Eastchester quarterback John Archidiacono (2) hands off to John Guido (33) during a varsity football game against John Jay Cross River at Eastchester High School on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.
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Eastchester’s Jacob Risi (7) breaks up a pass intended for John Jay’s Jackson Reiger (22) during a varsity football game at Eastchester High School on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.
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Eastchester’s Jacob Risi (7) holds the ball as kicker Aidan Clemente (6) kicks an extra point during a varsity football game against John Jay Cross River at Eastchester High School on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.
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Eastchester quarterback John Archidiacono (2) hands off to Michael Cesarini (21) during a varsity football game against John Jay Cross River at Eastchester High School on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.
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Eastchester quarterback John Arcidiacono (2) breaks the tackle of John Jay’s Liam Tassone (28) for a touchdown during a varsity football game at Eastchester High School on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.
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Eastchester John Guido (33) breaks through the line during a varsity football game against John Jay Cross River at Eastchester High School on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.
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Eastchester’s Chris Gorman (73) reaches to block a pass thrown by John Jay quarterback Hunter Keetch (10) during a varsity football game at Eastchester High School on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.
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Eastchester’s Andrew Schultz (85) catches a pass for a touchdown during a varsity football game against John Jay Cross River at Eastchester High School on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.
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Eastchester quarterback John Archidiacono (2) fires a pass during a varsity football game against John Jay Cross River at Eastchester High School on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.
EASTCHESTER – What happens when John Arcidiacono is given an inch?
The elusive quarterback ran for 256 yards and one touchdown Saturday, helping Eastchester post a resounding 51-27 win over John Jay in a Section 1 Class A quarterfinal game. He also threw for 138 yards and three scores.
Talk about having a fantasy game.
“I don’t think I’d be able to tackle him, I’ll be honest,” said Eagles running back John Guido, who picked up 127 yards and three touchdowns. “He’s so good at making people miss.”
Eastchester finished with 595 yards of total offense.
“Players make plays and we have some that are making plays,” Eagles coach Fred DiCarlo said. “If they’re not, we’re going to have a hard time winning. The leaders on the team are being leaders. They just want to win. They don’t care about the stats, they really don’t. If they put up yards, great. If they get nothing, they’re happy as long as we get the win.”
Arcidiancono opened the game with an 80-yard touchdown strike to Andrew Schultz, and the Eagles tacked on a two-point conversion.
There was a sudden mood shift, though, when Kyle Edelman brought the ensuing kick all the way back for a touchdown. Guido punctuated each of the next two Eastchester drives with touchdown plunges from a yard out.
A hectic pace kept things interesting for a time.
When the first quarter ended, the Eagles, were sitting on a 29-14 lead.
“We put that opening play in at the beginning of the week, and we stuck with the plan,” Arcidiacono said. “We really wanted to come out hot and get the momentum. And when they came back with the kickoff return, we had to settle down and work hard the rest of the game.”
Player of the game: It’s not Guido, who powered into the end zone three times. It’s not Schultz, who made a trio of touchdown grabs. Arcidiacono set up all of that offense, then deflected the credit.
“The offensive line sets me up to make those moves and that’s why we’re doing so well right now,” he said.
Turning point: Schultz had to hold up for a second when a pass from Arcidiacono deflected off a John Jay defensive back. He played the carom perfectly, turning a timely bounce into a 43-yard TD reception. Aiden Clemente added the PAT, giving the Eagles a 29-14 cushion.
Stat line: Eastchester scored on each of its first six possessions. … Arcidiacono completed three passes, and Schultz caught each one. … John Jay quarterback Hunter Keech had 17 carries for 123 yards and one touchdown.
Quotable: “We haven’t seen them play one game, but we’re going to go to work tomorrow,” DiCarlo said of next week’s opponent, Lourdes. “We know their program is great. Being the preseason No. 11 seed, playing with the big boys, we’re going to try to crash the party.”
New Rochelle’s Romeo Holden hauls in a reception over Mamaroneck’s Justin Poniros during a Class AA quarterfinal football game at New Rochelle game Oct. 24, 2015. New Rochelle defeated Mamaroneck 28-20.
When they met on Sept. 11, New Rochelle withstood valiant-yet-undermanned Mamaroneck to win by a touchdown. The Huguenots’ circumstances have improved so much since, but so had those of their opponent on Saturday.
The eighth-seeded Tigers against hung close with New Rochelle until an interception by Romeo Holden with 49 seconds left preserved the No. 1 seed’s 28-20 victory in the Class AA quarterfinals.
The Huguenots (8-0) will host No. 4 Scarsdale on Saturday afternoon in the semifinals.
Jared Baron rushed for two touchdowns and Jayson Prince and Keelan Thomas added touchdowns on the ground.
Bill Flatow finished 15 for 28 for 260 yards and a touchdown for Mamaroneck (1-7). He also caught a 55-yard halfback pass from Julian Haughton with 9:23 remaining in the fourth quarter to cut the Tiger deficit to 28-20. They drove to the New Rochelle 40 in the final minute when Holden’s interception ended the threat.
Class A quarterfinals
Rye 35, Hen Hud 16: At No. 1 Rye Friday, Jamie Clark had 14 carries for 96 yards and Chase Pratt, Billy Chabot Mat Bruno and Brett Egan each had rushing touchdowns. T.J. Lavelle finished 5 for 10 for 87 yards and threw a 46-yard touchdown to Egan. Rye will host No. 5 Yorktown at 7 Friday night.
Lourdes 37, Somers 22: At No. 3 Lourdes Friday, Dean Rotger threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns. Spencer Brande scored two touchdowns for No. 6 Somers, including one on an 82-yard kickoff return. Lourdes will travel to No. 2 Eastchester on Saturday afternoon.
Class B quarterfinals
Albertus Magnus 10, Ardsley 3: At No. 2 Ardsley, the seventh-seeded Falcons had four interceptions and recorded six sacks. Dalton Newbury had two interceptions and Kyle Teneyck had two of the sacks. Sophomore Benny Storms went 3 for 4 for 145 yards, including an 85-harder to Aidan Condon that set up Albie Argenio’s touchdown run in the first quarter. Albertus will visit No. 3 Westlake at a time to be determined.
Nanuet 35, Irvington 0: At No. 1 Nanuet, Rob Klebetz (43 yards) and Brian McGreevy (53) returned punts for touchdowns. Connor Breit rushed for 54 yards and two touchdowns. The game was called after three quarters. The Golden Knights will host No. 5 Putnam Valley on Saturday afternoon.
Putnam Valley 20, Pleasantville 3: At Parkway Field in Pleasantville Friday, Joe Spinola returned a strip-sack 30 yards for a touchdown. He also caught a 12-yard touchdown from Zack Girvalo for the fifth-seeded Tigers. Mike Dellabate also rushed for a touchdown.
Class C semifinal
Woodlands 14, Rye Neck 6: At No. 2 Woodlands, Amari Bilal had 31 carries for 175 yards and a touchdown and went 4 for 9 for 79 yards and a score. All four of his completions went to Kwame Maxwell. Bilal also recorded 10 tackles. The Falcons will play No. 1 Dobbs Ferry for the championship on Saturday at Pace University. The game is scheduled for 4:30 p.m., but is subject to change.
Hudson River Football League semifinals
Gorton 44, Lincoln 0: At Saunders, Ian Ricketts Jr. had 19 carries for 207 yards and three touchdowns for No. 1 Gorton. The Wolves will play in the championship at No. 2 Saunders at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Non-playoff games
Sleepy Hollow 35, Ossining 14: At Sleepy on Friday, Paul Bloshuk Jr. went 8 for 16 for 162 yards and four touchdowns. Mike Lopez had 21 carries for 162 yards and a touchdown and also caught a touchdown. Jordan Dorn and Justin Torres each also had receiving touchdowns. Shamar Holebrook had 16 carries for 72 yards and a score to lead Ossining. Sleepy now leads the all-time series 22-18-2 and has won four straight.
With semifinals and finals being held this weekend in Section 1, this week’s predictions have been expanded. There are eight Picks of the Week this week, plus predictions on the rest of the area’s games.
For all but eight teams in Section 1, this week is the end of the road. In fact, no more than 14 teams in our coverage area will still play football after Saturday afternoon. Incredible.
Now, here’s our coverage plan for the weekend, followed by my predictions for every game on Friday and Saturday.
