Sachem Football Looking Back: 1986, Week 6

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, Anthony Gambino, John Walsh, Wayne Wilson, Bob Kohn and others knew how to play.

Season Record After Week 6: 5-1

Lindenhurst 15, Sachem 12 ... Lindenhurst had lost to Sachem for 11 consecutive years, but on this Week 6 day in 1986, the Bull Dogs got the best of the Flaming Arrows. Ironically, it came during a season where Sachem was on a defensive tear. Dave Shanahan scored Sachem's two touchdowns on runs of 6 and 16 yards. John Walsh was intercepted in the closing minutes to seal the win for Lindenhurst, which Bull Dog players dubbed as the greatest win in Lindenhurst history at the time. Ironically, Sachem also lost its Week 6 game in 2011 to William Floyd.