Babylon boys soccer keeps rolling, beats Center Moriches to win fifth straight Suffolk Class B championship

New year, new team, same results.

The top-seeded Babylon boys soccer earned its fifth straight Suffolk Class B title in a 2-1 win over No. 2 Center Moriches on Tuesday afternoon at Diamond in the Pines in Coram.

Senior captain Michael Burke hammered home the winner in the 54th minute, powering in a goal on a bouncing ball in front of the net following a corner kick. The goal came just minutes after Center Moriches’ equalizer off a diving header from senior Xavi Hernandez.

“It’s just a thrill,” Burke said. “I just knew I needed to help my team get ahead, the energy was down and we needed to get hype. And I brought it.”

Burke is one of the 13 seniors that’s done little but win for a Panthers team that has scored at least two goals in 13 games. Fellow senior Shane Dellafranca opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, tapping in a cross from senior Charles Murphy.

“It was amazing, seeing the gap and waiting for Murphy to pass that and just chipping it over (the goalie),” Dellafranca said. “It was great.”

Center Moriches did well to battle back in the game, but Babylon’s hustle never wavered as it fired eight shots on target while utilizing the counter attack in the second half.

“Communication and work (were the difference),” Burke said.

“And being first to the ball,” Dellafranca added. “That’s our saying.”

The Red Devils finish the season 14-4. Babylon (15-1) will take on a similar Class B titan in Nassau’s Carle Place.

It’ll be the fifth consecutive meeting between the two sides in the Long Island Class B final, which is also a state quarterfinal at 6 p.m. on Friday at Farmingdale State. The winner goes to a semifinal at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16 at Middletown High. 

One thing is for sure; Babylon will bring its physicality and toughness on all levels of the pitch.

“We win with discipline, and we lose with discipline,” Burke said. “And we haven’t lost much."