Friday –
Class AA semifinal: No. 3 Clarkstown North at No. 2 John Jay-East Fishkill, 6:30 p.m.: Mike Dougherty (@hoopsmbd)
Class A semifinal: No. 5 Yorktown at No. 1 Rye, 7 p.m.: Josh Thomson (@lohudinsider)
Saturday —
Class A semifinal: No. 3 Lourdes at No. 2 Eastchester, 1 p.m..: Josh Thomson (@lohudinisder)
Class AA semifinal: No. 4 Scarsdale at No. 1 New Rochelle, 1:30 p.m.: TBD
Class C championship: No. 1 Dobbs Ferry vs. No. 2 Woodlands at Pace University, 4 p.m.: Mike Dougherty (@hoopsmbd)
Class D championship: No. 1 Tuckahoe vs. No. 2 Haldane at Pace University, 7 p.m.: Mike Dougherty (@hoopsmbd)
New Rochelle’s Greg Powell (12) looks for an open man during football game action against Scarsdale at New Rochelle High School on Oct. 11, 2014.
Class AA playoff predictions
Games of the Week
Semifinal: No. 3 Clarkstown North (7-1) at No. 2 John Jay-East Fishkill (7-1), Friday, 6:30 p.m.
Why Clarkstown North can win: The Rams have a terrific defense and should be able to handle the physical challenge of playing John Jay. They are also pretty athletic in the secondary. I think their ultimate success could depend on whether they can stop Ryan Schumacher from scrambling when pass plays break down.
Why John Jay can win: The Patriots, the defending champs, have a lot of experience in big games and should feel comfortable playing at home. They also have a more balanced team offensively that can play from behind or ahead. If they win, Schumacher will be the difference.
Prediction:Clarkstown North 13, John Jay 10. I’ve thought hard about this one all week and, frankly, I see it going either way. I don’t expect either team to win by more than a touchdown. I mentioned earlier Schumacher’s ability to scramble. I think in Cameron Conrad, Jack Abrams and others, the Rams have the athletes to counter some of what John Jay does offensively. The game could be determined by whether or not North can run the ball successfully.
Semifinal: No. 4 Scarsdale (6-2) at No. 1 New Rochelle (8-0), Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Why Scarsdale can win: The Raiders beat New Rochelle just two years ago, so they know they can do it. I think they’ll need to open it up and make some big plays downfield, but they have players who are capable of it. Their success will depend on getting a good mix on offense, both run-pass and also in terms of the contributors in the running game.
Why New Rochelle can win: Other than the fact that the Huguenots look like Class AA’s best in general, they also have the athletes to defend Scarsdale. They’ll be well-schooled in how to defend the triple-option and the offense should be capable of beating the Raiders for big plays in the passing game.
Prediction:New Rochelle 27, Scarsdale 14. I think New Ro has the more complete team. The defense will be ready to stop Scarsdale’s main back and I’m not sure Scarsdale can contain New Ro’s offense.
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Eastchester quarterback John Archidiacono (2) hands off to John Guido (33) during a varsity football game against John Jay Cross River at Eastchester High School on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.
Why Yorktown can win: The Huskers have some terrific athletes. Rye has a solid team, but doesn’t have a handful of players who will take over the game. Yorktown might.
Why Rye can win: The Garnets proved during the regular season that they could slow down Nick Santavicca. They also have enjoyed plenty of success throwing the ball deep on Yorktown. Until the Huskers can stop it, expect Dino Garr to keep testing them.
Prediction:Rye 31, Yorktown 14. Despite Yorktown scoring on two pick-sixes last time, Rye still won 31-20. Judging on that, I just don’t see a different outcome in the rematch.
Why Lourdes can win: Lourdes has arguably the best passing quarterback in the section this year and enough skill players to produce big plays. The Warriors have played the more difficult schedule so they should be well-prepared.
Why Eastchester can win: The Eagles offense has been unstoppable so far this season. Andrew Schultz could be a very tough matchup for Lourdes — especially on defense where he will roam center field. In fact, Eastchester’s secondary has been excellent at forcing turnovers and Lourdes will not be shy to throw.
Prediction:Eastchester 34, Lourdes 27. If this isn’t one of the section’s best games this year, I’d be surprised. No matter who wins, it should be very explosive. Expect plenty of big plays on both sides. Because of that, I’ll take Eastchester, which makes more big plays than anyone.
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Nanuet guard Matthew Levine (52) carries the ball after an interception during their 28-0 win over Pearl River in a varsity football game at Nanuet High School in Nanuet on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014.
Class B playoff predictions
Games of the Week
Semifinal: No. 5 Putnam Valley (6-2) at No. 1 Nanuet (8-0), Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Why Putnam Valley can win: If this is a defensive struggle, as many Nanuet games are, Putnam Valley seems well-prepared. The Tigers have been great on defense late in the season, allowing just 23 points in their last four games. If they can keep the game close into the second half, anything can happen.
Why Nanuet can win: The Golden Knights are so big and physical, most Class B teams can’t withstand them. They can wear teams out, but they’ve also shown an ability to score on defense and special teams, which is something Putnam Valley must guard against this week.
Prediction:Nanuet 13, Putnam Valley 0. This will be the fourth meeting between these teams since 2010. The previous scores were 18-0, 12-0 and 14-0. And I’m not sure any of those Nanuet teams were as good as this one.
Semifinal: No. 7 Albertus Magnus (6-2) at No. 3 Westlake (6-2), Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Why Albertus can win: Albertus will enter the game confident after a six-win season that was capped by a great defensive performance in the semis. I think the Falcons believe they can play with anyone in Class B, and rightfully so. If their defense can be as opportunistic as it was last week, they will have a chance. Westlake has had problems with turnovers at times this season.
Why Westlake can win: The Wildcats are definitely the favorites here. They are more explosive and have competed against tougher competition all season.
Prediction:Westlake 23, Albertus Magnus 9. If the Wildcats protect the ball, they should win. They will be the best team Albertus has played all season. But they’ll need to be careful and not let the Falcons build any early momentum.
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Dobbs Ferry football players work the blocking sled during practice on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015.
Class C playoff predictions
Game of the Week
Championship: No. 1 Dobbs Ferry (6-0) vs. No. 2 Woodlands (4-3), 4 p.m. at Pace
Why Dobbs can win: The Eagles should certainly come out well-rested after not having played in three weeks. They have two terrific running backs in Jibril Kapadia and Najee Smith, who are difficult enough to stop when they aren’t as fresh as they’ve been all season.
Why Woodlands can win: The Falcons are pretty big up front and Amari Bilal has really carried them down the stretch. He could be the most impactful player on the field Saturday considering his contributions running and passing and also with his effort on defense. Also, if it’s a defensive struggle, Woodlands might be better equipped to make the game-changing play, especially because of its passing game.
Prediction:Dobbs Ferry 20, Woodlands 13. I’m still not sure who the Eagles will have at quarterback or whether or not they will show any rust coming off a three-week layoff. Still, I think they have been Class C’s best team all season. They are the more complete team and that should be enough for the storied program to get back on top of Class C.
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Tuckahoe defeated Haldane to win the Section 1 Class D boys football championship game at Mahopac High School Nov. 8, 2014.
Class D playoff predictions
Game of the Week
Championship: No. 1 Tuckahoe (1-6) vs. No. 2 Haldane (2-5), 7 p.m. at Pace
Why Tuckahoe can win: The Tigers usually do win in this spot, but, remember, this is a young team with a new coaching staff in place. They struggled this year, albeit against a very brutal schedule that included tough non-league games against Hackley and Chester. If anything, they should be prepared.
Why Haldane can win: This isn’t a vintage Tuckahoe team. Haldane proved that back on Sept. 12. The Blue Devils led 12-7 going into the fourth quarter before falling 21-18. They forced four turnovers and probably can’t expect that again, but they aren’t a four-TD underdog here. This will be a competitive game.
Prediction:Tuckahoe 26, Haldane 14. Although last game was close, consider that Tuckahoe had the four turnovers and Chris Corrado, who ran for 157 yards and three TDs, had two other touchdowns called back. The Tigers could’ve won by a wider margin and I’d expect them to prove it on the big stage. They have played a challenging schedule and have always shown an ability to turn the page from that come playoff time. Plus, Haldane is still very young with a sophomore QB and freshman running back as its go-to guys. The Blue Devils’ best chances to win the section are still ahead of them.
