Sachem Patch's Top Sports Stories of 2011

1. : In the summer when football training camp first started, no one could have expected a Sachem vs. Sachem battle in the Suffolk County Division I playoffs. A few months later history was made when Sachem North and Sachem East met in the semifinals. It was the fourth overall time the schools have met on the gridiron. Sachem North won, 57-6, scoring the most points in a single-game in program history. The Flaming Arrows advanced to the Suffolk County championship for the third straight time and 16th time in programhi story.

2. : The Sachem East field hockey team put together a remarkable run, blitzing through its opponents in Suffolk County, Long Island and finally in New York State where the Arrows won their first state title in school history.

3. : Arguably the highest individual honor awarded in Long Island high school sports, the Hansen Award is given to the top football player in Suffolk County. Dalton Crossan became the fourth player in Sachem's 50-year history to win the honor, turning in one of the most impressive season's in Long Island football history.

4. , : For the first time since 1987, the Sachem North baseball team captured a Suffolk County title. Running the table in the post-season tournament, Sachem was dominant from top to bottom and put together a memorable season. Star pitcher/short stop Alec Sole won the Yastrzemski Award given to the top baseball player in Suffolk County. Brendan Garry also was named the top catcher in the county.

5. : Georgetown-bound Rachel Paul placed 26th at the Nike Cross Country Nationals in Portland, Ore. this fall. The entire 2011 year she emerged as one of the top running threats in the nation and will continue to make her mark throughout the rest of this school year and beyond.

6.  Not since Doug Shanahan tried out with the New York Jets in 2003 had Sachem had any players affiliated with a pro football team. Before that it was a brief stint by Brian Bravvy in the early 1990s and, of course, Jumbo Elliott. This year Chris Manno brought NFL pride back to Sachem when he was with the Kansas City Chiefs for a month during training camp. He didn't make it, but it was one of the high points of sports coverage on Sachem Patch this year. We'll continue to monitor his journey to the league.

7. : Sachem North senior was ranked as the 37th best lacrosse recruit in the nation by ESPN, then grabbed the No. 4 ranking at goalie. She is committed to play at SUNY Binghamton.

8. : The Sachem East cross country team placed eighth at the New York State Federation Championships. They became just the third team in school history to compete at federations and the first cross country team in the district since 1998.

9. : Sachem East alum Keith Kinkaid is the highest profile hockey player to ever come from Sachem. He signed with the Devils this year and played briefly with them earlier this season. Currently he is in the minor leagues with the Albany Devils.

10. : One of the modern legends of Sachem football history, Eddie Delaney, a Sachem East alum, finished up his college football career in a playoff loss at Stony Brook. The Albany defensive end is a dominant force on the field, all with one hand.