Phantoms roll in playoff opener

Four-time defending Suffolk Division IV football champion Bayport-Blue Point couldn’t have responded any better to its lone loss of 2026 three weeks ago at the hands of Sayville.

The Phantoms closed the regular season with wins over John Glenn and Kings Park and kept the momentum going in last Friday evening’s playoff opener between raindrops.

Junior Josh Franchak ran roughshod over Shoreham-Wading River, amassing 180 yards and three touchdowns on only 13 carries as second-seeded Bayport cruised to a 42-6 home victory. He also took the second-half opening kickoff 82 yards to the house and added five tackles on defense as part of an all-around dominant performance.

“We hadn’t seen Shoreham all season and they’ve got some athletes capable of making explosive plays,” head coach Mike Zafonte said after the Phantoms improved to 8-1 and advanced to host No. 3 Babylon in the semifinals this Friday night in a rematch of last year’s county championship game. “I thought it was going to be a challenge,” he added. “Our defense and O-lines did a fantastic job, and we limited mistakes on both sides of the ball.”

Seventh-seeded Shoreham, which qualified for the playoffs thanks to three straight victories, broke the shutout in the fourth quarter when Javon Wright broke free for a 40-yard touchdown run to make it 35-6. Bayport backup junior quarterback Jack Shanahan capped the scoring with a four-yard touchdown run.

“Josh put in a lot of work during the offseason and it’s paid off,” Zafonte said. “He had a great game offensively and defensively.”

With an offensive line consisting of Blake Romano, Matias Machin, Riley Needleman and Mike Scatturo, Joe LaCalmita and tight end Patrick Ahern paving the way. Franchak capped the Phantoms’ game-opening drive with a four-yard touchdown run to set the tone. 

Franchak was back in the end zone later in the first quarter, this time a 68-yard jaunt. The Phantoms took a 14-0 lead into the second and increased it to 21-0 at halftime after senior quarterback Matt Bachmore hooked up with Jamison Hawkins on a six-yard scoring strike.

That was plenty of cushion for Bayport’s defense. Ahern, a Zellner Award finalist last fall and fourth-year starter, anchors the defensive front as well and had six tackles. Rodney Magee added an interception.

The Phantoms were coming off their highest-scoring performance this fall, a 57-19 win at Kings Park on Oct. 30. Bachmore starred with two passing touchdowns—one to Franchak and one to Hawkins—and a pair of rushing scores. Franchak had two rushing touchdowns and Shanahan and Shane Dunne added one apiece.

Bayport’s first of two shutouts this season came against Babylon on Sept. 28 at home. They won 23-0 with Franchak (174 yards) scoring all three touchdowns and star senior kicker Tommy Steyert hitting a 35-yard field goal.

Zafonte said the Panthers are a different-looking team than the one the Phantoms saw six weeks. Babylon opened the playoffs with a 46-27 victory over Mount Sinai.

“We feel like we’re playing our best football at the right time,” Zafonte said. “We’re going to have to stop Babylon’s run game.”