Well-grounded Daniel Odell, Eastport-South Manor roll to victory
Eastport-South Manor's Daniel Odell sweeps to the right side of his line during a Suffolk Division III football game against host Amityville on Friday. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Having an offensive line coach become head coach is every running back’s dream.
Daniel Odell and Eastport-South Manor’s rushing attack were a defense’s nightmare in its season-opener at Amityville on Friday.
The senior running back rushed for 264 yards on 24 carries and a touchdown in the Sharks’ 21-6 win over Amityville in Suffolk Division III football.
“Odell is a nice runner inside and he cuts back upfield so well,” head coach Chris Prokesch said. “We pushed people off the ball and really took control of the game with the offensive line. This game is on them.”
It’s easy to believe that Prokesch spent 11 years as Eastport’s offensive and defensive line coach with the way the Sharks controlled the trenches on both sides of the ball. Prokesch took over as head coach in July, but he served as the interim coach in 2018.
Eastport’s first drive under Prokesch went 70 yards in nine plays and was capped by a 5-yard touchdown pass from Max Ferraro to John Izzo on third and goal.
Izzo, a former offensive tackle at 6-2, 225 pounds, caught three passes for 64 yards, including spectacular grabs of 19 and 38 yards in the middle of the field.
“Our previous coaches didn’t like to use tight ends. I always thought it was a great opportunity because you can get those short-yardage passes and it’s always nice to have an extra lineman,” Izzo said. “Coach Prokesch decided to use me as a tight end this year and it definitely worked today.”
The Sharks entered the red zone twice more in the first half, but a fumble recovered by Christian Jean-Bart and a sack as time expired held Amityville’s deficit at 6-0 entering halftime.
On its first drive of the second half, Amityville went 64 yards in three plays on runs of 16 and 33 yards by DaJon Clinton and Amari Alcindor before Noah Robinson’s 15-yard touchdown run tied the score at 6.
The Sharks marched right back into the red zone but faced a fourth-and-4 from the 5-yard line. Straight out of the Philadelphia Eagles’ playbook, Ferraro took a QB sneak and was pushed from behind by Odell all the way to the end zone. Odell ran in the two-point conversion to give Eastport a 14-6 lead with 1:31 left in the third quarter.
“The O-line is so strong and with Danny pushing behind me, I just had to keep driving my feet,” Ferraro said. “I had two fumbles earlier in the game, so I just had to hold onto that ball and we would get five yards.”
Bryan Pierre, Matt Pompei, Alex Ruiz, Stevey Pacella-Gordon and Cooper Fahey form the line that was so dominant all game. Behind them, Odell ran for 154 yards in the second half alone and put the game away with a 3-yard score with 2:36 remaining.
“The O-line pushed everyone back and gave me perfect open holes,” Odell said. “They really picked it up in the second half. I appreciate them very much.”
