Our first upset of the playoffs. And we’re just getting started.

One person who watched this game tonight called it “one of the craziest games I’d ever seen.” Watch the replay below and tell me if you agree:

We’ll be airing THREE games on Lohud.com tonight: Fox Lane at Ossining, Poughkeepsie at Somers and Mahopac vs. Ramapo.

You can access those feeds by clicking below:

Poughkeepsie vs. Somers 

Ossining vs. Fox Lane

Mahopac vs. Ramapo

As a new feature to our broadcasts, the reporters at each game will be giving commentary and news from the sidelines via a wireless microphone we’ll be carrying. I’ll be at Ossining-Fox Lane. Whenever somebody scores, there’s a big play in the game or there’s news to share, I’ll chime in. I’ll also be giving a halftime report from the field.

Hopefully you check them out.

Time for our next player blogger. This one is Ryan Rossi, star offensive lineman/linebacker for defending state champion Rye. Rossi did a great job, like Henry Smith of Somers and Ryan Kraemer of Tappan Zee. Enjoy:
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By Ryan Rossi, Rye

One and done. That’s some scary stuff, but it’s the reality from here on out. Every game could be our last. For most, it’s the last time they’ll ever suit up. Think about that. We have been battling on the gridiron since grammar school. That’s thousands of hours of hitting, running, thinking, and working. None of us want to let all of that dedication slip into the hands of another team. Losing would be not only letting your teammates down, but the previous Garnets that graced the field, and the younger version in the program moving up. We remember our first day in pads, never wanting to let that feeling go. Now, any game can be our last in pads. I want my last to be in Syracuse, raising my helmet in the Dome.

It’s 2:37 and the bell rings. It’s time for the second part of every Garnets day, the best part—football practice. I walk into the field house, one of my favorite locations in the universe. There have been countless laughs, arguments and pre-game speeches. It’s a place were men can be men, no explanations needed. As I enter I see Topher Triano and Chris Lavelle dancing to Techno music. Within a few minutes, the whole team is into it. It looks like a scene from a nightclub. Once the song ends, we put our pads on, and the feeling enters our blood. We’re playing football. We’re playing for each other. I make sure the Nikes are looking good. I once heard Jerome Bettis say “Look good, feel good; feel good, play good.” That phrase applies to our lockeroom. Its time to get to business. We march down to the field.

Practice can be a grind, especially this time of year. It’s freezing and we all need to get use to that. It’s going to feel like zero in Mahopac. Hopefully, we’ll be able to enjoy that cold one last time. However, practice makes us a team. We are reminded we haven’t won anything this year, and we need to work. Our coaches prepare us well. I wouldn’t trade our coaches for any others. They work hard to get us ready; we play hard to reward them. I look forward to practice because of them.

I’ve always been an offensive lineman. It’s the ultimate reward-with no glory. It’s grit, a toughness; it’s what football is all about. My fellow linemen are my brothers. We smash each other in practice, working together. All linemen have an intangible quality that comes out when both teams line up. It’s the battling in the trenches that allows one to feel accomplished. Our names will not be on the front page of the papers, but we know in our hearts we’ve worked hard. We all took numbers in the fifties representing our unity. They call us the ‘wise men’ because of our intellectual skills (kidding). It’s an awesome feeling when your teammates are friends and playing together. If Rob Santenglo says he can take out the massive blitzing linebacker, we all know he can. I trust all my teammates and coaches with my life. Our practice is efficient-we work, we focus.

Waiting for the game is the worst. It gives you empty time to think about ways you can mess up, ways to let your team down. We go through every scenario to make sure that won’t happen. I don’t think I’ve ever been hit harder than by Will Ramsey, total haymaker hit. Big Kyle picks me up and we get back to the huddle. I look around and I’m amazed at the talent we have. I’ve never seen so many good players. However, skill means nothing if we’re not focused. That’s the problem at this point in the season. No one, no team, can just go through the motions.

The truth is, we will never play a bad team again. JFK is very good. Pleasantville and Byram Hills are experienced, talented, and determined. Nanuet is tough and their kids come to play. I was talking online with a few of my teammates, and there’s a sense of urgency. We need this for each other. When one hears the word playoffs, your heart rate speeds up, like a hot girl is sitting next to you. We will never walk over a team again. Everyone is gunning for us. How will we respond? Where will we be six weeks from now? All I know is, we’re excited. All of section one is. You got to love the playoffs.

