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Bedell scores four touchdowns in 42-14 victory over Connetquot

Colonials gain fifth consecutive victory, improve to 6-1 record

In his three varsity seasons, Bedell totals 59 career touchdowns

BY JIM FURLONG

Stacey Bedell wore a small colored towel, hanging from his back belt.

In bold letters, a printed message on the towel said:

R.I.P

To the competition

SEE YA!

Many times opposing defenders are chasing the elusive Bedell. In a split second, they might see the message as the swift senior standout completes another eye-catching gallop to the end zone.

Bedell, once again, produced a dazzling performance on Oct. 22. Before a large Homecoming crowd, he sparkled with four touchdown runs to highlight William Floyd's 42-14 home victory over the Connetquot Thunderbirds.

The Colonials, with their fifth consecutive victory, improved their 2011 season record to 6-1, and had no turnovers and few penalties. Junior quarterback A.J. Otranto threw touchdown passes to Jonathan Martinez and Vantrell Nash. Dylan Munster kicked six extra points.

Bedell said he chose the message on the towel to motivate himself.

"It shows my hard work is paying off the last three years and that I am getting better and better," Bedell said. "With my breakaway speed, when I get ahead of the defense, no one will catch me."

After seven games this fall, Bedell totals 26 touchdowns. That's very impressive and probably leads all Long Island prep football players.

What's even more exceptional is Bedell has scored a combined 59 touchdowns during the 2009-10-11 seasons.

"That is a big number to wrap you head around; how many that is," said Otranto. "What he does is amazing. . . .It is expected that he do that, but he can't do that without our (offensive) line. And they are doing an amazing job."

Four times this season, Bedell has scored four or more touchdowns in a game.

"He is a huge asset," said junior defensive lineman Pat Walsh. "He is Long Island's best running back and he also does so much on defense (as the starting free safety)."

Martinez paused when asked his opinion of Bedell's 59 TDs.

"It is a huge number," said Martinez. "It shows how talented he is. He could go anywhere and be good. . . . He means do much to the team."

Floyd coach Paul Longo knows his program is fortunate to have two super running backs in recent years. Besides Bedell, Brock Jackolski (now a senior standout for the Stony Brook Seawolves) scored 66 career touchdowns for the 2005-06-07 Colonials.

 "Stacey is an amazing player; a great player on both sides of the ball," said Longo. "I have said this before; he has a gear that no one else in the (Suffolk Division I) league has."

Longo said 59 career TDs are "mind boggling."

As Connetquot (1-6) lost its fourth straight game, Bedell rushed 23 times for 241 yards. He scored on runs of 4, 12, 41 and 1 yards. He also added a 58-yard run, just short of the end zone in the last minute of the second quarter.

"He comes at you; very elusive, very difficult to tackle," said Mike Hansen, the Connetquot head coach for nine years. "He's not that big, but speed goes a long way. You don't have to be big to be tough. He is one of the fastest guys I have seen, and he's a complete player on offense and defense."

Bedell's prolific touchdowns frustrate and depress opposing defenses.

"On any play, he can break for a long gain and that breaks the spirit of your defense," said Hansen.

With more than 4,000 yards career rushing, Bedell looks like the favorite to win the 2011 Hansen Award, given to the premier prep player in Suffolk County. (Jackolski earned the 2007 Hansen Award).

"I don't know the guys in the other divisions, but he has to be the top guy in Division I"' said the Connetquot head coach.

The Colonials, as usual, dominated the first half Oct. 22 and led the Thunderbirds 21-7 at intermission.

On a bright, sunny afternoon, the .Floyd defenders smothered Connetquot on its first five possessions when the visitors were limited to 22 combined yards.

"A good day for team defense," said Longo. Linebacker Miguel Brennin contributed six tackles and a sack.

In the first quarter, the Colonials went ahead on Bedell's 4-yard run and a 29-yard scoring pass from Otranto to Martinez. Bedell gave the home team a three-TD advantage with 1:38 remaining before halftime.

Otranto, who competed 8 of his 10 passes for 118 yards, almost directed another TD drive, but the clock ran out after Bedell ran 58 yards first and goal.

In the third quarter, Bedell added his 58th and 59th career TDs.

Versatile Vantrell Nash scored the sixth Floyd TD -- a 12-yard pass for a 42-7 margin.

Before the second half kickoff, Walsh started yelling on the home sideline.

"I was screaming 'It is not over! It is time to turn it up,''' said Walsh. "We were kind of having a lazy day and I wanted to pump up the team."

The Colonials are surging since their lone loss -- a 14-12 home setback against Longwood on Sept. 17.

"Our team is good," said senior lineman Denis Feise. "We had a slipup against Longwood, but if we play them again, it will be a completely different game."

Floyd will finish its regular-season schedule Oct. 29 with a road game at eighth-seeded Bay Shore (3-4).

"We are pretty good," said Rajiv Herin, one the defensive leaders. "The O line is improving and the D line is learning every game. “We proved, even though we are small size-wise (on defense), we can make a big impact in our games. We are built for speed in small spaces."

Martinez said the Colonials "can beat any team."

"Our team chemistry is very high," said Martinez. "We trust each other and we back each other up. . . . I feel we are unstoppable."

Floyd remains Suffolk's highest-scoring team, averaging 39 points per game. Bedell has scored 160 of the team's 272 points. He has scored more points than 10 of the 14 Division I squads.

D

NOTES -- The Colonials will advance to the county playoffs for the 11th consecutive season, and will host a first-round Suffolk game on Nov. 4 or 5. The agile Otranto, who is proving a superior scrambler, has completed 37 of his 62 passes for 649 yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. Bedell and Keith Scanlon were both introduced as members of the 2011 Homecoming court. Scanlon leads the receivers with 9 catches for 200 yards and three TDs. Bay Shore, which needs a victory to become one of the eight teams advancing to the Division I playoffs, beat winless Central Islip 38-14 on Oct. 22 Floyd's leading tacklers (solo and assists) are: Brennin (75), Marc Coles (67), Vincent Giordani (56), Bedell (56), Walsh 54 and Matt Allen (44). Former Floyd standout Joey Sidaras resumed his football career this fall at Wagner College. The starting quarterback for the 2007 LIC winner has started six of seven games at tight end for Wagner College. Sidaras leads the team in receptions with 16 grabs for 233 yards, while the former Floyd standout is having personal success; his Wagner team shows a 1-6 record and has lost six in a row. Another noteworthy fact about Bedell is that he has scored 34 touchdowns in his last nine games. By conquering Connetquot, the Colonials boosted their overall record to 67-7 for the last seven seasons.