In what will probably go down as one of the greatest games ever played by a Sachem football team, the Sachem East Flaming Arrows pulled off a major upset on the road, defeating the Connetquot Thunderbirds 33-28 on a last second touchdown catch by Ryan Dippel.
It was perhaps one of the wildest final minutes of the game, as Sachem East scored what would have tied the game at 28 with an extra point, but coaches opted to go for the 2-point conversion and failed.
It appeared that Connetquot would be able to run the clock out and seal the 28-27 victory, but Sachem executed a perfect onside kick, recovered the ball, marched down the field and scored the touchdown on a leaping grab by Dippel. The Sachem crowd erupted. Players on Connetquot sat on the field for more than three minutes, stunned. Some coaches, coaches wives and supporters on the sidelines broke down in tears as they embraced.
Coach Mark Wojciechowski gave an impassioned prayer at the endzone huddle after the game, and two players snuck up behind him to give him the Gatorade bath.
Patch will have a full recap of this stunning victory later in the weekend. For now: Just know that Sachem East will play William Floyd in the Suffolk County Championship for the first time in the young high school's history.