I’m going to cherish every game I play in. I’m going to remember each second with my teammates. Nothing is going to replace the camaraderie I have with my boys. If they take anything away from this season, I want them to know I love being on the field for them, and have their backs in any situation. They have made my senior year special. I will always be thankful to my teammates. We want to reward each other with the ultimate prize-the ring. I wish I could play high school football forever. Reality check: it’s not going to happen. It’s the last hurrah, end of the movie, everything cliché. I wish you could understand. Words will never be able to describe it. It’s love for football, and determination to go out with a bang. Picture being at the beginning of a marathon because that’s where the Garnets are now. It’s the best time of our lives so we need to play the best football of our lives. When you look in the eyes of a determined senior, you see hunger. That’s what I see. Its time to man up and start the race.

Garnet Pride.

And now for the big boys.The AA playoffs begin tonight with Mahopac traveling to Torne Valley to take on Ramapo in the first of four intriguing match-ups.

While the Class A teams have brought the most conversation this blog, Class AA has brought the most controversy. Between the John Jay folks complaining about the coverage; Carmel and North Rockland spewing over officials; Ramapo fighting for respect, and the critics questioning my undying commitment to New Rochelle, it’s been an active season in the conference.

And now, it’s finally all settled on the field.

Class AA Breakdown
The favorite: New Rochelle. I’m in the minority when I say the Huguenots are the favorite to win the title. But until somebody beats the two-time champs when it matters, this is where I’ll keep them. I think their defense is vastly improved from the first game and quarterback Johnny McGhee is veteran who has played very well of late.
Top contender: John Jay-EF. The top seeds could very well go out and win the title. I believe they’ll get there. But I worry about how they’ll handle the pressure of a championship game. Although extremely talented, the expectations have become daunting.
Be afraid of: North Rockland. This team has come a long way since starting the year 0-2, and I think its comeback win at Carmel three weeks ago was a turning point. I don’t see the Red Raiders winning a title. But I could see them knocking off Carmel and giving John Jay all it can handle.
Players in the spotlight
Justin Autera, Mahopac: Super talented running back has exceeded expectations this season. His play at defense, however, matching-up with Ramapo’s backs will be crucial in Mahopac’s upset bid.
Sal Sulla, North Rockland: The junior fullback has settled in as the feature runner and he should have his way against a Carmel team that struggled up front last week against Mahopac.
Ryan Shilling, Carmel: There’s no underestimating his value to this team. The junior quarterback has replaced posting big numbers with making big plays. But for Carmel to advance, he’ll need to do a lot of each.
Darryl Wood, New Rochelle: One of the most underrated players in the area. The senior defensive lineman is a playmaker who’ll the Huguenots will lean on against the plethora of speed backs they’ll face in the postseason.
Kevin Malivert, Ramapo: The fastest athlete in Section 1. Need I say more? It’s worth noting that every game Ramapo will play, if it advances, will be on turf.
Best first-round game: North Rockland at Carmel. We’ve been building this one up all week after they played to a 22-21 thriller in the regular season. There was so much emotion in that game, especially when the Rams lost lineman Chris Watkins with a knee injury. They’ll look to rally around him.
Upset potential: Mahopac over Ramapo. It’s not going to happen unless Mahopac improves immensely on defense. It never stopped John Jay-EF’s or Carmel’s backs, and Ramapo is next-to-impossible on turf. But if the Indians limit big plays and control the clock, they’ll stand a chance.
Semifinals: New Rochelle over Ramapo; John Jay-EF over North Rockland
Championship: New Rochelle over John Jay-EF.

Schedule
Quarterfinals
No. 8 Mamaroneck (4-3) at No. 1 John Jay-EF (7-0), Sat., 4 p.m.
No. 5 North Rockland (5-2) at No. 4 Carmel (5-2), Sat., 3 p.m.
No. 6 White Plains (6-1) at No. 3 New Rochelle (6-1), Sat., 1:30 p.m.
No. 7 Mahopac (5-2) at No. 2 Ramapo (6-1), Fri., 7 p.m. at Torne Valley

Semifinals (no reseeding)
Mamaroneck-John Jay-EF winner vs. North Rockland-Carmel winner, TBA
White Plains-New Rochelle winner vs. Mahopac-Ramapo winner, TBA

Championship
at Mahopac High School, Nov. 7-9

The level of interest in Class A football this season has been overwhelming. Usually the AA championship draws by far the largest crowd at Mahopac each season. Something tells me, though, there will be considerably more at the A final next month.