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Mahopac’s Joe Cavaciuti (32) looks for some running room in the Carmel defense during a boys football game at Carmel High School Oct. 11, 2014. Mahopac won the game 27-7.
Other Week 9 games:
Thursday, Oct. 29 —
Riverside 19, Lincoln 12
Nyack 22, Ramapo 13
Arlington 14, Clarkstown South 7
Somers 31, Hen Hud 20
Friday, Oct. 30 —
Mahopac 21, Carmel 7
White Plains 20, Spring Valley 13
Ossining 33, Peekskill 19
Hackley 37, Cardinal Spellman 6
Valhalla 34, Yonkers Montessori 6
Harrison 27, Byram Hills 13
Xaverian 29, Kennedy 13
Saturday, Oct. 31 —
Mamaroneck 41, Port Chester 13
Pleasantville 35, Briarcliff/Hamilton 7
North Rockland 14, Suffern 6
Pearl River 21, Tappan Zee 14
Rye Neck 33, Roosevelt 13
Fox Lane 20, Ketcham 19
Rye Country Day 34, St. Luke’s 14
Ardsley 22, Bronxville 13
Stepinac 49, Chaminade 14
Iona Prep 33, St. Peter’s 20
Hudson River Football League championship
Gorton 27, Saunders 13
Have an opinion on this week’s games? Let Josh Thomson know about it on Twitter.
At some point after Carmel received its 2014 football schedule, Todd Cayea told a joke that, to him, wasn’t necessarily that funny.
His Rams had been assigned seven games in Class AA, the largest classification in the state. Three of them pitted his team against three of the four largest high schools in Section 1, which also happened to be among the 12 largest schools in the state.
“I was closer in enrollment to Croton-Harmon than half the teams on my schedule,” said Cayea, comparing Carmel to Class B (and, until somewhat recently, Class C) Croton. “Now, if I went down and played Class B schools, imagine what those teams would say?”
This fall, that type of enrollment disparity led the NYSPHSAA, the state’s largest governing body for high school sports, to consider a proposal to expand football to six classes. Under the proposal, the sport would create a Class AAA, an addition that, in my opinion, is a long time coming for a sport crumbling under the weight of safety concerns and competitive disadvantages.
Just two weeks ago, Ossining, the smallest Class AA school in Section 1 football, met New Rochelle, the largest, in Class AA’s qualifying round. Ossining played the varsity game, but requested that New Rochelle find another JV opponent out of fear for its players’ safety.
“We were fine, but the New Rochelle JV was on a totally different level than ours,” Ossining coach Dan Ricci said. “Teams we’d lose to in a decent game, they were beating 40-something to nothing.”
At the very top of Section 1, those physical and competitive advantages have been clear for years. No team outside the top six in enrollment has won Class AA since Carmel in 1998. The preeminent power, New Rochelle, which is again this year’s championship favorite, is more than twice the size of 12 of the section’s 19 Class AA schools this year. Arlington, North Rockland and Mount Vernon are not much further behind.
Even semifinalists like Clarkstown North, which enters Friday night’s game at John Jay-East Fishkill 7-1, are rare and often require a perfect storm of circumstances to even challenge for a berth in a sectional final.
This year, the Rams have 23 seniors and have enjoyed the type of injury luck that has turned against them in the past.
“To be able to play the New Rochelles, the John Jays, the North Rocklands, you have to be healthy during the season,” Clarkstown North coach Joe Trongone said.
Player safety and enrollment disparity in Classes AA and D were the main issues that led the state’s football committee to propose a six-class system. The NYSPHSAA’s executive committee considered the proposal at last week’s meeting but opted to table the discussion. Instead, the state will reconvene its dormant Championship Philosophy Committee on Dec. 3 to consider the six-class proposal and other options before the executive committee meets again in late January.
The Championship Philosophy Committee is expected to give its recommendations for the executive committee to consider. According to NYSPHSAA executive director Robert Zayas, the state has no guidelines for a six-class system and would need to establish a rationale for why football — with just 431 schools participating — should be treated differently than other sports. (Boys basketball, for example, has over 700 active schools under the NYSPHSAA umbrella.)
“That’s the question right now,” Zayas said. “If we treat football differently, why are we treating football differently? As soon as we give football the opportunity to have six classes, basketball is going to ask for the same thing. Other sports as well.”
Because of those complications, Zayas said the state is unlikely to adopt a six-class system until the 2017-18 school year, if at all. The state’s football committee has been asked to review enrollment numbers and prepare to play with five classes next fall.
“There are quite a few possibilities right now,” he said. “The important thing is that the Championship Philosophy Committee comes in and look at things the way they should be and not just the way they are.”
And, in this case, subtle changes also aren’t enough. The physical nature of football alone should lead the state to treat it as an outlier. According to statistics reported by the Center for Disease Control in 2012, 47 percent of high school sports concussions occur in high school football.
“I think that’s what really driving it,” Cayea said. “The reason football is enrollment-based is because of safety issues. They’re not going to put us against Pawling or Haldane. No disrespect to those programs, but you just can’t do that. And the discrepancy in ‘AA’ right now is ridiculous.”
As Mat Bruno will tell it, Rye coach Dino Garr sends a consistent message to his players about what he expects: They all need to play like seniors. Bruno hasn’t just listened, he’s lived it.
A year after starting at linebacker as a sophomore, Bruno has been a force on offense, defense and special teams for the unbeaten Garnets, who entered Friday night’s Class A semifinal against Yorktown at 8-0.
Bruno has been his best on defense, recording a team-high 11 sacks to go with 31 tackles. He’s also blocked three punts and played anything from quarterback to running back and receiver in a part-time role on offense.
“We have a big motto, that being selfish is not acceptable,” said Bruno, a two-year starter at outside linebacker. “Everyone has to be selfless and do their part.”
“That’s the word: Selfless,” Garr said. “It’s not only with Mat. We don’t have any outstanding people who carry the ball, who have 1,000 yards or whatever. Mat fits that mold. All the players have touched on the same thing for us, and he’s doing whatever he can do to be successful.”
Bruno actually had his best performance this season against Yorktown. Rye beat the Huskers 31-20 on Sept. 18 and Bruno had three-and-a-half sacks, blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown and threw a touchdown.
“Coach (Simon) Berk just sent me off the edge and once I came off the edge I was able to put pressure on (Yorktown quarterback Jose) Boyer all night long,” Bruno said. “And that’s what we needed because he’s a great quarterback.”
Bruno’s speed and athleticism was also integral in stopping Yorktown’s Nick Santavicca, who is the area’s leading rusher since the beginning of the 2014 season. The Rye defense held Santavicca, Yorktown’s all-time leading rusher, to just 44 yards.
“He’s very quick. He has good speed,” Garr said. “Mat uses his quickness and his ability and agility. He has the athletic ability to get to places to make a play. Even when he’s a step behind, he can make up for it. And he’s very competitive.”
Bruno may’ve had those attributes as a sophomore, but, looking back now, he wasn’t always meeting Garr’s demand to play like an upperclassmen. However, he said whatever growing pains he experienced last year helped prepare him to play as well as he has.
“It was a great learning experience for me and the other sophomores to get to see what it’s like,” Bruno said. “This year, we were expected to be leaders. We have to teach all the people coming up what to do.”
Clarkstown North’s Martin Mulvey congratulates John Jay’s Andrew Anthony (5) after their 21-7 loss to John Jay High School in the class AA semi-final football game in East Fishkill on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015.
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Clarkstown North’s Martin Mulvey (45) makes a reception during their 21-7 loss to John Jay High School in the class AA semi-final football game in East Fishkill on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015.
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Clarkstown North quarterback Jack Abrams (5) fires a pass during their 21-7 loss to John Jay High School in the class AA semi-final football game in East Fishkill on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015.
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Clarkstown North quarterback Jack Abrams (5) runs out of the pocket during their 21-7 loss to John Jay High School in the class AA semi-final football game in East Fishkill on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015.
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Clarkstown North quarterback Jack Abrams (5) runs out of the pocket during their 21-7 loss to John Jay High School in the class AA semi-final football game in East Fishkill on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015.
