Elwood Scores Homecoming Win

By Connor Beach

cbeach@longislandergroup.com

The Elwood John H. Glenn High School football team improved to 5-1 last Saturday when they recorded a 48-21 victory during homecoming over the Phantoms of Bayport-Blue Point High School.

The homecoming victory moves the Knights into second place in Suffolk division 4, and capped off a day of celebration in Elwood.

The homecoming celebrations kicked off with a parade led by the school’s kickline and pep band. Homecoming king and queen Patrick Ancewicz and Haley Eno headed a procession of floats constructed by each class.

After the parade, the crowd filled the football stadium to cheer on the Knight’s high-powered offense.

Glenn dominated the first quarter. Senior quarterback Kyle Szokoli scored the first points of the game, capping off a drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Szokoli had 13 carries for 107 yards in the game. The Knights took a 14-0 lead when Szokoli completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Daysean Johnson.

It looked like the game was going to be close after the Phantoms scored 13 unanswered points in the second quarter, but Glenn extended the led to 21-13 at the half when Szokoli found Johnson with a 10-yard touchdown pass.

Elwood superintendent Dr. Kenneth Bossert unveiled the first two inductees into Glenn’s new Wall of Fame. Dr. Virginia Cancroft, who served as the principal of Harley Avenue School for 24 years, and the late Master Sergeant Christopher Raguso, a Class of 1997 alumnus who died during a military mission near the Iraq-Syria border in March, became the first two names on the Wall of Fame.

It was all Knights when the homecoming game kicked off again for the third quarter. Szokoli picked up where he left off with a 15-yard touchdown pass to running back Justin Tiernan. Tiernan also had 18 carries in the game for 144 yards and a touchdown.

The Knights defense also stepped up in the second half. Nick Ford recorded two sacks in the game, and Rocco Fratarcangeli had a 20-yard pick-six that gave Glenn a 41-13 lead going into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, junior quarterback Thomas Giaramita found Johnson in the endzone with a 35-yard touchdown pass, giving Johnson three touchdowns and 75 receiving yards in the game.

Gio Rinaldi and Justin Vega also helped bolster the Knight’s passing attack with 71 and 24 receiving yards, respectively. Sean Ryan added six carries for 45 yards in the victory.

The Knights will face a tough test on Saturday night when they travel to Mt. Sini to take on the undefeated Mustangs at 6 p.m.