To me, a potential Ossining vs. Somers game would qualify as one of the most anticipated games of the decade. I am not joking. Between the star power involved, the coaches, the fan-bases, the recent history between the two teams and total unpredictability of the game, few in my time at The Journal News can stack up. Only North Rockland-New Rochelle in 2003 or Greeley-Nyack in 2001.

We’re obviously a little far away from that, although I’m predicting a Somers-Ossining final. Here’s how I think we’ll get there:

Class A Breakdown
The favorite: Ossining. The defending champs have steamrolled through the regular season, playing only one game that was actually close (20-7 vs. Nyack). As I’ve said before, as good as the ‘O’ have looked, I still believe there are weapons we haven’t seen yet. This team hasn’t peaked.
Top contender: Somers. If championships were handed out in the regular season, the Tuskers would win it, hands down. They outscored opponents by an average of 34 points and were without stars Rob Lombardo and Matt Deiana for a brief period. This team has talent at every position.
Be afraid of: Fox Lane. Talk about a team with nothing to lose. Nobody expected the Foxes to reach the playoffs before last week until they upset Eastchester. This is a group built around young talent that seems to improve every week. Ossining is a difficult task but the Foxes won’t be intimidated.
Players in the spotlight
Matt Deiana, Somers: We know the potential of the junior running back. As good as Rob Lombardo and Dylan Haas are, Deiana’s speed will be vital to beat Nyack and Ossining.
Dakota Degree, Ossining: The hulking tackle anchors a solid unit. But he’ll be tested against a conference full of talented defensive ends.
Raymond Nichols, Nyack: Teams gear up to stop the Nyack ground game of Dominic Leonard and Anthony Davis. It will be up to the the senior quarterback to keep them honest.
Justin Segal, Harrison: The senior linebacker is healthy and will need one of his best efforts for the Huskies knock off Nyack in the first round.
Brett Cabriele, Yorktown: A name people don’t mention enough. His numbers don’t nearly reflect his talent and I think he’s going to give opponents fits in match ups.
Best first-round game: Nyack at Harrison. The Huskies might only be 3-3, but one of those losses was to unbeaten Somers and another is to reigning (and eventual) Class B state champion Rye. The Huskies are finally healthy and poised to pull off an upset.
Upset potential: Yorktown over Brewster. The Huskers have won five straight since losing to Somers and face a Brewster squad that clawed its way to a league title. Yorktown has too many veterans and too much momentum.
Semifinals: Ossining over Yorktown; Somers over Nyack
Championship: Ossining over Somers (in quadruple overtime).

Schedule
Quarterfinals
No. 2S Fox Lane (3-3) at No. 1W Ossining (7-0), Fri., 7 p.m.
No. 2W Nyack (6-1) at No. 1S Harrison (3-3), Sat., 1:30 p.m.
No. 2N Poughkeepsie (5-2) at No. 1C Somers (7-0), Fri., 7 p.m.
No. 2C Yorktown (6-1) at No. 1N Brewster (5-2), Fri., TBA

Semifinals
Fox Lane-Ossining winner vs. Brewster-Yorktown winner, TBA
Somers-Poughkeepsie winner vs. Nyack-Harrison winner, TBA

Championship
at Mahopac High School, Nov. 7-9

Ryan Kraemer of Tappan Zee set the bar pretty high for the rest of the Player Guest Bloggers we’ll feature during the playoffs. But Somers lineman Henry Smith was up to the task.

Once again, not only am I impressed with the writing ability of this player, but how engaging they are. I think you’ll enjoy this entry, as well:
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By Henry Smith, Somers

As the Somers player blogger, I assume that many will be expecting me to discuss our team’s star players. I could talk about Rob Lombardo, how he drinks enough milk to cause shortages at our school, or how he eats a jar of peanut butter with a spoon every time we watch film, or how we had to force him off the field when his finger bone popped out of his skin. I could talk about Dylan Haas, Matt Deiana or Joe Marasco and how they’re quick enough to be in two places at once. But I wish to talk about a group of players that never gets any real recognition (and no, it’s not linemen this time).

It’s the Somers scout team.

Our team does well in games because our team does well in practice. Though this has always been somewhat of the case at Somers (my sophomore years one of the seniors was fond of calling me ‘Scout team all-American’) it has come to its peak this year. The kids on the scout team don’t play because they want to be on a powerful football team, to be able to say they were on a team that went far. No, they want to be a part of it.

