Sayville football's Connor Batterberry steps into spotlight with 202 yards, TD in win over Bayport-Blue Point
Connor Batterberry of Sayville gets behinds the defense on his way to a touchdown in the first quarter of a Suffolk Division IV football matchup against Bayport-Blue Point on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026 in Sayville. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
The "who’s up next?" mentality has served the Sayville football program quite well. The message is always to be ready when your number is called.
When outstanding junior halfback Tim Holahan went down with a left foot injury a few weeks ago, in stepped senior Connor Batterberry.
The Sayville offense hasn’t missed a step.
In a clash of defending Long Island champions, Batterberry rushed for 202 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries as host Sayville beat Bayport-Blue Point, 40-15, in a showdown of unbeatens in Suffolk Division IV on Friday night before a packed house of over 2,000 people.
Sayville, the Class III champions, improved to 6-0 and extended Suffolk’s longest win streak to 17 games. Bayport-Blue Point, the Class IV champions, is now 5-1.
It was the first meeting of these powerhouse programs in 44 years. Sayville, which moved from Suffolk III to Suffolk IV, leads the all-time series, 8-1.
“Sayville is one of the best football programs on Long Island,” Bayport-Blue Point coach Mike Zafonte said. “We played a gritty game but made some mistakes. We’ll have to regroup and hopefully see them again.”
Bayport-Blue Point will need to find the defensive solution to stopping a Sayville offense that scored on all four of its first-half possessions.
Batterberry, a speedy 5-5, 140-pound Siena lacrosse commit, was unstoppable through a first half that saw him gain 145 yards on nine carries as Sayville built a 34-9 lead.
“The offensive line was great,” Batterberry said. “I can’t do it without them.”
Sayville’s captain and leading wide receiver Colin Darling, one of the Golden Flashes’ emotional leaders, echoed Batterberry’s sentiments.
“Our line is special, so good,” Darling said. “And we have so many options on offense and the coaches know exactly what we’re doing.”
Sayville opened the scoring when junior Ryan Batterberry, Connor's brother, capped an eight-play, 74-yard drive with a 10-yard end-around touchdown run. The opening drive lasted 4:01 for the 6-0 lead.
Bayport-Blue Point, averaging 33 points per game, went three and out and was forced to punt. Three plays later, Sayville extended the lead to 13-0 with 5:24 left in the first quarter.
Quarterback Frankie Hanley found Darling for gains of 20 and 12 yards to set up a Connor Batterberry 39-yard TD run. Batterberry dipped inside and then stuck his foot in the ground and changed gears and direction for an electric touchdown run.
“Connor is small and plays big, always keeping his feet moving,” Sayville coach Rob Hoss said. “He’s a super patient runner, makes the right reads and gets a lot of yards after contact.”
Bayport responded with a 10-play, 68-yard touchdown drive, highlighted by a fake punt and a 50-yard run by halfback Josh Franchak. It was the first touchdown allowed through six games by the Sayville defense.
On fourth-and-goal from the 1, Franchak went into the Wildcat formation, took a direct snap and bulled his way into the end zone over the left guard. The kick was blocked and the Phantoms cut the Sayville lead to 13-6 lead with 25 seconds left in the first quarter.
Sayville wasted no time in regaining a two-score lead. Batterberry ran for 13, 10 and 20 yards before Hanley found a diving Jake Arato for a 25-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter for the 20-6 lead.
“It was a play-action pass, and I just threw it over the top,” Hanley said. “Jake made a great catch.”
On Bayport’s ensuing possession, linebacker Cole Cantarella intercepted a pass along the Phantoms sideline and returned it for a pick-6 and a 27-6 lead.
Cantarella added a 6-yard TD run for the 34-6 lead with 59 seconds to go in the half. Bayport’s Tommy Steyert, who kicked the game-winning 47-yard field goal in last year’s LIC, drilled a 38-yard field goal with five seconds left in the half to make it 34-9.
Bayport battled in the second half. The Phantoms went on an impressive eight-play, 63-yard march capped by Matt Bachmore’s 2-yard TD toss to tight end Brayden Waldbauer to get within 34-15.
Hanley, who completed 6 of 8 passes for 122 yards, sealed the win with a 32-yard TD strike to Arato for the final margin.
“We study a lot of film and made the right reads,” Hoss said. “It’s a good win.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
