike's third). Nick Brennan and Colin Greene had a sack apiece, the latter causing a fumble recovered by Brian Schweitzer. Linebacker Ryan Bliss hounded the Warrior running game.

Amityville's Steven Medard was outstanding on defense, ranging to make tackles from sideline to sideline and up and down the field. He reaped a well deserved round of applause from both sides when, late in the game, he hoisted injured teammate Asher Washington onto his shoulder and trotted him off the field from the far sideline to the Warrior bench. Medard was outstanding in each of his games against the Panthers. A year ago, to the date, he played a key role in Amityville's win over Babylon in the County final.

The Panthers scored on their first possession going 45 yards on seven plays. Schweitzer, who carried for 43 of those yards, ran it in around the left side from the 6-yard line to cap the drive. Alex Grandal kicked

the first of his three extra points. Babylon's next possession was stopped on a sack by Darnell Benjamin. But they scored early in the second quarter when Schweitzer ran for 42 yards of a 43-yard drive. He burst through a gap over left guard provided by Brennan and Mike Augello from the 5 for the TD. The Warriors struck back immediately. Kretz took them up the field on a 65-yard drive. He hit his brother Brien on an up-and-in for 45 yards to the Babylon 9. Three plays later from the 5, he shoveled to Tyler Heller who took it in for the score. Jeffrey Rivas kicked the first of his two extra points. The Panthers then ground out a 91-yard drive on ten plays, capped from the 4 by Schweitzer's blast over left guard. Babylon led 19-7 at the half. They scored twice in the third period as Mark Panarelli burst for TD runs of 20 and 17 yards. The Warriors had the game's final tally in the last quarter. They drove 80 yards on eleven plays, capped on Cornell Warrick's race around the left end from the 10.

Other stuff: For Babylon, Schweitzer had 29 carries for 146 yards, Panarelli 5 for 54, Sean Melow 7 for 55 and Cory Rugen 6 for 55. Steve Loudon had three kickoffs into the end zone for a season total of seven. The Panthers lead all teams in Suffolk County with 397 points. For Amityville, added to his 161 yards in the air, Gavin Kretz had 30 rushing for 191 all purpose yards. Brien Kretz caught two passes for 55 yards. Benjamin had an important recovery of a loose ball to save the Warrior's first scoring drive. Warrick wears #31, traditionally awarded to Amityville's best running back. The Warriors' 12 first downs were the most against the Panthers in any game this year.

Babylon coach Rick Punzone said, "Our game plan was to shut down #31 and #5 (their star running backs, Warrick and Heller). The game was a tribute to the kids on both teams. Amityville is very good. Our hats are off to them."

The loss eliminated Amityville (7-3) from further postseason play. They were the defending Class IV Long Island Champions. A salute to their graduating seniors: #5 Tyler Heller, #12 Jeffrey Rivas, #13 Asim Henry, #31 Cornell Warrick, #44 Jermaine Jacobs, #51 Darien Fairley, #53 Stephen Robinson, #59 Taurean O'Kelley, #66 Eventz Francois, #73 Stephen Medard, #74 Darius Barnes, #76 O'Neil Dixon, #77 Darnell Benjamin, #81 Emmanuel Johnson, #82 Jeremy Childs, #85 Chris Swift, #99 Blake DelGiorno.

The victory for Babylon (9-1) sends them to the Suffolk Division IV final for the thirteenth straight year. The Panthers have won seven of the past twelve Division IV finals. They will meet the Glenn Knights (10-0) Saturday at Stony Brook's LaValle Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 4 pm. In their earlier meeting on October 18, the Knights nipped the Panthers 37-34 in an overtime thriller.