Central Islip Players Pay Tribute to Sachem's Joshua Mileto

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY - The Central Islip High School football team once again paid tribute to a teen who died last year, during a game this week.

The team honored Joshua Mileto during a senior night game against Sachem High School East last Friday.

In August 2017, Mileto, who was a cornerback and wide receiver for the Flaming Arrows, died after suffering an injury during an off-season football workout at the Farmingville school. He was 16.

On Friday before kickoff, the senior players and parents were called up to honor Mileto. His parents and siblings were on hand to partake in the ceremony unveiling a fixed memorial to him behind the north end zone.

According to Timothy Butler, before the first name was called the Central Islip players stoped warming up and assembled single file on the field, at which time they removed their jersey’s and pads to reveal each player wearing a #5 t-shirt in Mileto's honor and a show of solidarity.

"Behind me, I could hear the Sachem East parents and fans begin to clap and shout words of appreciation for that gesture," he told Patch.

That was when he shot the photo above.

Last October, the Central Islip players also wore #5 jerseys to honor Mileto.

Photo credit: Timothy Butler Photography