Sports
Football Preview: Mt. Sinai at Babylon
Panthers to be tested against 5-1 Mustangs Friday night.
Match-up: Mt. Sinai (5-1) at Babylon (4-2)
Time/Venue: Friday, October 21, 7 p.m. @ Babylon's Walt Williams Field
Last Week: Babylon defeated Port Jefferson 40 - 0; Mt. Sinai defeated Mercy 35 – 0.
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Optimists will look at Babylon’s one-sided win against Port Jefferson as a victory against a team that sat higher in the Division IV standings. Pessimists will say Port Jefferson was overrated and the win proved little.
Babylon coach Rick Punzone will take the glass-is-half-filled perspective.
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“We played very well against a team that came in with a four-game winning streak,” he said. “Any time a team has won four straight, they’re riding a high.”
Which brings us to Friday night’s game against Mt. Sinai. If Port Jefferson was riding high off their four-game winning streak, then Mt. Sinai is soaring. Also winners of four straight, they include in their streak a win in the final moments against Amityville, 26 – 20.
“They have always been a traditional running team, but now you have to prepare for their passing game too,” Punzone said.
Mt. Sinai’s aerial attack is led by quarterback Austin Kay. The senior has thrown 11 touchdowns this season. In the win against Amityville, Kay threw three touchdowns, all to tight end James Grau.
“Their ability to throw the ball makes them dangerous,” Punzone said.
Mt. Sinai’s ability to move the ball, and play strong defense, has Punzone considering changes in his offense. “I don’t know if we just line up against them and run the ball. [Zach] Fredericks is going to have make some big plays this week,” Punzone said of his quarterback.
The game has some playoff ramification. “It’s a big game, but not so much for the standings,” Punzone said. “We can’t finish better than third. If we win, we’re guaranteed a fourth spot.”
Injury Update: Running back Grant Shannon remains out with a knee injury sustained in practice. Linebacker Garrett Wittenberger returns after missing last week’s game. Wittenberger suffered a head injury on the first play against Bayport back on October 6.
