Former longtime Sachem coach Bill Batewell and Sachem East alum Tim Miller were inducted to the Great American Rivalry Series (GARS) Hall of Fame Saturday during halftime of this year’s Nor’Easter rivalry between Sachem East and Sachem North.
The GARS was established by iHigh in 2004 as a way to celebrate the traditions of high school football in America. Last year Sachem North was selected as a participant and beat Brentwood during a game at Fred Fusaro Alumni Stadium, where Fred Fusaro himself was inducted to the GARS Hall of Fame.
Batewell and Miller received crystal trophies at halftime to commemorate the special day which culminated in a 21-14 victory for Sachem North over Sachem East. North leads the modern rivalry series, 4-1, since it began in 2005.
Batewell was the head JV football coach at Sachem for 34 years before retiring in 2005. He was also the head baseball coach for more than 30 years, amassing 452 wins as one of the winningest coaches on the diamond in Suffolk County. He is currently the head baseball coach at Bellport High School and is also an inductee of the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame.
Miller, who graduated from Sachem East in 2006, played college football at Johns Hopkins, where he was pre-med. He won the James LaBeau Award as a senior, presented to the football player in Suffolk County who has poise, character, a strong academic foundation and skill on the field. That award was named in honor of a Sachem alum. Miller also was a member of the National Football Foundation’s Golden 11, was Class President at Sachem East as a senior and earned the Michael Mignone Award presented to the most outstanding lineman at Sachem East. He’s currently attending the New York College of Podiatric Medicine, where he is enrolled in their doctoral program.
-Words and photos by Chris R. Vaccaro