Almost every scout team player could be found at our work outs over the summer (4 days a week at 6:45 am) and at all the camps that Somers attended. They don’t allow a starter to get away with simply being in the right spot and stand there; they’ll make the play and get Coach D’s attention (not something you want after letting up a tackle). They’re always on the ball and getting us the looks we need to know how to dominate another team.
Such hard work does not go unrewarded; in every game we gotten the scout team players in. From Peekskill, where the starters came out at the start of the second quarter, to Harrison where they went in with about eight minutes left, the second team is not forgotten about. The great thing about this is that the starters are actually happy to see the second team play (and no, not just because we’re tired). Many would be surprised at how little upset the starters were when Panas scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter with their starters in.

Another aspect of Somers that has led us to success is, as Coach D put it, that we “have no quit in us.” The Eastchester game is a prime example of this; Rob was out and Matt extremely limited (I myself was forced to sit a good part of the game because of a wrist injury) and we came out with a 28-6 win against a team that was no pushover. No one was daunted. The week leading to the game Coach D had told us each to give an extra 20%, which every player, starter or scout team, complied with. The result was a team that could adapt to any situation, however tragic it is.

I wont say much about our upcoming game this week, only that we don’t look at Poughkeepsie as an easy win at all, no matter what anyone says, and that we can say, with complete honesty, that we are not cocky (confident perhaps, but definitely not cocky).
Also, I don’t want to say much at all about other teams, especially since I would have a slightly biased perspective being in the playoffs myself. The only thing that intrigued me was Fox Lane’s win over the Eagles; having played the Eagles I was shocked to learn they weren’t in the playoffs. I guess that means instead of Eastchester there’s a team that beat Eastchester…

Iona Prep quarterback Tyrae Woodson-Samuels was our special guest on tonight’s Varsity Central Live program.

Unfortunately, technical issues with the show caused us to lose the recording of the first 15 minutes, which is when Tyrae was on. The rest of the show was salvaged and you can see it below. But I’m sorry to say Tyrae’s interview was lost somewhere in the digital cyberspace (Mogulus is trying to recover it).

Click on the link above if you want to watch the show and see the comments from the night on the right side of the page. Tonight’s comments and questions were excellent. Thank you to everyone who wrote in.

It’s playoff time, which means these weekly picks become even more scrutinized, yet are equally meaningless.

I’ll take a close look at every playoff match-up, as well as a few of the big non-Section 1 games. As always I’d love to hear your picks and fully expect your snide critique.

Class AA
North Rockland 24, Carmel 21: Part of me really wants to pick Carmel to win this game. It’s so difficult to go on the road to Carmel and win once, let alone twice like North Rockland has to do. Plus, the Rams are as motivated as ever after losing lineman Chris Watkins and a 13-point fourth-quarter lead the last time they met. But North Rockland’s ability to run the football and control the clock will be the difference.
Ramapo 31, Mahopac 17: This seems like a big spread. But based on what I’ve seen the last two weeks, Mahopac is going to have a difficult time containing the Gryphons backs. Mahopac has allowed over 250 yards on the ground the last two weeks and faces a Ramapo squad that’s among the elite in spreading you and making big plays.
New Rochelle 35, White Plains 6: New Rochelle won this match-up 28-0 a few weeks back, leading by that score at the half when Demetrius Borden was lost for the year with a leg injury. New Rochelle will play four inspired quarters and walk away with another playoff victory.
John Jay-EF 34, Mamaroneck 14: No upset here. John Jay has taken on, and beaten, all types of teams this season. Mamaroneck’s high-power offense will move the ball effectively. But I just don’t think the Tigers can stop Mike Belluzzi and a Patriots team destined for the finals.

Class A
Ossining 35, Fox Lane 13: There’s a chance that Fox Lane peaked last week, playing flawlessly and upsetting Eastchester to reach the playoffs. Knowing Ossining, it’s not the least bit intimidated and provide far more pressure and better coverage than Eastchester did.
Nyack 28, Harrison 14: Yep, two touchdowns. That’s no slight on Harrison. That’s just how much I think of Nyack. The only thing that could hurt the Indians is if they give Harrison any reason to have confidence early on. Otherwise, I think they match up well defensively against the triple.
Yorktown 27, Brewster 24: I went back and forth on this one. Going to Brewster is no easy task. But I think this veteran Yorktown squad is built for it. As long as they can contain Bears quarterback Billy Thomas, who has played well in every big game this season, the Huskers will advance.
Somers 35, Poughkeepsie 16: This Somers offense is an absolutely machine. I don’t think a Poughkeepsie team that’s given up yards on the ground all season can compete for four quarters without catching some major breaks.

