Babylon Panthers Win 2nd Straight Long Island Championship

The Babylon Panthers have climbed the ladder and run the gauntlet for the second straight year, winning an exciting game over the Roosevelt Rough Riders to take the Long Island Championship, 27-26.

The Panthers found themselves matched play-for-play by a tough Rough Riders rushing offense, which pushed three touchdowns across the end zone in the first half on fifty-plus yard runs.

Babylon's offense pushed back after the half, but Roosevelt managed a kick-return touchdown and took a big 26-12 lead in the opening minutes of the third quarter. Babylon refused to give up though.

"The chemistry, especially with these seniors, is phenomenal," said Coach Rick Punzone about his team. "There was no panic on our side – I just didn't know if we could stop them."

The Panthers rallied back – a huge push in the third quarter down the field by the offense ended with a Jake Carlock catch-and-run, just breaking the plane of the end zone. A two-point conversion helped to bring Babylon back to within six at 20-6.

On their next possession, quarterback Nick Santorelli hooked up with Jake Carlock for a one-handed touchdown. The extra point kick – the first successful attempt by Santorelli on the day – clinched it for the Panthers, giving them the 27-26 lead.

One final drive by the Rough Riders with less than two minutes left ended abruptly when a wayward pass was intercepted by Carlock.

"When he threw that ball up, I knew number 14 [Carlock] was going to get it," Punzone said. 

"It might have been the hardest interception I had all year," said Carlock, who intercepted 20 passes this season.

The Long Island Champions capture their sixth island title with their eleventh county title this season.

The win was Babylon's 12th straight this season, and 24th straight dating back to their first 2012 game.