Smithtown West football's Michael Cascione runs for 177 yards, three TDs in Suffolk II quarterfinal win over West Babylon
Michael Cascione of Smithtown West runs the sidelines after a hook and ladder play during a Suffolk Division II quarterfinal football game against West Babylon in Smithtown on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
For the first time since 2013, the Smithtown West football team is headed to the county semifinals.
Junior running back Michael Cascione gained 177 yards on 10 carries, including touchdown runs of 10, 42 and 57 yards, to lead No. 3 Smithtown West to a 49-20 win over No. 6 West Babylon in a Suffolk Division II quarterfinal on Friday night in Smithtown. Cascione added six tackles and an interception.
“There’s nothing better than a home playoff win,” he said. “I could have never pictured us getting this far this season, but everyone plays hard and until the whistle on every play. Once this was in our reach, we knew how to take it and you couldn’t stop us.”
Nick Devito completed 14 of 16 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns for Smithtown West (8-1), which scored on its first four drives and forced four turnovers on downs.
Vincent Lepore took a pitch for a 27-yard touchdown on the Bulls’ opening drive (10 plays, 82 yards). James Martino’s kick gave the Bulls a 7-0 lead.
Smithtown West then forced a three-and-out before going on a nine-play, 85-yard drive.
The Bulls ran a hook-and-ladder from Devito to Cascione to Jake Rearick for a 52-yard gain. After a 12-yard tackle for loss on first down by West Babylon’s Alex Allen, Devito faced a second-and-22. He lofted a long pass to Rearick for a 30-yard touchdown to put the Bulls up 14-0 with 3:07 left in the first quarter.
“[Devito] is on another level this year,” coach Craig Perrino said. “I’m so proud of how much he’s developed. Everyone has trust in him from the line to the receivers. He’s our true leader.”
On the Bulls’ next possession, Devito faced a third-and-22 before finding Lepore for a 41-yard touchdown and a 21-0 lead with 8:42 left in the half.
Just over four minutes later, Cascione took a pitch from Devito and followed blocks up the left side to extend the lead to 28-0.
Cascione added his 42-yard rushing score to make it 35-6 in the third quarter before scoring on a 57-yard run with 8:49 left in the fourth. His younger brother, sophomore Jax Cascione, followed with a 65-yard touchdown run.
Quarterback Elijah Outlaw threw a 14-yard TD pass and added a 2-yard touchdown run for West Babylon (4-5).
“I have all the trust in the world in our receivers,” Devito said. “We’ve worked so hard for this. We had nothing to lose and now we have a championship to gain. It feels awesome.”