Class B
Rye 34, Kennedy 7: Congrats to the Gaels for making it to the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. Your reward? The defending state champs. Rye also ratchets up its play in the postseason and it starts on Friday night.
Pleasantville 24, Ardsley 7: Anything you get on Ardsley you have to earn. The Panthers are just too good and too deep defensively to allow Ardsley to think it has a chance to win this game.
Nanuet 14, Edgemont 7: One of the few upsets I’m picking in the first round. As well as Edgemont has played defensively, Nanuet is faster and more physical and faced a far tougher schedule playing in League B-1. The Knights will scratch and claw their way to a victory.
Byram Hills 35, Briarcliff 14: I’ve said all week how perplexing it is that Briarcliff continues to move the ball through the air but not score points. Byram Hills will have to guard against a big-play team like this. But the defense has showed up every week and will limit the Bears.

Class C
Dobbs Ferry 35, Hastings 7: Healthy and in a playoff mindset, the Eagles shouldn’t have a problem in this one. The Yellow Jackets are really a year away from competing at this level.
Rye Neck 36, Lincoln Hall 20: If I were the Blackhats, I wouldn’t get too comfortable with this matchup. The pressure is all on Rye Neck and Lincoln Hall has had its glimpses throughout the season.
Westlake 33, Albertus Magnus 13: The Falcons salvaged their season over the last three weeks, so they deserve to be commended. But Westlake has been eyeing the postseason since losing to Rye Neck a few weeks back. It won’t get tripped up.
Croton-Harmon 28, Bronxville 27: This has the potential to be the best game in the opening round. Bronxville is finally healthy and has a nice stable of backs behind a massive offensive line. Croton, though, is a veteran group that finds ways to win every week.

Other big games
St. Anthony’s 34, Iona Prep 28: Iona’s defense has played so well the last two weeks and St. Anthony’s will be without star running back Atiq Lucas, who broke his leg. But don’t be fooled: this is still St. Anthony’s.
Harvey 20, Sacred Heart 14: Since I pick against the Irish every week and am proven wrong, let’s keep the streak going. A win would put Sacred Heart a spot at a Hudson Valley Football Conference championship.

Section 1 non-playoff games
Class AA
Clarkstown North 24, Mount Vernon 13
Ketcham 31, Clarkstown South 14
Suffern 21, Gorton 16
Scarsdale 28, Lincoln 20
Arlington 30, Roosevelt 18

Class A
Sleepy Hollow 28, Port Chester 0
Horace Greeley 28, Lakeland 26
John Jay 36, Hen Hud 21
Lourdes 24, Panas 13
Eastchester 35, Spring Valley 7
Tappan Zee 27, Peekskill 12
Pearl River 14, Saunders 8
Beacon 33, Yonkers 18

Class B
Irvington 22, Dover 6
Putnam Valley 28, Pelham 12

Class C/D
Haldane 28, Blind Brook 7
Valhalla 21, Woodlands 14

Catholic/Private
St. Francis Prep 21, Mount St. Michael 13
Holy Cross 34, Fordham Prep 31
Stepinac 20, Monsignor Farrell 17
KLHT 29, RCDS 20
Hopkins 37, Hackley 14

We’re working our through the Section 1 playoffs, which begin on Friday across the Lower Hudson Valley.

Today we examine Class B, which has probably the least amount of guessing involved. This is Rye’s championship to lose. I think the only teams that can match up with the Garnets are Byram Hills or Pleasantville. And even if they give their best efforts of the season, it would still be tough for them to win.

Nothing is impossible. Hey, Rye has to lose sometime, right?… Um, right?