HOPEWELL JUNCTION – Clarkstown North needed to play a perfect game to keep the season alive. The Rams only made a handful of mistakes Friday, but each and every one proved costly and contributed to a 21-7 loss to John Jay-East Fishkill in a Section 1 Class AA semifinal.
“We didn’t play well enough,” senior lineman Prince Emili said. “We gave up some big plays because we didn’t tackle properly.”
The Patriots will be defending their Section 1 title next Saturday at 6 p.m. against either New Rochelle or Scarsdale, who play on Saturday.
“It’’s awesome,” John Jay quarterback Ryan Schumacher said. Getting back to the championship is something we’ve talked a lot about. The game is at Dutchess Stadium this year, the first time in this county, so that’s pretty cool.”
Clarkstown North had to play without leading rusher Michael Porco, who suffered a gash on his elbow a week ago. He was not cleared to play by the school’s director of health services.
“He was cleared by his own doctor,” Rams coach Joe Trongone said. “It changes a lot. We didn’t find out until 2 o’clock today. It affects so much of what we do. It affects the whole team’s mentality, but that team and Schumacher are really, really good.”
John Jay went up 7-0 late int he first quarter when Travis Contreras snared a short pass, ran through a tackle and went 62 yards for the score,
Schumacher extended the lead late in the first half with a 2-yard run.
Jack Abrams connected with J.R. Levy for a 15-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, and the Clarkstown North defense made a big stop on fourth down to set up a potential tying drive from its own 30, but a fumble two plays into the series doomed the Rams.
Schumacher went over from the 3 on the next play.
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Clarkstown North’s JR Levy (21) and Kevin Sheridan (2) react to a touchdown during their 21-7 loss to John Jay High School in the class AA semi-final football game in East Fishkill on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015.
Player of the game: Schumacher had 17 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns. He also completed eight passes for 136 yards and one touchdown.
Turning point: Clarkstown North pinned the Patriots deep in their own territory with an impressive defensive stand in the final minute of the first quarter. A short punt gave the Rams possession at the John Jay 34-yard line. Instead of mobilizing to cut into a 7-0 deficit, North went backward on all three plays in the series. John Jay took over and scored again to go up 14-0.
Stat line: The Rams did not have a single first down in the third quarter. … Schumacher was sacked three times. … Abrams had 63 yards on 12 carries to lead North. He also completed four passes for 68 yards.
Quotable: “Straight into the ground,” Emili responded when asked whether his heart sank when a fumble in the final minutes ended any hope of a comeback.
Rye’s Santi Mascolo is congratulated after making a 37-yard field goal to put Rye ahead of Yorktown 15-14 with two minutes left in the Class A semifinal football game against Rye at Rye High School Oct. 30, 2015. The field goal held up to give Rye the victory.
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Yorktown’s Jose Boyer was called for a face mask penalty as he tackled Rye’s Aidan Lavelle during a Class A semifinal football game against Rye at Rye High School Oct. 30, 2015.
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Yorktown’s Nicolas Santavicca breaks free for a 64 yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter of a Class A semifinal football game against Rye at Rye High School Oct. 30, 2015.
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Rye’s Jamie Chabot is brought down while rushing against Yorktown during a Class A semifinal football game against Rye at Rye High School Oct. 30, 2015.
RYE – Starting with the second play from scrimmage through the deepest part of the fourth quarter, Rye had been outplayed by Yorktown. Whether the Garnets were flat or the Huskers were simply better, the No. 1 seed was on its heels at home all night.
Even Rye’s winning possession was unsightly. The defending Section 1 champs needed a fourth-down pass interference and a long field goal, but they won’t care. What mattered to the Garnets was the outcome, a stunning 15-14 win-from-nowhere over visiting Yorktown in the Class A semifinals.
Senior Santi Mascolo provided the winning margin of victory with a 37-yard field goal with exactly two minutes remaining. It capped a long, twisted comeback after No. 5 Yorktown earned a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
The Huskers opened the scoring when senior star Nick Santavicca broke free for a 64-yard touchdown on the second play of the game. He had just 44 yards when the teams met on Sept. 18, a 31-20 Rye win.
The Garnets, who advanced to play the winner of Eastchester and Lourdes on Nov. 7 at 11 a.m. at Dutchess Stadium, helped put themselves in an early hole when they were stopped just short on fourth-and-4 at their 36 on their first possession. Santavicca ended another quick drive with a one-yard plunge.
Rye finally cut into the deficit when it converted on fourth down from just outside the 1 in the final minute of the first half on a T.J. Lavelle keeper. Mascolo missed the extra point, a point Rye chased until Mascolo redeemed himself with the winning field goal.
The defense aided the comeback by shutting out Yorktown in the second half. Santavicca, his program’s all-time leading rusher, finished with 32 carries for 187 yards.
Player of the game: Mat Bruno, Rye. Bruno had a sack on defense — and now has 12 — but he provided a clear spark for the offense in the second half. He took over at quarterback and rushed 10 times for 91 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown with eight minutes left that pulled the Garnets within striking distance.
Turning point: Before the Bruno touchdown, Santavicca broke free for a 32-yard run to to the Rye 20. It was 14-6 when the play was called back for holding. Yorktown eventually punted and Rye scored on its subsequent two possessions to win.
Stat line: Yorktown outgained Rye 276-202. … Lavelle was 7 for 17 for 85 yards, including three passes to Brett Egan for 53 yards. … Rye’s Chase Pratt intercepted Yorktown’s Jose Boyer with just over a minute remaining to seal the victory.
Let’s get this out of the way first: Section 1 will host three championship games next Saturday, Nov. 7, at Dutchess Stadium. The Class A championship is scheduled for 11 a.m., Class B for 2:30 p.m. and Class AA for 6 p.m.
As for the results, remember: This post will be updated throughout the weekend as the scores, the stats and the details come in. If we had coverage of a game, or if there was coverage of the game in The Poughkeepsie Journal, you can find it by clicking on that game’s final score. I will gather information from other games and post it below the scoreboard.
No. 7 Albertus Magnus at No. 3 Westlake, 1:30 p.m.
Class C championship, at Pace University
No. 1 Dobbs Ferry vs. No. 2 Woodlands, 4 p.m.
Class D championship, at Pace University
No. 1 Tuckahoe vs. No. 2 Haldane, 7 p.m.
Hudson River Football League championship
No. 1 Gorton vs. No. 2 Saunders, 1:30 p.m.
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Clarkstown North lost 21-7 to John Jay in the in the Class AA semifinals in East Fishkill on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015.
Game recaps
Thursday, Oct. 29 —
Hen Hud 24, Somers 22: At Hen Hud, Nick Cunningham went 19 for 29 for 234 yards and four touchdowns for the Sailors. Joe Pecchia had five catches for 104 yards and three scores. Jack Attinelli also caught a touchdown. Jordan Artope led Hen Hud on the ground with 16 carries for 74 yards. He also had a team-best seven tackles. The Sailors won four of their last six after an 0-3 start.
Nyack 34, Ramapo 6: At MacCalman Field in Nyack, Ralph Cruz had six carries for 204 yards and three touchdowns and Malyk Michel had five carries for 118 yards and two scores. The Indians finished 4-5.
John Jay 28, Brewster 26: At John Jay, Hunter Keech had 28 carries for 205 yards and two touchdowns and went 10 for 17 for 156 yards and two scores. Jackson Rieger caught five passes for 74 yards and a TD. Brewster rallied from a 28-7 deficit behind Matt Catalano, who finished 22 for 38 for 315 yards and three touchdowns. Jack Guida caught seven passes for 126 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for a score.
Friday, Oct. 30 —
Valhalla 35, Yonkers Montessori 15: At Valhalla, Mike Ferrara had 151 yards rushing and two touchdowns. The sophomore finished the season with 1,096 yards rushing. The Vikings finished the season 8-1 after a 2-7 season in 2014.
Harrison 45, Byram Hills 33: At Harrison, Mike Nannariello went 7 for 12 for 134 yards and a touchdown and rushed 19 times for 127 yards and two scores. Jared Silber had three catches for 106 yards and three touchdowns for the Huskies. Zach Evans added four catches for 100 yards and a score. Jack Witte also had 101 yards rushing and went 2 for 2 for 85 yards and two touchdowns passing. Byram Hills’ Lou Filippelli threw for 357 yards and three scores. He broke Section 1’s single-season passing record.
