Phantoms win a delayed homecoming game

A little nor’easter couldn’t stop the Bayport-Blue Point Phantoms from dominating its homecoming football game earlier this week.

On Monday, Sept. 28, with a two-day delay due to the storm, the Bayport-Blue Point varsity football team defeated the Babylon Panthers by a score of 23-0.

“The team played well, Babylon’s a super tough team,” said coach Michael Zafonte. “They unfortunately had a pretty bad injury, my heart goes out to the kid.”

In the game’s opening minutes, Babylon made an early advancement but was halted when its No. 11 Deo Caselnova collapsed, due to what a police scanner reported as a leg injury. After 15 minutes, paramedics from the Community Ambulance Company transported Caselnova off the field in an ambulance.

After play resumed, the Phantoms gained ground as they went on the offensive, and with around seven seconds left in the first quarter, running back Joshua Franchak sprinted from near the 42nd yard line to score the Phantoms’ first touchdown of the game. After scoring an extra point, the Phantoms entered the second quarter with a 7-0 lead.

About seven minutes into the second quarter, Franchak scored his second touchdown of the game, but Babylon kept trying to advance down the field. The Phantoms put down any momentum the Panthers were pressuring on them, though, with wide receiver Jamison Hawkins intercepting Babylon’s ball with seconds left in the second quarter, leaving the score 14-0 at halftime.

“The defense played lights out,” Zafonte said. “That was definitely the highlight of the game. They were very fundamentally sound.”

The Phantoms’ energy kept up as the misty third quarter began. With about five and a half minutes left in the quarter, kicker Thomas Steyert scored a field goal, prompting some Bayport-Blue Point students in the stands to shout at Babylon to read the scoreboard, which stood at 17-0 at the end of the quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Babylon attempted to regain ground, but the Phantoms again were in their way. Franchak, with around six minutes and 46 seconds left in the game, scored his third touchdown, leading the Phantoms to a dominant 23-0 victory against the Babylon Panthers.

“I thought the kids played tough,” Zafonte said. “They played very gritty, they ran the ball well. Babylon’s a super tough team, super well coached. The kids play with a lot of heart, so it’s always tough when you go against them, so it was a good win.”

While a nor’easter delayed the football game and parade, the Bayport-Blue Point Athletics Hall of Fame inducted its newest members on Saturday morning. Inductees were Kerrigan Miller (Class of 2016), Brian Wilson (Class of 2005), Kyle Wood (Class of 1989), the 2016 Long Island Championship girls volleyball team, coach Jim Moccio and contributor, Dr. Timothy P. Hearney.

The Bayport-Blue Point Homecoming Parade was rescheduled to Friday, Oct. 23, with a time to be announced. That night, the Phantoms will be playing the John Glenn Knights.

The Bayport-Blue Point Phantoms next play away against Harborfields on Friday, Oct. 2 at 6:30 p.m.