Brewster Blanks Foxes; Westlake Rolls on; Valhalla Cruises
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Yorktown Humbles Mahopac; P’Ville Wins 3rd in Row
By Ray Gallagher, Examiner Sport Editor @Directrays
There’s very little wiggle room separating the pretenders from the contenders when it comes to qualifying for the forthcoming Section 1 playoffs in Classes AA, A, B and C, which makes Week 6 all the more important as we jockey for seeds and actual allowance into the postseason. In a dog-eat-dog world, #AnyMeansNecessary at this point in time.
CLASS A
BREWSTER is playing a blue-collar brand of football these days that resulted in a 20-0 win over visiting FOX LANE Thursday when the Bears (5-1) pitched their fourth shutout of the season against a pretty potent offense.
Brewster RB Chase Prohaszka ripped off big runs to drive the ball down to the Fox Lane 12 where junior QB KJ Dillon found senior RB Trey Ficarra in the left flats for the 12-yard TD pass at 8:25 of the first quarter, and the PAT was good, 7-0, Bears. Dillon fired a pair of TD passes.
A Brewster INT by Ryan Brace (10 tackles) with :06 left in the first half prevented damage as pressure got to Fox QB John Czernyk as he was hit as he threw. Bears Harrison Schmidt bobbed and weaved to score on a 36-yard TD grab and RB Prohaszka found paydirt off a 5-yard jaunt.
“Our defense was the story tonight,” Mulvihill admitted. “We were getting a lot of players to the point of attack all night.”
Bear DL Jack McKenney continued his stellar play with six tackles, three for a loss. Linebackers Luke Cunningham and Josh Walker had seven tackles each with Cunningham coming up with a sack.
“It’s the fourth shutout of the season for the defense,” the coach said. “They’ve done a wonderful job of buying into the defensive game plans and executing them each game.”
The Bears will need their defense and offense to click this week when they visit SOMERS Friday (6:30 pm).
“We have our toughest test yet with defending state champion Somers up next, but we’re playing with house money right now,” Mulvihill said. “With that coaching staff and those battle-tested players, they should be at least a 20-point favorite, and we will have to play at a high level to give them a game.”
The state-ranked (co-No.1) Tuskers (6-0) can score in succession on multiple possessions and have outscored their opponents by a combined 233-89, including Sunday’s 40-3 rout of visiting Harrison. Yorktown looks like the wild card in most scenarios, but if the Huskers don’t have enough in the tank there appears to be very little preventing a Somers vs. (No.2) Rye Class A championship clash.
That was apparent against Harrison, which had absolutely no answer for versatile Somers junior Dean Palazzolo, who went to paydirt three times, including a 92-yard kick return to open the second half #AnyTeamThatChoosesToKicktoThisKidIsNuts. D.P. finished with six grabs for 154 yards.
Somers senior QB Miguel Iglesias fired three TD passes and senior RB Mason Kelly had a pair of scoring jaunts leading to a 21-0 lead. The defense, as predicted, is starting to hit its stride. Iglesias also intercepted a pass to snuff out a rare Husky drive.
YORKTOWN paid MAHOPAC a visit on a rare Sunday afternoon encounter and the host Wolf Pac (4-2) never had a prayer in the Huskers’ 42-7 rout. Yorktown (4-2) QB Kaden Gonzalez (14 of 23, 269 yards) fired touchdown passes of 34, 20 and 28 yards, including the 50th TD pass of his career, and rushed for a 15-yard TD. Gonzo found Brady McEnroe (5 grabs, 101 yards, 2 TDs) for a pair of TD passes and another went to RB Chad Bowen for a 28-0 lead with 23 seconds left before halftime when Adam Yakout’s fourth PAT of the half was true. Bowen added another score on the ground. Husker RB Tyler Galante had four catches for 50 yards and rushed three times for 43 and a score.
LAKELAND QB/RB Anthony Frobose (5 carries, 86 yards) rushed for two scores and RB Joseph Laperuta (5 tackles on D) threw a touchdown pass to Michael DiCioccio (5 catches, 57 yards) in the visiting Hornets’ 29-13 win over John Jay CR. Hornet RB Robbie Policastro (25 carries, 110 yards) rushed for a score and snared three passes for 27 yards while adding six tackles on D. Nick Alleva (7 tackles), Nick Ferrante (8 tackles, sack) and Kyle Ronk (5 tackles) led the defense. The Hornets will visit Fox Lane Saturday (2 pm).