Class B Playoff Breakdown

The favorite: Rye. You don’t need to be an expert to know this. While the defending state champs have had their lapses at times, I firmly believe this team has the potential to be as balanced, deep and, perhaps, the most talented Rye team I’ve seen these six years. Potential, though, can be a scary word.
Top contender: Pleasantville. Although I’ve tabbed Byram Hills the second-best team, let’s give the Panthers their due here. They’ve been efficient and consistent since losing to Rye, 20-7, on opening day. If they get by Ardsley, a home game will be a major advantage.
Be afraid of: Briarcliff. When a team can effectively move the ball through the air the way the Bears can with Tim Orr, they’re a nightmare to match up with. It seems almost like a fluke that he’s thrown for 570 yards the last two weeks and Briarcliff has scored only 13 points. That can’t continue.
Players in the spotlight
Luke O’Malley, Rye: If O’Malley becomes a major impact in the Rye offense, the Garnets will truly become unbeatable in the conference. He missed most of the year with a hamstring pull and is the fastest player on the roster when healthy.
Erik Britz, Byram Hills: Teams will gear up to stop R.J. Medeo and Chris Esposito, and force Britz, a senior quarterback to beat them. He’s definitely capable. The better he plays, the better Byram Hills’ chances of reaching Mahopac.
Charlie Howe, Pleasantville: The loss of Mario Arboite has left a huge void in the Panthers’ backfield, which Howe has filled by himself the last two weeks. Whether he can continue to do it through the playoffs will dictate how far they go.
Gabe Wittenberg, Edgemont: The senior guard/linebacker has had an superb season, recording 94 tackles and four sacks on defense and paving the way for 2,270 yards rushing. The Panthers won’t beat Nanuet without a steady effort from Wittenberg.
Eric Mercado, Kennedy: The Gaels are the biggest underdog of any team in the Section 1 playoffs this weekend, which I’m sure suits them well. Mercado is their best chance of beating Rye. He’ll need a huge effort, and help from Dylan Schuck and Andrew Spinola.
Best first-round game: Nanuet at Edgemont. This is a tough first-round game for the Panthers, who are going to have their depth challenged by the physical Knights. Edgemont, though, is allowing just 5.7 points per game, including three shutouts and two six-point efforts. That’s crucial against a Nanuet team that has 154 points in four games.
Upset potential: Briarcliff over Byram Hills. I’m almost certainly going to pick Nanuet over Edgemont. But this game has potential, too. Matching up with the receiving corp of Bobby Ronan and Matt Tompkins is going to be a major challenge. Like I mentioned above, I don’t believe their mysterious inability to get in the end zone will last for long. The points will come.
Semifinals: Byram Hills over Pleasantville; Rye over Nanuet
Finals: Rye over Byram Hills.

Schedule
Quarterfinals
No. 4B Kennedy (3-4) at No. 1A Rye (7-0), Fri., 7 p.m.
No. 3A Nanuet (5-2) at No. 2B Edgemont (6-1), Sat., TBA
No. 3B Briarcliff (4-3) at No. 2A Byram Hills (6-1), Sat., TBA
No. 4A Ardsley (3-4) at No. 1B Pleasantville (6-1), Fri., TBA at Parkway Field

Semifinals
Kennedy-Rye winner vs. Nanuet-Edgemont winner, TBA
Briarcliff-Byram Hills winner vs. Ardsley-Pleasantville winner, TBA

Championship
at Mahopac H.S., Nov. 7-9

Last week I proposed the idea of having players contribute posts to the blog throughout the postseason. I got a lot of good responses, including one from Ryan Kraemer, a senior receiver/defensive back at Tappan Zee.

Obviously, Tappan Zee isn’t in the Class A playoffs. But I chose Kraemer as one of the bloggers because he could provide unbiased insight to the teams Tappan Zee faced (and scouted on film) that are in the bracket.

As you’ll read, Kraemer is a talented writer who offers score predictions on the Class A playoff games. As I’m sure he’ll learn in the comments, you shouldn’t offer score predictions unless you get paid to.

Now, before you go and pick apart anything he writes, remember that he was one of the few brave souls who offered to put his name on a blog and write his thoughts, which is something many of you won’t do. Reading the first part of his blog reminds us that not every game is about winning and losing.

I hope you enjoy. I certainly did. (P.S.: Ryan, please fax your resume to The Journal News whenever you want. – Kev)
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By Ryan Kraemer, Tappan Zee

The joy of earning your first win of the season is something that many teams felt back in early September. We had only learned of that feeling a few days ago when we beat Yonkers 28-14.

After huge losses to both Nyack and Sleepy Hollow, you could only imagine how we felt as a team going into our game against Ossining. But moments before kickoff, we all felt change coming. Yes, we lost that game 35-7. But it wasn’t the score that made us feel worse about the loss, it was the fact that we came together as a team and realized we can still make something of this season. We were not going to give up.

