Pow Wow Emerges at Empire Challenge

In a sea of fans 11,992 strong at Hofstra's James M. Shuart Stadium, only one group of students actually stood out during Tuesday's United Healthcare Empire Challenge.

Sachem's self-dubbed Pow Wow made its longest commute of the season, leaving the friendly confines of Fred Fusaro Alumni Stadium in Lake Ronkonkoma and emerging at the annual high school football all-star game in Hempstead to support their fellow Sachem peers playing in the game.

Bursting out with Yankee Stadium bleacher-like chants for Sachem's Jesse Scanna, James Thompson and Michael Andreassi, the handful of Flaming Arrows faithful, who stood on the top of the bleachers on the east side of the stadium, were loud and proud and took the term rowdy seriously.

Even your very own Sachem Patch editor garnered two chants during the game, as did Superintendent James Nolan. We both waved back, sending them all into a greater frenzy.

The Black & Gold bunch made it to Farmingdale State College two weeks ago for the Long Island baseball championship as well. Their valiant fandom truly captured the Sachem spirit this year. Here's hoping a group of students can carry on the tradition next season.

Thanks to Nick Iannello, Mike McCarthy, Brian Ford, Tim Lang, Chris Schulz, Tom Mignano, George Raum and Allen Arons for screaming their heads off all year ... and for playing vital roles in their individual sports teams at Sachem as well.