CLASS B
State-ranked (No.21) WESTLAKE took a 14-0 lead on host Sleepy Hollow in the first quarter after RB Nicholas DiNapoli (90 yards rushing, 2 TDs) skipped to paydirt from 21 yards out.
The state-ranked (No.21) Wildcats never looked back and went on to post a 41-7 win over the Horsemen. Westlake QB Brayden Ligazza (30 yards rushing, 25 passing, 1 rushing TD, INT)
provided a 21-0 lead after the PAT by Anthony Nigrelli, scoring from inside the 10 with 9:02 left in the second quarter. Before Sleepy knew what hit them, the Wildcats (5-0) were off to a 35-0 halftime lead, essentially decapitating the Horsemen on an otherwise gorgeous Thursday afternoon.
The Wildcats, who are very much in the championship conversation, had contributions in many forms, including Jake Zaino (20 yards rushing, 30-yard pick six, forced fumble and recovery), Matt Pippo (28 yards rushing, 22 yards receiving), Jack Losito and Harry Hudd (each had 5 tackles on D.)
“We came out rushing behind our O-line, Charlie Hannon, Marco Piazza, Luan Celaj, James Miele and Anthony Nigrelli, who paved the way for 235 rushing yards and five rushing TDs,” Westlake Coach Mark Castellano said.
Westlake will visit BRIARCLIFF this Saturday (noon) with the Bears coming off Sunday’s 33-0 win against CROTON-HARMON behind behind RB Chase Sedacca’s three carries for 84 yards and a pair of TD trots. William Burch (3 carries, 39 yards, TD) and AJ Alomar (17-yard rushing TD) and Max Amador (58-yard punt return for TD) provided additional explosives.
PLEASANTVILLE visited Nanuet Sunday where the 2023 Section 1 runner-up Panthers rang up their third straight win, 33-7, after a rough 0-2 start. Panther QB Mason Rizzi was dealing, firing for 209 yards and three TD passes on 13 of 15 passing, perhaps his finest day under center.
Nick Reich (5 grabs, 130 yards) snared two of those TD passes, including a 61-yarder, and Brian McPhee (5 catches, 45 yards) grabbed the other. LB Louis Sdao led a staunch defense with 14 tackles, nine of the solo persuasion. McPhee was in on eight tackles.
BYRAM HILLS put its foot down on visiting Irvington Thursday, taking a one-sided affair, 42-14, to improve to 4-2 overall with a huge game this week against PLEASANTVILLE. With the Piner Points System dictating the outcome in Class B, the outcome between the visiting Bobcats and Panthers at Parkway Field will dictate much about the forthcoming seeds as teams settle into their respective postseason positions.
Against Irvington, RBs Daniel Leff and Luke Weiss carried the major workload. Leff had nine carries for 75 yards and two TDs while Weiss had eight carries for 88 yards and two scores. Nathan Khaldarov added his first career TD from 10 yards out.
“We are improving each week and are 4-2 headed into big matchups at Pleasantville and home vs. Nanuet,” Bobcat Coach Simon Berk said.
Senior QB Bryce Baskind hit on 8-12 passing for 139 yards. Defensively, Leff led the club with seven tackles, aided heroically by Jordan Tolchin and Liam Porter. Evan Petta forced a strip sack that was recovered by Matteo Amicucci for a defensive touchdown, and K Jaden Zipper was a perfect 6/6 on extra points.
CLASS AA
Arlington marched on CARMEL for a 6-0 lead to end the first quarter and the three-time defending Section 1 champion Rams (3-2) could have folded up right then and there, considering the blow they got earlier in the week when it was confirmed that ALL-NYS RB Tristan Werlau (torn ACL) was done for the season. However, Carmel charged back for a 7-6 lead at 11:36 of the second quarter and salvaged a much-needed 41-28 win over the visiting Admirals (2-4), the 2023 sectional runner-ups. The win ended a two-game skid, the likes of which Carmel hasn’t seen in years.
Ram RB Tamba Kassoh (13 carries, 116 yards, 2 TD’s, plus five tackles, 1 TFL on D) picked up much of the Werlau slack and will be relied upon heavily as Carmel seeks a four-peat as sectional champs in the days ahead, which won’t be easy given the two losses and the playoff predicament. That said, there’s not a team in Class AA that wants to open up the postseason by welcoming Carmel.
