Things Just Keep Getting Better for Sachem East

Where do I start? The upset win. The Steven Casali performance. The historical significance of Friday's game. The revenge win over West Islip. The game coming up next week between both Sachem schools. All of the above.

When Mark Wojciechowski took over the football program at Sachem East you had to figure it wouldn't take long for the Arrows to turn their ship in the right direction. But this quickly, in this direction? Not even the best odd makers in Vegas could have predicted this.

A win over Central Islip in Week 1 had the program jittery with smiles. It was at least something to cheer about after going 0-8 in 2010 and 1-15 overall since 2009. Albeit, it was still C.I., the lowest ranked team in Suffolk's Division I. Then East rolled off three more wins and started this season 4-0, an unprecidented achievement for the program. Eyes were starting to open.

After stumbling slightly with three straight losses, Sachem East clinched a playoff birth with a . The win also tied a program record for victories in a season with five.

Then came West Islip in the Suffolk County Division I quarterfinals. The same West Islip team who beat Sachem, 36-7, in Week 6 during their own homecoming. The same storied West Islip program who has played consistently solid football since the 1970s, that tormented Wojciechowski during his school boy days with the Black & Gold of the 1980s. To say the least, West Islip has been a problem for Sachem, on both sides of the district, in multiple sports (but let's not forget about Sachem North's ).

Sachem East gave the Lions something to think about all off-season on Saturday though, beating them 21-14 on their own turf and using the underdog motivation to rally off the most impressive win in East football history to date. It was the first playoff win in program history and the first time East scored any points in the playoffs considering it was shutout by Floyd in their only other post-season apperance in 2008.

"It's the first time I’ve beaten [West Islip]," Wojciechowski said. "We didn't win when I was in ninth grade, tenth grade, varsity. It’s a great feeling."

The win ranks among the best in school history as well, adding it to the list of stellar accomplishments of the 2005 baseball team, 2005 soccer teams, the 2009-10 girls basketball team and the many individual accomplishments of the gifted boys and girls track and cross country runners who have worn the Red & Gold.

“They bought in from day one, these guys," said Wojchiechowski. "They’re special, special kids."

Saturday's win couldn't have played out any more dramatically either. What better way to capture a win then by riding your workhorse? Steven Casali, who has proven to be one of the best running backs in Suffolk County - and he's only a junior - barreled his way to 40 carries for 174 yards and 3 touchdowns. The third score proved to be the most impressive since it came at the end of a 16-play drive that went 88 yards and ended with his 2-yard touchdown burst.

And now comes the true test, a semifinal date with Sachem North just five miles away on the turf at Fred Fusaro Alumni Stadium. Wojciechowski, like many of his assistant coaches, teach at North and played for Sachem. He and assistant coach Jay Mauro are each the dean of students at North.

The two programs have played each other three times before - 2005, 2006 and 2009 - with North leading the series 2-1. Those were different teams with different agendas and different themed seasons. Now East is trying to build a program and history, while North is trying to maintain its dominant run and finally win a county title after two consecutive heartbreaking defeats in 2009 and 2010.

"They’re a great team with a great running back," Casali said. "We have to bring it. We have to have a great week of practice and our intensity has to be very high."

“They’re the best,” Wojciechowski said. “To be the best, you have to beat the best.”

Call it the Civil War, World War III, Armageddon, Nor'Easter 2011 or my personal favorite, The Sachem Patch Bowl. Sorry folks, no budget for any special trophy, only a pat on the back and fantastic coverage of the winner the following week at the county final. Although if you remember back to the last time these teams played there was the Chief Sachem trophy given to the winner until it was stolen out of the trophy case at North. Holligans trying to ruin school history and modern tradition. You know you were caught on surveillance cameras, right? I digress. This is going to be like the Super Bowl of Sachem football on Sachem Patch, and I've actually . (And don't tell me not to hype this up, that's my job, I'm your only source of local media.)

A few things are certain about next week's game: thousands will show up and see a hard fought contest, administrators and teachers will be rotating sidelines on this one to show support, and both programs will take it as business as usual, as hard as that may seem. Oh, and one other thing, I'm not picking a winner or sharing any sort of prediction. I know better. Though you might see a poll question this week asking something in that direction. Let the positive community trash talking begin.

Be sure to stay logged onto Sachem Patch all week long for various pieces of coverage leading up to the semifinal game on Friday.