This Week in Sachem Football: Week 8

Every week I breakdown each game and measure what it means from a historical perspective in the football programs at Sachem North and East. Here's the information from Week 8:

-Sachem has started a season off 8-0 only two other times since the program began (49 seasons). This is the second consecutive season to accomplish this feat. The other years were 1996 and 2009. The 1983 team was 7-0-1 in its first eight games.

-Dating back to the final game of the 2008 season, North has won 19 of its last 20 games.

-Sachem has scored 304 points this season. With this week's win, Sachem passed the 1995, 2001 and 1996 teams and the 2010 team is now the second all-time scoring team in program history. Next up, last year's 2009 group which scored 358 points.

-Sachem head coach Dave Falco was a member of the 1983 team, which also began its season 7-0.

-Sachem is 2-6-2 all-time against the Marauders.

-This is the most points Sachem has ever scored against Bay Shore. The previous high was 13 in 1968.

-Bay Shore has outscored Sachem, 181-154. It is the only other school besides William Floyd to have outscored Sachem in its history.

-On a side note about Bay Shore... if you noticed, their field is named after a Clifton LaPlatney. To the modern football fan that means nothing, but he's a legend from Suffolk County. He coached Bay Shore football for 28 seasons, winning 130 games. He is the 10th all-time winningest coach in Suffolk history.

-Sachem is 32-16-2 all-time in Week 8.

-This is the sixth time Sachem has scored 34 or more points in a Week 8 win.

-The last time these teams played was in 1971, a 14-14 tie. It was Fred Fusaro's first year as head coach of the Arrows. Their first battle dates back to 1962 - year 2 for Sachem's program. They played seven times in the 1960s, twice in the 1970s and that was it.

-In his first eight seasons as head coach, Fred Fusaro's record was 35-32-1, while Falco sports a 41-29 mark.

-The 64 points Sachem has allowed this year are the second least in Suffolk County. Smithtown West has allowed 61.

-Sachem is the only undefeated team in Division I. The other Suffolk County schools without a loss: Glenn (Division IV), which is coached by Sachem alum Dave Shanahan and assistant Fred Fusaro. Nassau's undefeated schools: Oceanside and Carey.

-The Andreassi File: With his 21 carries and 136 yards against Bay Shore, he moved into 8th on Sachem's career rushing list. He has 1,698 yards on 268 career carries and 21 touchdowns. He passed Eric Martinez (1,662, 1996-97). Next up: Anthony Quezada (1,967, 2007-08).

-The Scanna File: For his four-year career at Sachem, he has 151 carries, 1,344 yards and 14 touchdowns (rushing). Scanna is the 12th all-time leading rusher in Sachem history. Next up: Jason Kling (1,367, 1999-00). On defense, Scanna has over 300 career tackles, which is a Sachem record. (Final defensive stats will be reported at the end of the season.)

Stats at a glance (through eight weeks)

-Bonifacio Aguila: 7 catches, 120 yards, 17.1 avg., 2 touchdowns

-Michael Andreassi: 116 carries, 767  yards, 6.61 avg., 12 touchdowns/ 2 reception for 27 yards

-Angelo Armine: 31 carries, 291 yards, 9.39 avg., and 14-of-22 passing for 304 yards and 4 touchdowns, 3 rushing touchdowns

-Davon Christopher: 17 carries, 114 yards, 6.71 avg., 2 touchdowns

-Dalton Crossan: 59 carries, 684 yards, 11.60 avg., 1 catch for 59 yards, 8 rushing touchdowns, 2 return touchdowns, 1 receiving touchdown, 1 interception touchdown

-Trent Crossan: 20 carries, 176 yards, 8.80 avg., 1 touchdown (INT)

-Mike McCarthy: 22 carries, 143 yards, 6.50 avg., 1 touchdown and 1-of-4 passing for 18 yards

-Bryan Morris: Converted 26 of 35 point after attempts

-Jesse Scanna: 58 carries, 641 yards, 11.05 avg., 9 rushing touchdowns/ 4 receptions for 58 yards and 1 receiving touchdown … 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown

