This week’s theme for Sachem North football was to “dig”. After three straight losses, the team fell into an early-season hole.
“Our mindset this week was to dig, to dig as a team in practice, to dig in the game, dig each quarter,” said Sachem football coach Dave Falco, “and to get ourselves out of the hole that we put ourselves in based on the poor play we’ve had the last couple of weeks.”
Sachem rolled into Brentwood with its shovels ready and began the excavation process with a 35-13 victory against the Indians Saturday afternoon.
Kevin Bragaglia led all players with 21 carries for 165 yards and two rushing touchdowns, while also scoring touchdowns on an 85-yard kick return and 70-yard punt return. His rushing touchdowns were for 24 and 36 yards, respectively.
Mike Licata threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to James Avanzato in the third quarter for Sachem’s (2-3) other score.
Bragaglia scored three touchdowns in the first quarter to put Sachem ahead 21-0.
“Kevin is a special player,” said Falco. “He’s extremely dynamic on offense, defense, special teams. He’s a guy you have to be worried about on every play.”
The digging continues next week as Commack comes to town for homecoming. Remember, last year Commack came to Lake Ronkonkoma and upset the Flaming Arrows at home.
“With all of the work we put in over the summer, all of us started to realize with three losses in a row that all of that work was going to go for nothing,” said Bragaglia,” and now we have to keep digging.”
Flaming Arrows Notes
- Players from both teams wore “TC” and “54” stickers on their helmets in honor of Tom Cutinella, a high school football player from Shoreham-Wading River who died in a game this season.
- Bragaglia was honored with the annual Spider Westervelt Game MVP award. Every time Sachem plays against Brentwood, the game is played in honor of Westervelt, the former longtime voice of Sachem football.
- Sachem had two interceptions and one fumble recovery on defense against Brentwood.
- Stats: Licata was 5-for-6, and threw for 58 yards and 1 touchdown. Avanzato led Sachem with 3 receptions for 32 yards and 1 touchdown.
- Bragaglia continues to pile on stats at a very high rate. He now has 665 rushing yards, 278 receiving yards and well over 1,000 all-purpose yards with a little less than half the regular season remaining. He has also jumped up to No. 12 all-time in Sachem career rushing history with 1,683 yards.
SCORING BREAKDOWN
- S: Bragaglia 85 kick return, Gagliardi kick
- S: Bragaglia 24 run, Gagliardi kick
- S: Bragaglia 70 punt return, Gagliardi kick
- B: 11 rush, no kick
- S: Licata to Avanzato 3 pass, Gagliardi kick
- S: Bragaglia 36 run, Gagliardi kick
- B: 8 pass, kick good
-Words by Chris R. Vaccaro