Suffolk Division IV football: Everything you need to know
Aidan Winter of Babylon poses for a portrait during Suffolk County Football Media Day at Ward Melville High School on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. Credit: James Escher
Aidan Winter has done it all for Babylon.
He’s played quarterback, running back, linebacker and defensive back. He’s returned kickoffs for touchdowns. And he’s coming off a spectacular junior campaign, one in which he rushed for 1,758 yards on 143 attempts, averaging 12.2 yards. He totaled 23 touchdowns and made 62 tackles.
Winter surpassed Trevon Rodney as the Panthers’ all-time leading rusher last season, with his career total standing at 4,750 yards.
Entering his fifth and final year on Babylon’s varsity team, Winter has one thing on his mind — winning a Suffolk IV championship.
“I’ve been waiting my whole life for my senior year” Winter said. “I just want to win. I don’t care what I do this year, I want the team to succeed and that’s all I care about.”
Each of Babylon’s last two seasons have ended in the semifinals. Last year, Winter suffered an injury in Babylon’s 43-14 loss to Miller Place. When Babylon met Miller Place in the regular season, Winter had 21 carries for 284 yards and two touchdowns in a 57-48 win.
“During the playoffs, I got hurt the second drive of the game,” Winter said. “I’m just looking to get back out there and play as hard as I can because I didn’t get to the last game I played.”
With dual threat quarterback Kai Jankow entering his second season at the helm, Babylon will look to open up the passing offense this year, which could lead to more open lanes for Winter to run through on his way back to the postseason.
“As a freshman, we made him a captain and that’s unheard of,” coach Rick Punzone said. “He’s definitely on the Mount Rushmore of Babylon football players. The only thing he’s missing is a championship. We hope we can get it for him this year.”
INSIDE THE DIVISION
Coaching Spotlight
Mike Zafonte, Bayport-Blue Point
Zafonte is entering his 10th year as the Phantoms’ head coach and has led the team to three straight Suffolk IV crowns and two of the last three Long Island titles. He played football at Sayville and found his role on special teams. He graduated from Sayville in 1994 and played rugby in college. He spent his first year at NC State before transferring to Miami (Ohio).
“Football has really shaped a lot of what I do, in terms of my teaching job, my leadership skills,” Zafonte said. “I attribute a lot of that to the lessons I’ve learned from football.”
GAMES TO WATCH
Mount Sinai at Glenn, Date/Time TBD: Joe Competiello dominated in Glenn’s win last year. Shifting from receiver to quarterback, can he lead the Knights to another win over an improved Mount Sinai team?
Bayport-Blue Point at Miller Place, Date/Time TBD: A rematch of last year’s Suffolk IV final, Miller Place wants to prove it has what it takes to win a Suffolk title. Can Shane Kiernan and company get past the Phantoms’ stout defense?
Shoreham-Wading River at Kings Park, Date/Time TBD: Looking to bounce back from a tough year in Division III, the Kingsmen will have to run the gantlet early on with games against Babylon, Miller Place and Bayport-Blue Point. The Wildcats are no exception, as this could be a quarterfinal preview.
Babylon at Bayport-Blue Point, Date/Time TBD: Babylon held a 1-point lead into the fourth quarter of last year’s matchup, but the Phantoms scored a touchdown in the waning minutes to win. Could this be a Suffolk IV final preview?
Miller Place at Babylon, Date/Time TBD: Babylon won a high-scoring game in the regular season, but Miller Place dominated their rematch in the semifinals. The last game of the regular season under the Friday night lights on Halloween . . . get your popcorn ready.
Five-Year Trend
2021 spring: Shoreham-Wading River
2021 fall: Shoreham-Wading River
2022: Bayport-Blue Point
2023: Bayport-Blue Point
2024: Bayport-Blue Point
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
