Babylon Football Takes Unwanted Time Off

As he prepared his team for last Saturday’s Division IV semi-final match up against top-seeded John Glenn, Babylon Head Coach Rick Punzone talked about the need to avoid giving up big plays. But his defense couldn’t get past the first play.

Tom Forsberg’s 80-yard dash into the end zone on the first play from scrimmage did more than just set the tone: it signaled the beginning of the end to Punzone’s season.

“In the last 17 years, we have been in the finals 15 of those years,” Punzone said. “Not only didn’t we play our best, we played our worst. It was my 94th game (as head coach on the varsity level), and it was our worst.”

As disappointed as Punzone was in his team’s 42-7 loss, he was quick to praise the Knights.

“They are probably as highly skilled a team as any I’ve gone against," he said of John Glenn. "If they had just one top receiver, you could take him out of the game with a double team. But they have five guys who can beat you."

Panthers Say Goodbye to Seniors

So the Panthers ended their season 7-3, and now look toward 2012. But for 19 seniors, Saturday’s game was their last in a Babylon uniform.

“[Turning in my gear] was really rough,” senior lineman Ryan Visgauss said. “I didn’t think it was going to be that tough. My teammates are like my second family.”

Wide receiver/linebacker Greg Dieterich echoed Visgauss’ sentiments.

“It’s like a family out there,” he said. “We worked hard together … all the summer training, as hard as it was, I’d give anything to do it again next year.”

For running back/linebacker Nahari Jenkins, he’ll miss the competition.

“We had a good run. We thought we could go all the way,” he said. “For me, it’s the rivalry games that I’ll miss most.”

The loss of their seniors does not go unnoticed by underclassmen like sophomore receiver Jacob Carlock, who takes little solace in knowing his career didn’t end on the John Glenn field.

“It’s not easier [losing] even though I’ll play next year. The seniors were guys I looked up to. The captains, they always made me think about playing the right way.”

Added running back/linebacker Eric Schweitzer, “Seeing the older guys hand in their equipment makes me motivated to perform at a higher level, and lead our team next year.”

New-Look Offense Next Season?

Under Punzone, Babylon is known for a ball-control ground attack. But with several returning players at skill positions, Panther fans may see a more offensive-minded team next year.

Sophomores Carlock and Schweitzer saw a lot of action this season, as did running backs Jean Cruz, a junior, and sophomore Luke Zappia. Junior kicker Alex Malhas showed significant improvement as the season unfolded. And the late-season call up of sophomore quarterback Nick Santorelli gives Punzone a potential new dimension to his offense—a quick-strike aerial attack—one that he will have to consider as he’ll have to rebuild his offensive line.

Perhaps even a John Glenn-like big-play offense.

Babylon Players Receive Honors

Several Panthers received recognition for their play this season.

All County: Jenkins, Visgauss, and guards Harrison Dittmeier and John Dertinger

All Division, first team: center Sanders Shanks; tight end/defensive end AJ Sullivan; second team: Dieterich, quarterback Zach Fredericks, running back Grant Shannon

“This team, they played hard,” Punzone said. “They were a good group of kids. We knew with the addition of Amityville into our division that we would need a Herculean effort to get into the finals. We were a pre-season third seed, and we ended up third.”