Empire Challenge Packed With Sachem Connections

It's a game pinning the top football players in Long Island against the best in New York City and at this year's United Healthcare Empire Challenge there was a plethora of Sachem love swirling around Hofstra's James M. Shuart Stadium.

Sachem North players Jesse Scanna and James Thompson played in the contest, while teammate Michael Andreassi was sidelined with an elbow injury he sustained during the lacrosse season.

Sachem football coach Dave Falco was on hand coaching the running backs.

Sachem alum and Bellport coach coached the linebackers, while Sachem alum and Glenn coach Dave Shanahan coached the quarterbacks. Cipp was honored between the first and second quarters and presented with a plaque from the Suffolk County Football Coaches Association for his retirement. He is the Superintendent of the South Country School District and retires as the winningest football coach in Suffolk County history.

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, Sachem's athletic director, has also coordinated the Empire Challenge for the last 16 years.

The game is played to benefit the Boomer Esiason Foundation and its quest to fight cystic fibrosis. The former NFL quarterback Esiason is an East Islip native, who, of course, lost to Sachem in the 1978 Suffolk County championship.

Sachem trainer Mike Wulforst was one of the athletic trainers who worked the game. Sachem alum and former football player Jeff Corbin, a physical therapist based in Nassau County, also helps out every year.

From a supporter perspective, everyone from the newly formed Pow Wow cheering group in Sachem to Superintendent James Nolan, Sachem board of education trustee Anthony Falco and almost the entire Sachem North coaching staff stopped to catch the action. Sachem coaching legend was there too.

"It was a great day for Long Island," said Dave Falco. "It’s a good experience for our kids as they move on from Sachem. I was proud of them. Jesse played well and had a bunch of tackles and James played well also. Long Island did a great job."

The game marks the end of the high school career for Scanna, Thompson and Andreassi, three key elements to Sachem's magic ride of the last two seasons as the Flaming Arrows went a combined 20-2 in 2010 and 2011.

"It’s been a great run," said Scanna, who played on a handful of series and made key tackles each time in the game. "Four years playing high school football. It was the best time of my life and I’m going to miss it."

Long Island beat New York City, 17-14, in the game.

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