SHHS Varsity Football Season Ends on a High Note

Published 9 years ago9y ago • Bookmarks: 84

November 12, 2015

|by Kevin Brown|

Modified-Football-Team-p.19 — The Sleepy Hollow Modified Football team. (photo by Bill Hansen)

As the Horsemen charged the field to begin their annual rivalry game against neighboring Ossining, it was an apt metaphor for the 2015 season as the team emerged from the darkness.
Due to the size of the school, Ossining was moved up to Division AA this season so the two teams were not scheduled to play. But both teams had a difficult season, record-wise, and it was a great eighth game added to the schedule at the last moment.

And, it marked the first Sleepy Hollow game under Friday night lights in the school’s history. Thanks to Athletic Director Chuck Scarpula, the Board of Education and the Sleepy Hollow Football Boosters led by a determined Marlaina Bertolacci, plans and finances came together to give Sleepy Hollow seniors a chance to celebrate their final game and a chance to celebrate homecoming weekend after tragic events cancelled them on October 9.

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It also was a redemption game for the squad that worked so hard to prepare for the football season but was side tracked by a season ending injury to their star running back and an illness to their star QB. Hollow won 35-14, making it five straight against their chief rival.

QB Paul Bloshuk Jr. and RB Michael Lopez. (Photo by Joe Golden) — QB Paul Bloshuk Jr. and RB
Michael Lopez.
(Photo by Joe Golden)

QB Paul Bloshuk, Jr. returned to action for the final two games of the season in which he threw for over 400 yards and 8 TDs, making the faithful wonder what might have been. This gave stand-in QB Mike Morales a chance to return to tight end and defensive end where he excelled for the last two games. Bloshuk threw for two TD bombs in the Ossining game with a 60-yarder to Justin Torres and a 63-yard flea flicker play to Jordan Dorn. Wendell Brand also caught a TD, which added to a remarkable season by the senior. Brand also caught three TDs in the previous game.

The line finally gelled for the Ossining contest. Michael Lopez, running behind Dimitre Ridley, Kai Bertolucci, Gabe Sosa and Julian Gagliardi, gained over 120 yards and was impossible to bring down. Lopez, only a junior, played like a warrior all season long and was a beast at linebacker as well, dropping the Ossining QB and running backs in the backfield on several occasions.
But the night belonged to the individuals who make up the entire football community in Sleepy Hollow. Coaches, administrators, parents, students, players and cheerleaders all contributed to achieve a glorious, history-making evening after a very difficult season filled with disappointment and heart wrenching tragedy.

“We coach to use the sport as a way to teach the boys about life. You can’t control everything in life. Bad stuff will happen,” said Head Coach Steve Borys. “What you can control is your reaction. Will you quit and walk away from your family and responsibilities or will you stand together and weather the storm? This year the storm lasted a bit too long for us to have a winning season but the guys who hung tough, and loved each other, came out with a great victory over Ossining that they will never forget. I pray they will apply these lessons to the rest of their lives.”

JV Football

Head Coach James Yancey and Assistant Head Coach Mike DeLeo have an interesting challenge with the JV squad. They have to prep a group of eager young men to play at the highest level. At any time, one of their great players can be called up to Varsity. It’s rewarding to see their kids advance but hard to stay competitive against teams with full Varsity and JV squads.

They finished the season with a 2-4 record. Quarterback Ryan Magel did a great job and is only in eighth grade. Coach Yancey is also excited for the future of Sleepy Hollow football as he sees lots of young talent coming up, including Travis Cowles, who played RB and Corner, Sean McCarthy, who played QB/WR and Outside Linebacker, and Jared Rodriquez, who ran the rock and played linebacker. He is also very optimistic about the coming linemen, including Kyle Hutter, who anchors as defensive end and offensive guard.

Modified Team Stands at 2-2

The Sleepy Hollow Modified squad has had an up and down season and currently stands at 2-2. Starting QB Samuel Smutek has done a great job replacing Ryan Callahan who stepped up to QB the JV team as an eighth grader. Strong line play from Talon Carstow, Zack Rudder, Larson Ortiz and Liam Hansen have allowed the young squad to remain competitive as Jared Wilens, Owen Lafredo, Harrison Halesworth, Ben Good and Benny Morfit have contributed heavily as running backs and receivers.

Wolfpack Continues Excellence in Youth Football

The Tarrytown Sleepy Hollow Wolfpack youth football program took to their new home turf on Saturday, with all four teams playing at SHHS. The 5th & 6th grade team, coached by Joe Good, Bill Scaglione and Fred Rickles, squared off against the Cortlandt Cowboys, looking to continue their strong season and fight for the #1 seed in the playoffs. They did not disappoint! Michael Scaglione opened the scoring with a 40-yard scamper to pay dirt. Benjy Adair followed up with a 35-yard score of his own. Daniel Callanan and Tommy Rickles both tacked on five-yard TDs, and the Wolfpack defense locked down the Cowboys all day long for a convincing 26-0 win. The win moved their season record to 6-1, and kept the Wolfpack in a tie for first place as 5/6th looks to lock up a home playoff game next week in their regular season finale against the Armonk Warriors.

Wolfpack Flag Red continued their roll, moving to 6-0 on the season with a 28-7 win over White Plains Bernies. Heston Halesworth scored on runs of 30 and 80 yards, while Tray Parks scored from 50 yards out and Brayden Richardson popped off a 35-yard TD of his own. On the season, Halesworth has 10 TDs, Richardson 6 (including 2 pick 6’s), Parks has 4 TDs and Jeremiah Bowen has 1 TD. Wolfpack Flag Red looks to complete their undefeated season next weekend against rival Ossining.

Wolfpack Flag Black had a strong performance, taking down a tough Valhalla team 28-21. Flag Black was led by Alex Zinman with two long TD runs. Daniel Nyarady ripped off a 55-yard TD, and Sam Beaton capped the scoring with a one-yard plunge. Wolfpack Black moved their record to 4-3. On the season Zinman has 9 TDs, Beaton 6 TDs, Nyarady 3 TDs, Ben Meyer 2 TDs, Joe Balascio and Roman Capobianco have 1 TD each.

Wolfpack 3rd & 4th has battled injuries all season long, but put up a great fight against the Tuckahoe Tigers, ending the game tied 6-6. The lone score came on a 25-yard sweep by Evan Bowen. Wolfpack 3rd & 4th moved to 1-4-2 on the season. James Smith and Evan Bowen lead the team in scoring with 2 TDs each.

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