Ossining 54, Peekskill 6: At Ossining, Kyle Cristello had seven carries for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Mekhi Knox added 85 yards rushing on two carries, both of which went for touchdowns. Ahmad Bhatti and Anthony Sanchez also had rushing touchdowns. James Sanchez returned the game’s opening kickoff 80 yards for a score. Savion Williams had the Peekskill touchdown.
Hackley 27, Cardinal Spellman 0: At Hackley, Will Cotter went 16 for 27 for 185 yards and three touchdowns. Winston Britton caught two of the TDs and had six receptions for 85 yards. Hackley finished 6-2. Its senior class posted a 27-5 mark in its four seasons.
Hadi Darvash of Dobbs Ferry takes down Woodlands quarterback Amari Bilal during the Class C championship game at Pace University Oct. 31, 2015. Dobbs Ferry defeated Woodlands 35-0.
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Jibral Kapadia of Dobbs Ferry evades Timothy Leak II of Woodlands for Dobbs Ferry’s second touchdown during the Class C championship game at Pace University Oct. 31, 2015. Dobbs Ferry defeated Woodlands 35-0.
PLEASANTVILLE – What rust?
Najee Smith had Dobbs Ferry sitting pretty when he brought the opening kick back 69 yards and Jibril Kapadia was in the end zone three plays later. A three-week layoff had no ill effects on the Eagles, who rolled to a 35-0 win over Woodlands on Saturday at Pace University in the Section 1 Class C championship game.
It’s the school’s first title since 2011.
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Hadi Darvash of Dobbs Ferry pressures Woodlands quarterback Amari Bilal during the Class C championship game at Pace University Oct. 31, 2015. Dobbs Ferry defeated Woodlands 35-0.
“We really wanted to come out here and play our best,” Smith said. “We had three off to prepare for this. We came out here ready to fight. And when Jibril scored that first touchdown it got us all fired up to achieve our goal.”
Dobbs Ferry practiced with Blind Brook and Byram Hills to stay in stride for the championship game.
“The kids have been great,” Eagles coach Jim Moran said. “They’ve been very focused. We had a lot of bumps and bruises, so having time off actually helped us. There was never any confusion, like what are we going to do with these guys.”
Kapadia rumbled 12 yards for another touchdown with 2:05 to go in the first quarter. He also threw a scoring pass to Hadi Darvish in the final seconds of the half and Dobbs Ferry was up 21-0.
The Eagles extended the lead when Smith took an interception back 52 yards for a score midway through the third.
“It was a long break,” Kapadia said. “We didn’t change anything. We stayed focused. We definitely were anxious, but when we got here and saw the stadium, it was like, ‘All right, we’re back to football.’ “
Dobbs Ferry plays the Section 9 winner in a NYSPHSAA quarterfinal Nov. 14 at Dietz Stadium at 3 p.m.
The extra time could help the Eagles, who expect injured quarterback Christopher Cipriano to return to practice on Thursday.
Player of the game: Kapadia. Dobbs Ferry. The senior fullback had 119 yards on 26 carries. He ran for two scores and threw 15 yards for a third.
Turning point: Woodlands gambled, hoping to extend its opening drive on fourth-and-one near midfield. A swarming Eagles defense brought quarterback Amari Bilal down at the line of scrimmage, taking over at their own 45.
Kapadia went in from 12 yards away in a matter of minutes, then added the conversion run, giving Dobbs Ferry a quick 14-0 lead.
Stat line: The Falcons were stuck in neutral in the opening half, gaining just 27 yards. … Smith had two interceptions.
Quotable: “I really have to give a shout to my line,” Kapadia said of his big day running the ball. “They got a strong push against a big defensive line. I’m so blessed to have those guys in front of me.”
Eastchester quarterback John Arcidiacono (2) runs around the outside during their 19-27 loss to Our Lady of Lourdes High School in the class A semi-final football game in Eastchester on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015.
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Eastchester running back John Guido (33) finds a hole for a short gain during their 19-27 loss to Our Lady of Lourdes High School in the class A semi-final football game in Eastchester on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015.
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Eastchester’s Andrew Schultz (85) looses possession of a pass after a hit by Lourdes’ defensive back Nick Santacroce (21) during their 19-27 loss to Our Lady of Lourdes High School in the class A semi-final football game in Eastchester on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015.
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Eastchester running back John Guido (33) finds a hole for a short gain during their 19-27 loss to Our Lady of Lourdes High School in the class A semi-final football game in Eastchester on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015.
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Eastchester quarterback John Arcidiacono (2) fends off Lourdes’ line backer Joe Scallion (33) during their 19-27 loss to Our Lady of Lourdes High School in the class A semi-final football game in Eastchester on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015.
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Eastchester quarterback John Arcidiacono (2) hands off to John Guido (33) during their 19-27 loss to Our Lady of Lourdes High School in the class A semi-final football game in Eastchester on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015.
EASTCHESTER – There were key injuries and missed opportunities, but, worse, now it was over. The perfect season that Eastchester floated through since August ended in tears, including from choked-up coach Fred DiCarlo.
The second-seeded Eagles lost at home to No. 3 Lourdes 27-19 in Saturday’s Class A semifinal, a game that wasn’t over until a final-minute rally that wasn’t.
“It was one of the greatest games I’ve ever been a part of,” Eastchester senior Andrew Schultz said. “Lourdes was the better team today. I wish them well next week. It’s going to be a great game.”
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Eastchester’s John Guido (33) finds a hole during their 19-27 loss to Our Lady of Lourdes High School in the class A semi-final football game in Eastchester on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015.
The Warriors (7-2) advanced to their fourth straight sectional final, but their first since moving to Class A. The defending Class B champs will meet the reigning ‘A’ kings Rye at 11 Saturday morning at Dutchess Stadium.
Eastchester (8-1) saw its quest for the program’s first championship appearance in the state-playoff era hampered in the first quarter when star quarterback John Arcidiacono injured his right ankle fielding a punt. Still, after watching Lourdes slowly assume control, the Eagles had one final opportunity, but their final drive stalled, in part, when DiCarlo was called for a 15-yard penalty.
He protested after Schultz was hit in mid-air on an incomplete pass. Three plays after the penalty, Arcidiacono’s fourth-and-long prayer was intercepted downfield by Billy Wagner.
Wagner also caught one of two touchdowns from star QB Dean Rotger, whose offense produced key plays at decisive moments of the game.
“They made some outstanding plays where I thought we had them covered well,” DiCarlo said. “You have to give them credit.”
Player of the game: Billy Wagner, Lourdes. The senior gave Rotger a second receiving option, catching six passes for 109 yards, including a leaping touchdown he ripped away from a defender in the end zone. He also delivered a momentum-shifting play on defense. In the second quarter, Wagner, a linebacker, dropped to intercept a third-and-short pass in Lourdes territory and returned it 40 yards, ending a promising Eastchester drive.
Turning point: Eastchester breezed to a touchdown on its opening possession, moving 72 yards in five plays. After the defense forced a punt on Lourdes first possession, Arcidiacono called for a fair catch at his 19. The senior suffered an ankle injury that hampered him on offense and defense for the remainder of the game and the Eagles were never quite the same.
“It limited some of what we could do, but I still should’ve been able to make some of those runs,” he said. “They played a great game.”
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Eastchester’s John Archidiacono (2) blocks a pass intended for Lourdes receiver Corey Mulalley (4) during their 19-27 loss to Our Lady of Lourdes High School in the class A semi-final football game in Eastchester on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015.
Stat line: Rotger finished 18 for 32 for 352 yards and two touchdowns. Timm caught seven passes for 178 yards, including a key fourth-and-5 reception that set up the last of Joe Scaglione’s two touchdowns and gave the Warriors a 27-19 lead. … After a 5 for 5 start, Arcidiacono went 7 for 16 for 126 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. He also had 17 carries for 39 yards. … John Guido led the Eastchester rushing attack, recording 17 carries for 143 yards and two touchdowns.
Quotable: “It was exactly the same thing. It was a defenseless receiver,” DiCarlo said. “More than not calling the penalty (on Lourdes), I didn’t curse at the referee. I was mad, but at the moment you have to swallow the flag. I thought it was poor refereeing.”
Tuckahoe’s Christopher Corrado stiff arms Haldane’s Sam Giachinta as he rushes during the Class D championship game at Pace University Oct. 31, 2015. Tuckahoe defeated Haldane 24-12.
