NORTH BABYLON 61, COPIAGUE 14
Gwaltney scores record 9 TDsPlaying only three quarters, he rushes for 406 yards and sets state touchdown mark for TDs in one game
BY GREGG SARRA
STAFF WRITER
October 30, 2004
North Babylon football coach Terry Manning said running back Jason Gwaltney would play only three quarters Friday night in the Bulldogs' tuneup for the Suffolk Division II playoffs, and Gwaltney certainly made the most of it.
Gwaltney set a state record for touchdowns in a single game, scoring nine as North Babylon rolled to a 61-14 victory over Copiague before a crowd of 1,100. The senior rushed for 406 yards on 29 carries.
Gwaltney has rushed for 1,870 yards on 201 carries and scored 31 touchdowns in seven games this season. His career stats are astounding: 793 carries, 6,788 yards and 121 touchdowns.
"He is simply amazing," Copiague coach Bruce Muro said. "We put helmets on him and hit him in the box and he's just very strong. They couldn't believe that he didn't go down. I'm proud of our kids; they never gave up."
Gwaltney rumbled to six first-half touchdowns, including four in the second quarter, when he rushed 22 times for 280 yards. He scored on four straight carries from 3, 60, 49 and 29 yards as North Babylon (6-1) opened a 35-0 lead with 3:52 left in the half.
Gwaltney's last scoring run of the half came off left tackle. He broke outside and used a vicious stiff-arm to stave off two would-be tacklers inside the 10-yard line.
"When you have a horse like Jason Gwaltney, you ride it," Manning said. "He's feeling very strong and he's coming hard on people. We're getting a nice push up front and Scooter [Berry, the fullback] is cleaning up at the next level."
"It's been an honor to block for an All-American," North Babylon's Steve Phillips said. "He's about the team and he lets everyone know that we all share in his accomplishments and that makes everyone feel good."
With eight seconds left in the third quarter, Gwaltney made a strong parting statement. He went over left tackle, skipped over one defender, knocked down another and followed a big block from Berry for a 33-yard touchdown run.
The Bulldogs knelt on their last two extra-point attempts and Manning kept the ball between the tackles in the third quarter.
Copiague (2-5), which had no turnovers and no penalties, played a clean game and even saw a quick glimpse of the future when junior halfback Calvin Smith went 71 yards for a touchdown with 2:40 left in the first half to make it 35-6.
"It was a great run and we have some young talented players," Muro said. "We just couldn't stop them."
The night belonged to Gwaltney and the North Babylon offense.
"We gave it all we had, and that's what counts," Copiague defensive back Anthony Hamilton said. "He's very good."
There was no doubt about the identity of "he."
NORTH BABYLON 61
COPIAGUE 14
