By Marley Seaman
At quarterback and on special teams, senior Julian Hayes was the star. Showcasing the speed and elusiveness that have earned him the attention of several Big East schools, Hayes dominated the first half. On Malverne's first drive, he rushed 40 yards for a score, and only minutes later, he returned a punt for another touchdown.
"I think he's the best player on Long Island," said Mules assistant coach Stacey Eason. "If not the best, one of the best."
Hayes's play electrified the team, and Malverne was relentless on both sides of the ball throughout the first half. On the Quakers' next possession, linebacker Daniel Wakeford intercepted a David Weitz pass and returned it for another touchdown. It was 21-0 after one quarter of play, and Malverne never looked back.
Given the circumstances, the team's energy was even more remarkable. The rain and winds, which got stronger as the game progressed, forced the cancellation of the homecoming parade and made the High School football field unusable. The game was played at the field behind Malverne Junior High School across the street.
The cold also failed to chill the Malverne cheerleaders, and their chant "the fighting Mules are here to stay!" proved spot-on. The 104-member high school band, including a color guard, kept warm by playing four selections from "West Side Story" at halftime. The band, something of a powerhouse itself, finished second at the New York State Field Band Championships last year.
Led by senior linebacker Mike Novembre and junior defensive end Kyle Germany, the Mules starting defenders pushed into the Friends backfield on almost every play, sacking Weitz and keeping fullback Aaron Williams-Simmons from breaking through for long runs.
Wakeford intercepted another pass to begin the second quarter, and Hayes rushed between the raindrops and the Quaker defense for another 40-yard score. The final Malverne touchdown was set up by defensive back Steven Alexander, who picked off a Weitz pass and returned it to the Friends 18 yard line. After a Malverne penalty, fullback Anthony Hill blasted through the defensive line and ran 23 yards for the final touchdown on the last play of the first half.
Coach Ron James elected to sit a number of his top players, including Hayes and Hill, for the second half. Under second-string quarterback Shachar Korman, a sophomore, Malverne threw the ball more, but did not manage to score. The defense continued to hold firm, allowing the Quakers a few lengthy drives, but no major scoring opportunities. Only once, on their final possession, did Friends get inside the Malverne 20 yard line. But the Mules continued to rush through the Quaker offensive line. Another sack by Germany pushed Friends back to the 31, and on fourth down, Weitz's pass for Andrew Burke flew too long. Malverne finished off the game with a series of runs by William and Wayne James.
