Sports

Sachem 'Focused' for Sunday's County Championship

Practiced at KK Athletics for two days this week because of rain.

The last time Sachem and William Floyd played, the Flaming Arrows just didn't seem like themselves. It was Dalton Crossan's first game taking snaps behind center, sophomore quarterback Mike O'Donnell's second start as a play caller on varsity and the field at Floyd was a muddy swamp that week.

"We're better than the first time we played them," Sachem coach Dave Falco said. "We had a lot of injuries and new guys moving around. We were still feeling ourselves out offensively. We're focused now."

Sachem practiced Wednesday and Thursday at KK Athletics in Farmingville because of rainy conditions this week. Friday will be a full regular practice at the high school and Saturday they'll have a walk through.

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The Flaming Arrows should have the upper-hand headed into Sunday's game having lost to Floyd in the regular season, the opposite of what happened in 2009 and 2010.

"Anytime you play someone in the regular season you have a better feel for what you can do against certain people," Falco said. "It’s different this year."

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Still, both teams will be ready to play on game day.

"They're well coached with good players on the other side," Falco said. "The team that makes the least mistakes is going to win the game."

'We Are Sachem' at KK

On the other side of the facility at KK this week was the Sachem East field hockey team, who is making a run at a New York State title this weekend in Syracuse. To see two Sachem programs from opposite sides of the school district working hard towards a similar goal is the definition of "We Are Sachem," a motto Superintendent James Nolan has instilled in his coaches and staff.

"I’ve always been impressed by the way [Sachem East coach Tina Moon] runs her program and how her kids respond," Falco said. "It’s one of those programs you keep an eye on, like Sachem East girls basketball with coach [Matt] Brisson or Sachem North baseball with coach [Tom] Gambino."

“It’s a nice combination," Moon said, "that East and North are practicing at the same facility."


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