Ram QB Brian McGrory had himself a career day, hitting on 18-29 passes for 291 yards and a career-high four TD passes. Dude spread the wealth among Thomas Connolly (6 catches, 78 yards, TD, plus 4 tackles), Aidan White (5 grabs, 160 yards 2 TD’s, plus 3 tackles on D) and Teddy Galbraith (3 catches, 27 yards, TD, plus 3 tackles and a sack on D). Dwane Hibbert (5 tackles, 2 TFL’s, 1 sack, 1 FF) was ferocious on defense.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Rams this week as they visit state-ranked (No.18) Scarsdale (4-1) Friday in a game that means a whole lot in regards to AA seeds. Minus Werlau, something has to give: Either the Rams roll out a next-man-up mentality or they go into a tank, which certainly doesn’t exist at Carmel.
OSSINING is making a strong play for one of two eligible Class AA-II seeds to make the eight team field of contenders after the Pride knocked off Mount Vernon, 6-0, Thursday when RB Jyquis Ramirez rushed for 129 yards and a TD on 38, yes, 38, carries. Pride QB Thomas McCormack hit on 4 of 7 passes for 45 yards and rushed for 49 yards on seven carries.
CLASS B
VALHALLA Coach Dan DeMatteo didn’t need to call on RB Luke Foisett much during a 47-7 beatdown of visiting Hastings Thursday, but when he did Foisett made the most of his four carries, delivering 95 yards and a tuddy for the state-ranked (No.11) Vikings (4-0). RB Bryan Moulard needed just two carries to churn out 70 yards and a TD. Adding to the theme of big-gainers on the night was RB Tyler Ratti, who rushed for 74 yards and one TD on four totes. Josh Bergey (2 rushes, 46 yards), Jake Dinatle (2 rushes, 45 yards) and Mason Swistak (rushing TD) all ran well enough for Viking QB Brayden McGinty to set up play action and connect on 4 of 6 passes for 117 yards and three touchdowns; a 50-yarder to Brady Teter, 25 to A.J. Pesce and a 21-yard strike to Bergey. Kicker Kellan Mahon was 5/7 on extra points for the Vikings, who will surely be tested by state-ranked (No.15) Dobbs Ferry Friday (7 p.m.).
CLASS C/D
PUTNAM VALLEY blasted visiting Woodlands, 50-0, on Homecoming Night the Valley, where they spared nothing to thrill the masses, including a massive fireworks display and a chopper fly-bye. In between the fanfare, Tiger QB Mateo Dobra hit on 6/10 in the air for 150 yards and three TD passes, plus a converted 2-point play. Versatile Caden Glenn was a menace on both sides of the ball; my man rushed for 60 yards on four carries and had three touchdowns, two rushing and one via air while adding a team-high 12 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery on defense. Glenn is the real deal.
Put Valley WR/DB Jay Constantino had a 75-yard TD catch, plus two picks and a fumble recovery on D. Tiger RB Andre Tarrant had 40 yards on four carries and a 20-yard TD catch,
and Jack Rund rushed for a TD. Nick Mazzola added an interception and K John Alfaro, a true weapon on specials, was 6/6 on extra points for the Tigers (3-2), who have sectional championship aspirations, what would be the first grid title in school history.
“That’s the goal, the kids played very well,” PV Coach Ryan Elsasser said. “They made adjustments on the fly and really got after it tonight. They brought a good energy and started moving at a faster speed. We had a lot of different guys contributing on both sides of the ball. Alfaro put us in great field position the entire game.”
PV will visit HALDANE Friday, which, if they look past, could be trouble, and the Tigers will certainly find out where they stand the final two weeks of the regular season as they host both state-ranked powers Dobbs Ferry and Valhalla. Haldane (3-2) crushed PEEKSKILL, 23-0, behind the potent combo of WR Jake Thomas (4 grabs, 95 yards) and QB David Powlis, who hooked up on 51- and 23-yard TD receptions. Powlis (10 of 15 pass attempts for 165 yards) tossed another to Bordy Corless. Blue Devil RB Alex Gaugler added 132 rushing yards on 28 totes. Nate Stickle appeared on 10 tackles to lead the D.
INDEPENDENT LEAGUE
WALTER PANAS had its offense at full throttle in a 52-22 win over Magnus, who had no control over Panther Jack Doherty (2 rushing scores, pick-6). Big Gianni Generoso also rushed for a pair of scores while and Christian Ramos and Declan Fleming had one TD each.
DAVID TABER / ANDY JACOBS / RAY GALLAGHER PHOTOS
Ray has 33 years experience covering and photographing local sports in Westchester and Putnam counties, including everything from Little League/Travel Baseball to varsity high school prep sports and collegiate coverage. He has been a sports editor at Examiner Media since its inception in 2007.
Visit Ray’s author bio page for more details. Also read Ray’s archived work here and his Direct Rays column here.
