You might as well just call this playoff football, because that’s what the atmosphere will be like Friday night at Fred Fusaro Alumni Stadium. Sachem North and Patchogue-Medford are squaring off in a game that many have had circled on their schedules all season.
It pins two of Suffolk’s biggest rivals against one another in a crucial point of the schedule. Add in the family ties of Sachem coach Dave Falco and nephew James Conklin, a receiver at Pat-Med, plus Sachem coach Nick Codispoti, a receiver/linebacker for the Raiders, and this should be awfully entertaining. Might I add that Sachem’s water boy, Justin, is also Conklin’s brother.
While we’ll be enjoying the action, Sachem will have a chore in defending Pat-Med’s pass game, which is one of the best in the county and arguably on Long Island this season. Led by quarterback Anthony Lee and anchored by receiver Connor Coughlin, their pass-catch tandem is no joke.
Pat-Med has size up front, skill players on defense and can run the ball. This is the type of team the Raiders had for much of the ’90s and early 2000s. The kind that gave Sachem headaches then too.
As for Sachem, last week’s 31-6 victory over Lindenhurst came at a very good time. The Flaming Arrows were in desperate need of a win and to fine tune play on both sides of the ball.
Quarterback Trent Crossan will be back in action against the Raiders and the rest of the squad should be up and ready to roll for senior night.
Both teams are 5-2 entering Week 8.
Game Details
- Location: Fred Fusaro Alumni Stadium
- Time: 7 p.m.
- Weather: Partly cloudy, 63 degrees
-Words by Chris R. Vaccaro