Sachem Football Looking Back: 1986, Week 1

Each week in honor of the 25th Anniversary of Sachem's 1986 Rutgers Trophy team, Sachem Patch will give a brief recap of how Sachem faired during that season.

Sachem Patch will be profiling athletes from that team and sharing stories from the memorable season all fall. But to give you some facts about 1986 ... the Flaming Arrows were in the midst of one of their most dominant stretches in program history. In 1985, Sachem finished 8-2 overall, just behind West Islip in Suffolk County League I.

Sachem returned 16 starters from that dominant '85 club, including a stacked line with Gary Beutel (6-4), Marty Cummings (6-2), Curt Giacobbe (6-2) and Kevin Bauer (6-4). Defensive Backs Paul Engelhardt and Ralph Isernia were fierce. Athletes like Gary Comstock, Dave Shanahan, John Walsh, Wayne Wilson, Bob Kohn and others knew how to play.

Season record after Week 1: 1-0

Week 1: Sachem 14, Patchogue-Medford 0... Dave Shanahan, the current head football coach at John Glenn High School, scored on a 4-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter and quarterback John Walsh threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Strand in the fourth quarter for all the offensive production Sachem would need to open the season. Pat-Med only recorded 92 total yards of offense, while Sachem intercepted the ball twice and recorded one fumble recovery.