PLEASANTVILLE – Now they believe.
After each humbling loss during a bumpy regular season, Tuckahoe coach Tom Itri calmly reminded his players that a highly ambitious schedule would prepare them for the playoffs.
It was hard to argue with that logic after the Tigers won a fourth consecutive Section 1 Class D championship with a 24-12 win over Haldane on Saturday at Pace University.
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Tuckahoe’s Christian Pinto scores Tuckahoe’s first touchdown during the Class D championship game at Pace University Oct. 31, 2015. Tuckahoe defeated Haldane 24-12.
“We had a tough schedule, but we knew everyone starts the playoffs 0-0,” Tuckahoe running back Christopher Corrado said. “Now, we’re 1-0.”
The lone win in the regular season came against these Blue Devils.
“It feels so great to live up to the expectations,” said Tigers quarterback Matthew Annunziata, who threw a pair of touchdown passes. “Winning a championship is awesome.”
Both teams struggled to find consistency.
Annunziata threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half, connecting with Christian Pinto and Robert Kiernan to help Tuckahoe a 16-0 lead.
Haldane got stingy after the break.
Corrado finally got loose on the right sideline and sprinted into the end zone with 9:27 to play in the game. It was 24-0 after he tacked on the conversion.
Tuckahoe next plays Roscoe or Eldred of Section 9 at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 14 at Sleepy Hollow.
Player of the game: Brandon Pares. Tuckahoe. The senior tackle and defensive end was the one player the Blue Devils had no answer for. He was created room to roam on the offensive side of the ball and forcing Haldane to pass or run wide on the defensive side of the ball.
Turning point: Right when the Tigers appeared to be losing momentum, Corrada went around the right side and won a race down the sideline. His timely 22-yard touchdown sprint and two-point conversion extended the lead to 24-0 with 9:27 to play in the game.
Stat line: Sam Giachinta had touchdown runs of three and 13 yards for Haldane. … Tuckahoe had all kinds of penalty issues and was flagged for five personal fouls.
Quotable: “We played some really good teams during the regular season,” Itri said. “Every week was another test for us. So the message was make it through all that and you will be prepared to achieve the ultimate goal.”
Westlake’s Michael Hernandez helps make the Wildcats’ offense go.
When Nanuet beat Westlake in a slugfest on Sept. 26, it had the feel of a championship preview. On Saturday, the teams made sure it was. Each won its Class B semifinal to earn that rematch.
They will play in the final at 2:30 Saturday afternoon at Dutchess Stadium.
“I think everybody expects the same thing,” said Nanuet coach Phil Carbone, whose team won the regular season meeting 12-0. “It’s going to be a tight ballgame. We’re going to have to be prepared. We know they’re going to be prepared for us.”
Nanuet, the undefeated top seed, advanced by virtue of a tougher-than-expected 22-15 victory over visiting Putnam Valley. The game was tied 15-15 until 2:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. Junior quarterback Thomas Fay, under pressure, floated a pass toward the goal line. The ball was tipped and landed in the hands of senior Brian McGreevy for the go-ahead score.
Fay led the run-first Golden Knights, finishing the day 5 for 11 for 140 yards and two touchdowns.
“Although we don’t throw a lot, we dedicate a lot of time to it,” said Carbone, whose team improved to 9-0. “I know everybody thinks we’re just about the run, but we have the capability to pass if we need to.”
Nanuet needed a response after Putnam Valley’s Zack Girvalo scored on a 45-yard run and then added a two-point pass to Kyle Anderson with six minutes remaining to tie the game. The fifth-seeded Tigers (6-3) had one final chance after McGreevy’s touchdown, but Nanuet’s kickoff pinned them deep and the defense forced a turnover on downs.
Westlake (7-2), the No. 3 seed, needed no such dramatics. The Wildcats blanked No. 7 Albertus Magnus 28-0 behind a pair of touchdowns by senior Anthony Sardo and a defense that forced four turnovers. Michael Love also snared a pair of interceptions and Nick Sirena recorded four sacks.
Westlake took control early, moving in front 21-0 by the middle of the second quarter.
“We knew they’d be on a natural high from beating Ardsley last week,” Wildcats coach John Castellano said. “We told our kids, ‘They are going to come in here and feel pretty good about themselves. If we just on them early, we’ll be OK.’ And we did.”
Despite losing to Nanuet during the regular season, Westlake had kept the game scoreless until a pick-six midway through the third quarter.
“I think we’re a better football team than we were at that point. I think Nanuet is, too,” Castellano said. “I think we came off the field that day saying we could play with them, so we’re excited about the opportunity for a rematch with them. And we’re excited to be in the championship game.”
For the fourth time in a year, the site for Section 1’s Class AA, A and B football championship games has moved.
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Football logo.
The latest change occurred Monday, just five days before the three football finals were scheduled to be held. All three will now be played at different sites on Saturday, Nov. 7, after the host field, Dutchess Stadium, was deemed unsafe by Section 1 administrators.
“We looked at the thing and we all agreed that there might be a safety problem in the far corner of one of the end zones,” Section 1 football chairman Chuck Scarpulla said. “It was very close to the (outfield) wall. At this point, we decided, ‘God forbid somebody got hurt,’ and we didn’t want that to happen.”
The Class AA final between No. 1 New Rochelle and No. 2 John Jay-East Fishkill will be held at noon Saturday at Yorktown High School. The Class B final, No. 1 Nanuet vs. No. 3 Westlake, was scheduled simultaneously at Somers High School. The Class A championship, No. 1 Rye vs. No. 3 Lourdes, was scheduled for 4 p.m. at Arlington High School.
Scarpulla said the decision to change the site wasn’t prompted until this weekend when Section 1 administrators learned more about the playing conditions at Dutchess Stadium.
One Sunday early last month, Scarpulla and Section 1 executive director Jennifer Simmons visited Dutchess Stadium but were unable to walk the playing surface because of an ongoing ultimate frisbee event. Still, Section 1 agreed to hold the three championships at the ballpark, whose primary tenant is the Hudson Valley Renegades, a Class A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, but which also houses the Hudson Valley Fort, a new football team in the fledgling FXFL, a three-team minor league.
They had concerns about the seating arrangement, which included obstructed views through netting behind home plate. The field configuration also deviates from typical high school facilities, most notably its NFL regulation goal posts and hash marks. Teams even share the same sideline on the far side of the field from fans.
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Seating chart for Hudson Valley Fort football games at Dutchess Stadium.
“Could we live with that? Yeah, we could live with that,” said Scarpulla, who noted that national federation rules permit high school teams to play with college or pro-style goal posts and hash marks. “Safety concerns, I couldn’t live with that. Once we saw it, we knew it wasn’t going to work.”
That epiphany didn’t occur until this weekend. During another visit to Dutchess Stadium, Simmons shot photos of one end zone, which ends just 13 inches before the left field wall, and showed them to her colleagues on Saturday.
The changes drastically altered the start times for all three games and has threatened to impact whether or not some student-athletes can take their SATs and play football on Saturday.
Simmons said in an e-mail message last weekend that the section had alerted teams of the conflict in advance, but New Rochelle coach Lou DiRienzo said seven of his players scheduled their SATs anyway. The Class AA final was originally slated for 6 p.m. — even before the game was moved to Dutchess Stadium.
“To me, I wouldn’t care if we were playing in Russia at 7 in the morning,” DiRienzo said. “I’m happy to be in the championship game. I don’t care where it is, what time it is. But there’s so much emphasis on us not starting (the season) early to affect regents and SATs and now we have a 12 p.m. game the day of the SATs.”
Simmons did not respond to an email from The Journal News on Monday seeking further comment on the latest change of venue for the championship games.
The scheduling crunch started last month when this year’s original choice, Brewster High School, determined it couldn’t host the games due to construction concerns. Brewster athletic director Dean Berardo said the school is in the process of beginning construction on a concession stand that will ultimately cut off one access point to the football field.
Of course, Brewster was a replacement for longtime host Mahopac High School, the home of all five finals from 2002-14. Scarpulla said Section 1 administrators opted not to return because of allegations of racism against Mahopac teams that drew widespread attention the last two years.
“People didn’t want to go back there,” Scarpulla said. “That was absolutely perfect for what we do, but, unfortunately, they felt it wasn’t the place to go.”
