Historical Effort Propels Somers to 3-Peat as NYSPHSAA Champs
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
State-Ranked (No.1) Tuskers Seal Deal in 51-27 Rout of Whitesboro
By Ray Gallagher, Examiner Sports Editor @Directrays
Nobody needs to tell the state-ranked (co-No.1) Tuskers, or those within Tusker Nation, just how grand Coach Anthony DeMatteo’s Somers High football program is. History has a way of reminding us of the truly inspirational undertakings athletics has to offer, and three-peating as NYSPHSAA Class A football champions is a brand new rendering, something we’ve never seen until Somers QB Miguel Iglesias raced for four touchdowns as the Tuskers (14-0) broadened their state-wide dominance in Friday’s 51-27 conquest of Section 3 champion Whitesboro at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse.
In his last game, in his senior year, Iglesias, who was reminded of such by Coach D, rallied the Tuskers with four touchdowns, an INT, and several huge tackles from his DB position. The Notre Dame-bound lacrosse star did it all when it mattered most and certainly played one of the best individual games in Somers history.
Iglesias (16 carries for 113 yards, 4 TDs) will be the first to acknowledge football is a team game, and T-E-A-M means more than any one individual. Make no mistake, though, Iglesias (10 of 15 passing for 127 yards) was the spark that ignited a fire the state-ranked (No.4) Warriors (13-1) failed to put out, leading to consecutive state-title setbacks at the hands of the nine-time Section 1 champion Tuskers, winners of 27 games in a row and now four-time NYS champions (2016-22-23-24), tying both Rye (Class A/B) and Dobbs Ferry (C/D) atop the Section 1 charts.
“Our team, together, played a great game on defense on offense,” Iglesias said. “We were firing on all cylinders, but Coach D said something before the game and made me realize that I would never play football (at this level), ever again, after this game, so I just really wanted to leave it all out there. I think I did that, and I think the rest of the seniors did that as well, so it was just a great game and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end my football career.”
The final score suggests the game was closer than it was, but truth be told it was all Somers from start to finish. Somers, as it did last year, quickly put the Warriors on notice, building a 27-0 lead just five minutes into the second quarter behind two Iglesias TDs, another by All-NYS junior WR Dean Palazzolo and a scoop-and-score fumble recovery by senior DB Logan Ruby, who grabbed a nilly-willy fumble some 10 yards away from the pile before finding paydirt. Even when Whitesboro closed within 10 points, 37-27, with 3:21 left in the third quarter, Iglesias capped a 68-yard drive from 13 yards out for a 44-27 edge with 11:05 left. If the Warriors had a prayer left in their bag of tricks, it was intercepted by Ruby with 8:16 to go, and then again with the Tuskers’ fifth INT of the night by Timmy Monahan (joining LB Bret Kennedy, DB Ryan Brush and Iglesias).
“I mean this was an amazing win for the team,” said Palazzolo, who will take the torch passed from the seniors. “We made history and this team will go down as one of the best teams in Somers history. I really felt like our whole team stepped up, especially our defense this game. This town is so special. It is more than football, we are family.”
In all, Somers amassed 233 rushing yards, gaining 5.2 yards a clip, largely on the back of senior RB Mason Kelly who went for 93 yards and a tuddy on 22 workhorse carries behind a an offensive line that morphed into something special, including RJ Peterson, Lorenzo D’Ambrosio, Ben Brenekmeyer, Timmy Monahan, Jaron Faulkner, Hudson Ruby, John Leary, Dillion Kuchinsky and Ben Harris.
The explosive Palazzolo also rushed for 47 yards and a touchdown on six carries while adding 84 yards on specials and 54 yards on four grabs. Somers sophomore WR Cameron Violante added three catches for 54 yards in an all-inclusive effort.
The Tusker defense was led by senior DB Dean Barlanti (5 tackles, 2 assisted tackles), senior LB Will Marcus (3 tackles, 5 assisted tackles) and Jaron Faulkner (3 tackles, 7 assisted tackles).
Additional special teams’ props went to junior K/P Gavin Kelly, who booted a no-doubter, 47-yard field goal to end the first half. He placed four kickoffs into the end zone, limiting the Warriors chances to gain short fields and placed a fourth-quarter punt at the Warriors’ 8-yard line. What a weapon the Tuskers will return in 2025.
Also expected to return is a detail-oriented coaching staff, which have morphed the Tuskers into the envy of Section 1 – DeMatteo, his legendary father Tony D, Doug Carpenter, Mike Sokolofsky, Mike Cleary, Gerry Keevins, Steve Jackson, Bob Antonucci, Doug Packard, Vinny DiFillipo, Tommy Albano and Jake Graham – took what looked like a pack of newbies in September and molded them in the image of previous Tuskers, who are expected to drop down in classification next season, dropping to Class B where #OMG they may not lose a game for years, given the current landscape.
In closing: Those before the 2016 team built a lasting foundation, which those thereafter have produced a generational 90-11 record, won six Section 1 championships (including Covid regional), made five trips to the state finals and won four state titles #HolyMoly.
DAVID TABER/CHRIS SMAJLAJ 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.
