With three games remaining in the football season, the JV Bulldogs looked poised to finish with another successful season. After Saturday’s home win 36-6 over the Valley Stream North Spartans the Island Trees JV Football team improved their record to three wins and two losses.
The Bulldog defense was swarming and played intense all game, led by leading tacklers Dom Stanco, Chris Williams, and Nick Blotta. The Spartan run offense was no match for the vicious Bulldog run defense. Since, the run game was shut down VSN tried to go to the passing game, an adjustment that did not work out so well. Anthony Giambona, Mike Leone and Joe Campisi had tight coverage all game and Paul Lucenti would add an interception late in the game.
Offensively, the Bulldogs could not be stopped totaling over 300 yards of offense. The one two punch of Kevin McDonough and Kenny Soto was just too powerful. Kevin carried the ball 12 times and rushed for 122 yards, scoring 4 touchdowns. Kenny had 10 carries and rushed for 133 yards, scoring one touchdown and a two point conversion. The win was a total team effort and was extremely impressive.
The Bulldogs have been led by freshman quarterback Timmy Madden and have scored 20 points or more in 4/5 games played this season. Madden has shown tremendous growth and improvement each week. Maddens’ stellar positive demeanor, alert, consistent, and mature play have proved to be the catalyst to the high octane offense. Joe Campisi and Anthony Giambona have been Madden’s two favorite targets connecting seven times between them both for over 200 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Coach Tuorto and the entire JV team would also like to welcome former Island Trees student and player Joe Cataldo to the coaching staff and commend him on a job well done thus far. The Bulldogs will play Roosevelt, North Shore and Malverne in the final three games of the season, and will look to finish with a winning record.
—Lynn Collins