According to Scarpulla, none of the new sites hosting Saturday’s games were available to host all three. The Class C and D finals were at Pace University last weekend, but Pace has a game of its own on Saturday and is not large enough to accommodate fans of the large-school finals, he said.
This is one of those weekends when I wish I had a clone. Or two.
Section 1 will play its three large-school championship games on Saturday, with the Class AA and B finals set to be played simultaneously at noon. They will be followed shortly after by the Class A final at 4 p.m.
There are no heavy favorites in these games. In fact, all three are rematches of close games played during the regular season. The No. 1 seed won each regular season game, but the underdog has reasons to believe it can win the rematch. New Rochelle needed a fourth-down Hail Mary to beat John Jay in Week 1; Nanuet won 12-0 over Westlake thanks to two key turnovers; and Rye edged Lourdes, but it was a miserable rainy night.
In case you haven’t noticed: This is my way of saying I could pick all three games wrong. Honestly, I expect one of the three underdogs to win, but it could be any one of the three.
Anyway, here is our coverage plan for the week, followed by my predictions:
Saturday —
Class AA championship: No. 1 New Rochelle vs. No. 2 John Jay-East Fishkill at Yorktown High School, 12 p.m.: Josh Thomson (@lohudinisder)
Class B championship: No. 1 Nanuet vs. No. 3 Westlake at Arlington High School, 12 p.m.: Doric Sam (follow me @lohudinsider)
Class A championship: No. 1 Rye vs. No. 3 Lourdes at Arlington High School, 4 p.m.: Mike Dougherty (@hoopsmbd)
New Rochelle’s Rashon McNeil carries the ball during a win at John Jay-East Fishkill on Sept. 4, 2015.
Class AA championship prediction
No. 1 New Rochelle (9-0) vs. No. 2 John Jay-East Fishkill (8-1), Saturday, 12 p.m. at Yorktown High School
Why New Rochelle can win: Although New Ro won the opener, John Jay easily could’ve knocked down that long pass to Rashon McNeil and won, which would’ve made the Patriots the No. 1 seed and maybe the favorite going into the game. But I think that would’ve been misleading. The Huguenots are a much, much better, more dynamic team since the first couple weeks of the regular season. Greg Powell has become Ryan Schumacher lite: He’s a big, strong dual threat QB who is tough to stop. The New Rochelle defense has also blossomed with only Mamaroneck QB Bill Flatow having any sort of success against the unit over the last seven games. This is a different team than the one John Jay faced on Sept. 4.
Why John Jay can win: Not to oversimplify it, but John Jay can throw the ball. Mamaroneck passed effectively in the quarterfinals, but I don’t think the Tigers had the horses that John Jay has to complete the upset. John Jay will take shots downfield and will need to in order to win. I don’t think the Patriots will plod downfield. If they can win, it will be because they hit on a couple big plays, which has always been New Rochelle’s weakness on defense. The Huguenots are terrific against the run.
Prediction: New Rochelle 21, John Jay 7. This is not so much based on John Jay, which is a fine team, as it is New Rochelle. Other than Mamaroneck, we’ve seen the Huguenots dismantle teams as the season has continued. I don’t think John Jay will fall victim to that, but I expect New Rochelle to take an early lead and then maybe get a late score to put the game out of reach.
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Rye defeated Yorktown 15-14 in a Class A semifinal football game at Rye High School Oct. 30, 2015.
Class A championship prediction
No. 1 Rye (9-0) vs. No. 3 Lourdes (7-2), Saturday, 4 p.m. at Arlington High School
Why Rye can win: The Garnets have the defense best-geared to stop Lourdes’ prolific offense. They play the run very well and should turn Lourdes into a one-dimensional team. Lourdes will make some plays downfield, but it also could fall victim to an opportunistic Rye defense that can create turnovers with its pressure on the QB and its playmaking in the air. I actually think what could determine Rye’s success against Lourdes will be how well it can move the ball on offense.
Why Lourdes can win: Lourdes probably has the section’s best passing game. Dean Rotger has a few big targets, led by Luke Timm. Like Eastchester (and most teams), Rye doesn’t have a lot of size in its defensive backfield and it will be a challenge to cover Lourdes’ receivers downfield. The Warriors could exploit that matchup.
Prediction: Rye 23, Lourdes 20. I expect this to be close throughout and probably the most entertaining of the three games, but I like Rye’s ability to produce turnovers. I also think the pass rush, led by Mat Bruno (12 sacks), will make a difference. If the Garnets generate pressure, they will win.
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Nanuet quarterback Thomas Fay hands off to Connor Breit during action in the Nanuet vs. Westlake football game in Nanuet, Sept. 26, 2015.
Class B championship prediction
No. 1 Nanuet (9-0) vs. No. 3 Westlake (7-2), Saturday, 12 p.m. at Somers High School
Why Nanuet can win: Nanuet has been Class B’s best team all year. No opponent, including Westlake, has been able to withstand its physical level of play for four quarters. They key will be getting an early lead. Nanuet doesn’t want to play from behind, especially in the second half.
Why Westlake can win: Westlake has the more dynamic team, one capable of delivering the big play or two that can help swing the game. It won’t be easy, and the numbers could be ugly, but I like Thomas Castro and the Westlake passing game. If the Wildcats can avoid the big mistake, they can win. They had a couple opportunities in Nanuet’s end in the first meeting and came away with nothing. This is a better team now and, it hopes, one that can avoid those costly errors.
Prediction: Westlake 13, Nanuet 7. As I said above, Westlake has the more dynamic team on offense. If it can avoid turning the rematch into a boxing match, it will have the upperhand. The Wildcats had promising drives in the first and fourth quarters of the first meeting. If they can cap one or two of those, it could be enough to win.
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Stepinac defeated Iona Prep 48-6 during a varsity football game at Stepinac High School Sept. 19, 2015.
Other Week 10 games:
Saturday, Nov. 7 —
Rye Country Day 34, King 13
St. Anthony’s 42, Iona Prep 13
Sunday, Nov. 8 —
Harvey 13, Dalton 7
Stepinac 42, Chaminade 7
Have an opinion on this week’s games? Let Josh Thomson know about it on Twitter.
Nanuet’s Andrew Samori (27) breaks up a pass thrown to Westlake’s William Snyder during the Section 1 championship football game at Somers High School Nov 7, 2015. Westlake won the game 6-0.
LINCOLNDALE- With 14 seconds left in Saturday’s Class B championship game, Westlake senior linebacker Greg Alfieri was laying on the field in pain as his legs gave out. But his arms were extended into the air victoriously as he had just made the biggest play of his life.
On fourth-and-inches from Westlake’s 10-yard line, Nanuet junior running back Connor Breit took a handoff and ran to the right. Before he could reach the line of scrimmage, Alfieri shot through the gap and wrapped his arms around Breit’s ankles to preserve Westlake’s 6-0 win and the program’s first Section 1 title since 1983.
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Westlake players celebrate with the Section 1 plaque after defeating Nanuet 6-0 in the Section 1 championship football game at Somers High School Nov 7, 2015.
“We did it,” Alfieri said when asked what he was thinking while he was laying on the field with cramps in both his legs. “It was the greatest moment of my life.”
Nanuet had been engineering a four-minute drive that began on its 35-yard line and the Golden Knights looked to be on the cusp of completing an improbable comeback. When the lights shined the brightest, it was the Wildcats’ defense that stepped up.
“I actually was thinking about maybe using some timeouts to save some clock, but we really didn’t do a great job offensively in the second half,” said Westlake coach John Castellano. “So I said, hey, I’m not gonna give them the opportunity to figure things out. We said we would get here with defense, we got here with defense, and that’s what won out.”
In a smash-mouth football game of the highest caliber where both sides were offensively challenged, both defenses played exceptionally well. But it was the Wildcats who forced more mistakes by the Golden Knights. Will Snyder had an interception and Joseph DiLiberti and Robert DiNota each had a fumble recovery.
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Westlake coach John Castellano gets a cold shower from his players after defeating Nanuet 6-0 in the Section 1 championship football game at Somers High School Nov 7, 2015.
“Our defense is not a result of one player, it’s a result of all of us playing our hearts out as a unit,” said Alfieri. “We always stick together no matter what, we always think back to all the work we put in together. It paid off.”
