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Sports

Babylon's Schweitzer Gets Defensive

The Panther's linebacker enjoyed an impact game against Southampton last Friday, and knows defense will be the key to beating undefeated John Glenn on Saturday.

During the rainy, overcast late-afternoon game last Friday against Southampton, Babylon’s Eric Schweitzer led a defensive effort that reigned havoc on the Mariner defense, and turned a dreary day sunny for the Babylon faithful as the home team won easily, 44 – 0.

But if Schweitzer had his best day yet on the football field, you wouldn’t know it from speaking to him.

“Good luck getting him to say anything,” Babylon Head Coach Rick Punzone said, smiling. “He’s not much of a talker.”

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With an interception, a sack, two fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown) and a late-game stint at quarterback, the sophomore will let his play against Southampton do most of the talking.

“It felt good [to score],” Schweitzer said humbly, of his 4-yard fumble recovery and run into the end zone. “Everyone came over and gave me hugs.”

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A Preference for Defense

Listed on the roster as both a linebacker and running back, Schweitzer prefers the defensive responsibilities. That carries over into his other sports: he’s a defender on the lacrosse team, and in basketball, he’s put into the game “for defense,” he said.

“In junior high, I thought more about offense, but in eighth grade, my lacrosse coach put me on defense,” Schweitzer said. “From that point, I just started liking defense more, in all my sports.” And with respect to football? “I’ll do whatever the coach wants,” he said.

“Eric has a good nose for the football. He has the potential to be better than his brothers,” Punzone said, referencing Schweitzer’s two older brothers: Tom, who twice made All-County, and Brian, an All-Long Island player and member of Babylon’s 2008 Long Island championship team.

That’s pretty good company for the third of four Schweitzer football players (a fourth brother is currently playing junior varsity).

And Punzone admits that putting sophomores on the varsity roster is not something he does as a routine. “If we bring up a kid, he’s got to be something special,” he said.

“Special” was punctuated by Schweitzer’s first chance to touch the ball as a varsity player: in Babylon’s first game this season, he returned the opening kickoff 84 years for a score against Greenport. That’s pretty special.

Next Assignment: Shutting Down Glenn Quarterback

Against Southampton, Schweitzer also filled a back-up role as third-string quarterback, which he performed efficiently, if not uneventful, late in the game. But come Saturday, it is both unlikely that the Panthers will score 44 points, nor shut out their opponent, when they travel to Elwood to face the 3-0 John Glenn Knights.

Babylon’s run for a 2010 Suffolk County Division IV title ended in the championship game, losing to the Knights, 34 – 26. Babylon fans will remember that their Panthers held a 20 – 7 lead, with running back Trevor Fudim scoring three first-half touchdowns. But on the last one, Fudim injured his groin, and without Fudim chewing up yardage and the clock in Punzone’s ball-control offense scheme, the Knights staged a second-half comeback.

That should be enough motivation for the Panthers. But in case they needed more, Schweitzer and his teammates found it in the words of John Glenn quarterback Richard Czeczotka, who, during the pre-season, was quoted in Newsday as voicing concern over Amityville as their biggest challenge to going undefeated and winning a league title.

“All he mentioned was Amityville,” Schweitzer said, becoming less reserved. “With all of Babylon’s success, for him not to mention us is insulting. We have that [article] hanging up in our locker room.”

It’s a message not lost on other Panthers. “Me personally, I’m not talking about it, but it’s definitely in my head. It’s something I’m thinking about,” said senior defensive end/offensive tackle Ryan Visgauss.

“I don’t think they’re taking us lightly,” Punzone said, who has been preparing his defense all week for the Knights high-powered spread offense.

Panthers Look To Play Keep Away

Babylon’s approach against John Glenn will be similar to their offensive plan was against Amityville: ball control. “We know what we have to do against them. It’s the same concept we had against Amityville,” Punzone said. “We need our defense to bend, not break. We can’t be giving up 80-yard touchdowns. If we make them drive down the field, we have a chance at getting them to make mistakes.”

Punzone will look for big plays from his defense—Schweitzer finding the ball and Visgauss doing what he does best: constant pressure. “Ryan only has one gear,” Punzone said. He’s 100 percent work all the time.”

“We want to control the ball, and get first downs,” said Visgauss.

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