Ardsley Expecting Success Again on the Gridiron

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September 13, 2024

By Tom Pedulla—

Ardsley does not hope to have a winning season. It expects to have one.

That is what happens when a team bangs out one big year after another as the Panthers have since Dan DiFalco became head coach nine seasons ago. Their success includes consecutive sectional championships in 2018 and 2019 and a 7-2 mark last year in which their only two defeats came against eventual state champion Rye.

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With Rye moving up to Class A, there is every reason to believe Ardsley can make its usual run in Class B. “It’s never going to be easy because there are great teams in B. B is wide open this year,” DiFalco noted. “But we definitely have the ability to win, for sure.”

Success tends to lead to more success. Positives mindsets count. Just listen to Trey Fiore, one of the team’s captains. “All we know is winning. We know how to win and we’ve seen it our whole lives,” he said. “We plan to continue to win.”

The real issue is how many games the Panthers can win and how far they can advance once the playoffs begin. The team is still stinging from its inability to handle a Rye powerhouse.

“I don’t think we’ll ever see a team as talented as them,” said junior captain Shane Speckman. “We kind of have that fire inside us to push forward.”

The talent starts with dynamic running back Ahmady Dolcine, a junior who should be one of the finest runners in the county. “Ahmady has proven himself at the varsity level as a phenomenal athlete, so we’re going to rely on him to get the job done back there,” DiFalco said. Alec Parker also is expected to get some carries.

Much will depend on how well junior quarterback Lukas Kaplan adjusts to varsity after two excellent junior varsity seasons. Kaplan reads the field well and devoted a great deal of time during the offseason to honing his passing skills.

Kaplan already has gained the confidence of his teammates. “I think he’ll be great for us,” said senior captain Ryan Tucker. “He needs to put in the work, play smart and I think we’ll be perfect with him.”

Slot receiver Nate Caldara figures to be one of Kaplan’s primary targets. Caldara also is a force defensively at safety. Speckman and Tucker are mainstays on the line on both sides of the ball. There are high expectations for defensive lineman Justin Rieper after his strong offseason.

Kicker Jake Parker can be an important weapon. “He’s won some big games for us and he’s put us in positions to win,” DiFalco said. “We like having him and his ability back there.”

Big games. Big moments. Ardsley lives for that.

“We definitely have the talent to win the section and go even further than that,” Fiore said. “We have to take it one game at a time. If we do that and stay grounded, we can definitely get there.”

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