Breit led Nanuet (9-1) with 95 yards on the ground and quarterback Thomas Fay totaled 95 yards of offense, with 63 coming through the air.
“(Westlake) played a very clean game, they didn’t make many mistakes,” said Nanuet coach Phil Carbone. “Not to take anything away from them, but we made too many mistakes to be a champion.”
Michael Love kicked two field goals in the first half, 22 and 31 yards, respectively, for Westlake (8-2). Thomas Castro threw for 86 yards and Michael Hernandez had 55 receiving yards. Westlake will meet the Section 9 winner, Marlboro or O’Neill, on Saturday, Nov. 14, in the state quarterfinals at Sleepy Hollow High School at 1 p.m.
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Westlake’s Michael Love (21) kicks his first of two field goals against Nanuet in the Section 1 championship football game at Somers High School Nov 7, 2015.
For Castellano, who is in his first year as Westlake’s head coach after achieving much success at Nyack, this section championship was different than any other.
“I’ve been very fortunate in my career, I’ve won this game eight times but that’s not what’s important,” he said. “This one here is so special because it means so much to that community who supports this program every step of the way. This school, the faculty, the community. … They’re why I wanted to win this game so badly. I wanted it for these kids because they deserve it, they really do.”
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Westlake players celebrate with their fans after defeating Nanuet 6-0 in the Section 1 championship football game at Somers High School Nov 7, 2015.
New Rochelle’s Rashon McNeil hauls in a pass and beats John Jay East Fishkill’s Skyler Smith for a 56-yard touchdown during the Section 1 Class AA championship game at Yorktown High School Nov. 7, 2015. New Rochelle defeated John Jay East Fishkill 44-25.
YORKTOWN HEIGHTS – In the quiet of the coaches’ room, a glass-enclosed space divided from screaming and dancing players, the only sounds were sobs. A red-eyed Lou DiRienzo squeezed Jonathan Saddler, the sophomore who moved to New Rochelle from Florida and now tried to thank his coach between each gasping breath.
“This is why I came here,” Saddler said.
That emotion spilled over for DiRienzo and his cast of emerging stars on Saturday after they sprinted to another Class AA championship. The top-seeded Huguenots won their first Section 1 title in three years, beating No. 2 John Jay-East Fishkill 44-25 at Yorktown High School.
New Rochelle senior Keelan Thomas rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns and returned a kickoff 82 yards for another score to earn back-of-the-game honors.
“Before the game, he had tears. He was emotional,” Thomas said of his coach. “I said, ‘We have to win it for him.’”
The Huguenots (10-0) not only channeled that emotion, they advanced to the state playoffs for the first time since winning the program’s second state title in 2012. They will meet the Section 9 winner — Monroe-Woodbury or Newburgh — at 7 p.m. on Nov. 14 at Dietz Stadium.
“It’s not about the winning,” said DiRienzo, who won the section for the seventh time since 2000. “It’s not that I think it’s our birthright to be here. These kids work so hard, these coaches grind so much, that it’s an emotional thing for me. Football has always been a family thing for me. That’s just who I am. These kids work and they don’t realize the hours they log. They just go along like tin soldiers. But they and my coaches totally deserve this win.”
Countless contributors led to the achievement, especially on an offense that responded with a flourish each time John Jay (8-2) scored. In fact, after each of the four touchdowns allowed, the Huguenots scored one of their own.
Player of the game: Keelan Thomas, New Rochelle. The senior was electric all day, including on a 58-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Thomas also had an interception, but the most eye-popping play in a game filled with them came on special teams. Thomas made sure John Jay’s euphoria after its first touchdown was short-lived when he took the ensuing kickoff 82 yards up the home sideline for a 21-6 lead.
Turning point: With John Jay driving and desperate to cut into a 24-6 deficit just before halftime, Ryan Schumacher zipped one to an open Travis Contreras at the goal line. Contreras bobbled the throw and Rashon McNeil not only recovered, he leaped over the receiver to snare an interception.
“He made one of the most athletic plays I’ve ever seen to come down with it,” Patriots coach Tom O’Hare said. “I was hoping we’d get another shot. We were inside the 20. It was a momentum killer, but the kid made an awesome play.”
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New Rochelle’s Rashon McNeil ends up on his head as he intercepts a pass intended for John Jay East Fishkill’s Travis Contreras during the Section 1 Class AA championship game at Yorktown High School Nov. 7, 2015. New Rochelle defeated John Jay East Fishkill 44-25.
Stat line: New Rochelle finished 7 for 12 for 137 yards passing. Greg Powell was responsible for most of it, but Saddler came in after Powell hurt his ankle and threw a 56-yard touchdown to McNeil. … In addition to 81 yards passing, Powell rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown. Jared Baron also had 64 yards and a TD on the ground. … Dylan Cohen recorded a pair of sacks. … Schumacher rushed for a pair of touchdowns and went 12 for 32 for 257 yards and two scores.
Quotable: “Keelan had a great game today. That’s like my little brother and he had an amazing game,” said McNeil, who arrived from Mount St. Michael with Thomas prior to last season. “We’re so happy. We transferred here and it’s one of the best decisions we ever made.”
New Rochelle’s Jayson Prince stiff arms John Jay East Fishkill’s Jordan Carroll as he rushes during the Section 1 Class AA championship game at Yorktown High School Nov. 7, 2015. New Rochelle defeated John Jay East Fishkill 44-25.
Shivonie Hoobraj, sons Ram and Rohit, and their dog, Gia.
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Shivonie Hoobraj, sons Ram and Rohit, and their dog Gia.
When Shivonie Hoobraj moved her family to Ardsley from Ozone Park a little more than two years ago, she sought a better environment for her two children. She wanted a safer neighborhood and schools that would support their growth.
Even then, little did she know the extent to which they’d need that support — or how overwhelming it would be in a time of crisis.
The Ardsley football team will host a spaghetti dinner at the village’s firehouse from 12-5 p.m. on Sunday in support of Hoobraj and her boys, who learned this year that the leukemia she was diagnosed with last year is terminal.
With bills piling up and an estimate of just 18 months to live, Hoobraj said the community has rallied to the support of her and her sons, Ram, a junior at Ardsley High School, and Rohit, a freshman.
“Everyone is looking out for them and it’s really taken a lot of stress off me,” Hoobraj said. “It feels like it would take a community to help us and that’s what they’re doing. I never expected this.”
The Hoobraj family had kept Shivonie’s cancer quiet until late this summer. Her older son, Ram, had joined the football team this year, but, as the stress of the most recent diagnosis, mounting bills and an eviction mounted, Shivonie finally told her son’s coaches. He, in turn, started a gofundme page, which has raised over $24,000 since Aug. 20.
“I think, for him, he didn’t want anyone to take pity on him. He didn’t want the kids to just talk to him about how his mom was sick. That was his place to be normal,” Shivonie said. “This was a new beginning for us and he just wanted to have a normal teenage life. But then he started the gofundme page and it just blew up.”
The page allowed the Hoobraj family to rent a new home and helped them keep their new dog, Gia, who has since been registered as a service dog.
Led by Kristin Sokick, parents of students in the freshman class have cooked and delivered dinners to the Hoobraj house every night since early October. On Sunday, the outpouring of support will include a raffle sponsored by local businesses — restaurants, salons, delis and more in Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry and Hastings — and a performance by the high school’s acclaimed Select Chorus, among other touches.
Several Ardsley sports teams are expected to attend en masse and the food will be served by members of the football team.
Entrance to Sunday’s dinner will cost $15, although children 6-10 are $5 and children under 5 are free.
For more information about the event or to donate through the Ardsley Panther Booster Club, e-mail ardsleyfootballclub@gmail.com.
Clarkstown North High School will host Section 1’s Exceptional Senior Game at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15.
The game will pit the North vs. South, dividing players from Northern Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess against those from Southern Westchester and Rockland.
Many of the area’s top football players will participate in the contest, including John Jay-East Fishkill quarterback Ryan Schumacher, Byram Hills quarterback Lou Filippelli and Super 11 selections Michael Rolfe of Scarsdale, Andrew Schultz of Eastchester, Nick Santavicca of Yorktown and Prince Emili of Clarkstown North.
Here are the game rosters for both teams:
North Roster
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North roster for 2015 Section 1 Exceptional Senior Game.
South Roster
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South roster for 2015 Section 1 Exceptional Senior Game.