Points by quarter for North

                          1            2         3          4           F

Sachem               109           89          59           46           304

Opponents        26              0            7             31            64

Interesting Facts

-Total offense gained: 3,185 yards (2,679 rushing / 322 passing)

-Total offense allowed: 1,394 yards (710 rushing / 684 passing)

-Total rushing touchdowns: 36

-Total passing touchdowns: 4

-First half points: 198

-Second half points: 106

-First half points allowed: 25

-Second half points allowed: 38

-Most points for: Week 3 vs. Brentwood ... 48

-Least points for: Week 5 vs. Northport ... 28

-Least points against: Week 4 vs. Connetquot ... 0

-Most points against: Week 2 vs. Lindenhurst ... 15

-Most touchdowns in a game by one player: Jesse Scanna ... 3, three times … Dalton Crossan and Michael Andreassi have both scored three in one day as well

-Most carries in a game by one player: Michael Andreassi ... 22 vs. Lindenhurst

-Most rushing yards in a game by one player: Scanna 173 vs. Connetquot

-Longest rush of the season: Jesse Scanna, 81 yards vs. Floyd

-Longest pass of the season: Armine to Crossan, 59 yards vs. Longwood

-Longest run against: Karl Allison - Bay Shore, 54 yards

-Longest pass against: Pat-Med, 51 yards

-Most total offensive yards in one game: 513 vs. Connetquot

-Longest kick return: 85 yards, Dalton Crossan vs. Floyd

-Longest interception return: 65 yards, Dalton Crossan

-Touchdown lead: Dalton Crossan and Michael Andreassi, 12

-Interceptions: Team total 10

-Interceptions leader: Dalton Crossan, 4

Fun Facts from Previous Games

-Sachem's win over Connetquot marked the first time Sachem has scored 45 or more points in back-to-back weeks in program history. 

-The shutout over Connetquot was the 59th shutout in program history.

-This season is the first time Sachem has scored 33 or more points per game in the first four games of the year.

-If you're wondering, the fewest points allowed in a Sachem season was 35 in 1977. For this year's Sachem team to be in the top five in program history, it would need to stay within the 50 point range: 1980 (38), 1986 (44), 1961 (46), 1983 (56) and 1978 (59). It has allowed 57 points in seven games.

-The 20 points Sachem scored in the first quarter of Week 6 were more than Floyd allowed in any previous quarter this season.

-This is the first time since 2002 that William Floyd has lost back-to-back games.

-Floyd has not allowed more than 28 points in any games dating back to 2004.

-Sachem has scored 40-plus points in four of its seven games this season and no fewer than 28 in a game. The 40-plus points in four games ties the 2009 team's record for most 40-plus point games in a season. The previous record was three in 2001. Section XI doesn't keep online records prior to that year. The 28 points were scored this year by Bay Shore, a team that Sachem plays in Week 8 on the road.

New York State Sportswriters Association Ranking: 3 ... Though it's not the final ranking of the season, it is the highest ranking Sachem has ever achieved from the NYSSWA. The organization has been ranking teams in New York since 1969. Sachem has been ranked in the top 25, 12 times … its highest spot ever was 6 in 1979. The Arrows improved from No. 4 last week.

-East has started the season 0-8 for the first time in program history. The only other teams in Sachem football history are the 1966 and 1967 teams from the other side of the district. Those were the final two years of former head coach Kerry Lawlor's career at Sachem.

-East has now lost 15 straight games dating back to Week 2 of the 2009 season.

-East was outscored, 250-68, 2010.

-The only other schools on Long Island without a win in 2010 were Half Hollow Hills East, Shoreham, Stony Brook, Port Washington and Jericho.

Next up

• Sachem hosts No. 8 Brentwood in the first round of the Suffolk County Division I playoffs next Friday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m.
• Stay tuned for a game preview with special playoff historical information later in the week.