Huntington Gives No. 2 North Babylon a Fight Before Falling, 23-19

Huntington knew it would have its hands full Saturday afternoon against No. 2 North Babylon. The Blue Devils also knew they would have to play a near-perfect game to knock off one of the top teams on Long Island. They came close but too many mistakes became too much to overcome.

Huntington erased an early deficit, battled North Babylon throughout the afternoon and remained within striking distance into the fourth quarter before falling, 23-19, Saturday at North Babylon. The loss dropped Huntington to 2-2, while North Babylon improved to 3-1. The Blue Devils fell behind 7-0 in the opening quarter and trailed 17-13 at halftime, but the second quarter provided a glimpse of what Huntington could do against a highly regarded opponent. Quarterback Shates Miller was at the center of the attack. Miller completed 19 of 23 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing 10 times for 56 yards. His favorite target was Spencer Sturges, who consistently found openings in the North Babylon defense. Sturges finished with five receptions for 95 yards and two touchdowns. Junior, Pat Hassett was a big target for Miller as well with 7 receptions for 76 yards.

The Miller-to-Sturges connection helped Huntington answer North Babylon's early surge and kept the Blue Devils within one score throughout much of the afternoon. Huntington also got a rushing touchdown from Alex Castro, who scored on his only carry of the game.

The Blue Devils finished with 301 yards of total offense, 232 through the air and 69 on the ground, but North Babylon's defense came up with several critical stops, including three interceptions of Miller. North Babylon added a field goal in the third quarter to take a 20-13 lead, but Huntington's defense refused to allow the Bulldogs to pull away. “3 field goals proved to be the difference in the game and North Babylon’s secret weapon,” said Head Coach John Rowland of North Babylon.

The Blue Devils registered 44 solo tackles and seven tackles for loss. Zayvion McCoy led the defensive effort with eight tackles and two tackles for loss. Blake Bender added six tackles and a tackle for loss, while Castro had five tackles, including two for loss. Zach Matthews recorded four tackles and a tackle for loss and was recognized as Huntington's Team MVP. McCoy was named Defensive MVP.

Despite North Babylon's ability to control stretches of the game, Huntington continued to battle into the fourth quarter. The Blue Devils scored six points in the final period and had opportunities to make things interesting, but the Bulldogs ultimately held on. On 4th and short, The Bulldogs decided to end the game by going for it. Huntington came up big with a huge stop by a cluster of Blue Devil bodies. With under 2 minutes in the game, Huntington made it all the way to the Bulldogs 21 yard line before time elapsed.

Special teams also provided Huntington with a spark. Dylan Michaelson returned four kicks for 69 yards and was named Special Teams MVP. Ricardo Berry added a 16-yard return. Miller and Hassett were named Huntington's Offensive MVP following his 301-yard offensive performance.

For Huntington, the 19-point effort against the No. 2 team in the rankings provided another indication that the Blue Devils can compete with some of the best teams on Long Island.

The Blue Devils return home Saturday for another major test when undefeated Commack (4-0) visits Huntington for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff, where Huntington will celebrate its Seniors, in addition to bringing Awareness to Cerebral Palsy. Everyone is asked to wear green and white to show support for the cause.

Commack enters the game coming off a victory over Smithtown East and will present Huntington with another opportunity to test itself against an unbeaten opponent. Four games into the season, Huntington's record stands at 2-2. “The record isn't where the Blue Devils want it to be,” said Head Coach, Ron Wilson. Against the No. 2 team in Division II, Huntington showed it isn't going to back down.

Built, Not Given.