In the quarter-and-a-half Ossining had its starters in, we held Super 11 running back James Brundage to 47 yards. It was the little positives that we tried to build on, and we did.

The following week in practice we started to see a difference both inside the locker room and out. On the field, many things were starting to come together offensively and defensively as confidence began to climb. We weren’t making those stupid mental mistakes that coaches burst about. We were taking everything extremely seriously, like a true team. All of our practices were nice and crisp, textbook, if I may say so myself. Inside of the locker room, new friendships arose, people who have never hung out with each other in their lives, started to hang out. It started to make our team feel more like a “team” that can compete with the tough competition in Class A.

Coming off this new insight, we went into our game against Yonkers, with newfound confidence. The night before game day, we had a brief team meeting in the locker room. We have three games left, and although they technically do not mean anything, we decided on making them mean something. We decided that losing was no longer an option; we had lost enough games through the duration of the regular season. We needed to leave momentum for the upcoming seniors, juniors, and Tappan Zee football program itself, and that’s what we are planning on doing.

In planning for our upcoming game against Peekskill, we first needed to figure out our mistakes from the previous game. So, on Monday, we met up in the locker room and watched film of the Yonkers game, figuring out what was in need of fixing. After we watched film, we ran a conditioning practice which included a few laps, and multiple sets of 40-yard sprints. With the week only just beginning, there is much more work to be done later on in preparing for our upcoming game. Hopefully, this week we can come out together and take home another victory.

As for the teams who made the playoffs in Class A, I have a strong feeling about Nyack this year. They’re a team that was dominant against every opponent they faced, with the exception of Ossining, and boy would I love to see a rematch of that game. It was possibly one of the best games of the year. (I also tip my hat to Harrison-Eastchester and North Rockland-Carmel, that game should be a good one this weekend). So here are my predictions for the quarterfinal action this weekend…

I feel that Yorktown will be too much to handle for the Bears, if Brewster can stop the running combo of John Fennessy and Brett Cabriele, then it’ll be closer than I would think, but I still am going to give it to Yorktown. Yorktown 21- Brewster 7

The Somers- Poughkeepsie game is a no brainier, and I’m not trying to hate on the Pioneers. But they just have not been consistent this year. I consider Rob Lombardo an unmovable force. He gets it done, when it needs to be done. This one goes to Somers. Somers 35- Poughkeepsie 0

The Offensive line for Nyack is going to be a key factor in this game. If they can open up holes for Davis and Leonard like they did in the regular season, I don’t see Harrison’s defense stopping them, but Nyack’s secondary is going to need to stop the passing game of Harrison which I feel might be a little bit more relied on this weekend. Close but no cigar for Harrison, Nyack Wins. Nyack 21-Harrison 14

Ossining needs to bring it against the Foxes. Fox Lane has had a turn around season and I believe this game will be closer than most think. They need to contain Ossining quarterback Justin Kreamer, the kid seems to be able to get out of anything and turn it into a big play. Fox Lane’s secondary also needs to step up against the speedy receivers of Ossining. If they do, it could be a close. The game still goes to Ossining. Ossining 31- Fox Lane 14

These are the last three Game Balls awarded before I announce the Varsity Insider player of the week on tomorrow night’s Varsity Central Live show.

4. Cristian Garcia, North Rockland: Who says linemen don’t get any love? North Rockland’s junior two-way star helped put a cap on a great second-half to the season in Saturday’s 40-14 victory over Clarkstown South. He had six tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown as North Rockland overpowered South up front and officially clinched a Class AA playoff berth.

3. Richard Bray, Tuckahoe: Call it “The Play of the Year” in Section 1 football. It’s definitely in serious consideration. Bray made a full-extension diving touchdown catch in the end zone with 1:41 left in the fourth quarter to lift Tuckahoe past Bronxville, 14-12, in a Class C/D thriller. Bray had only two catches on the night. But, down the road, this one play might have completely changed Tuckahoe’s season. It was coming off two brutal losses and couldn’t afford to go into the postseason not having won at least one of its final three games.

2. Jesse Hunt, Fox Lane: Until this week, very few knew who Hunt was and even few believed Fox Lane had a shot at reaching the postseason. That all changed on Friday as the junior quarterback had a career night and lifted the Foxes past Eastchester and into the Class A playoffs. Hunt completed 16 of 25 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns, shredding through the Eagles secondary in the 34-26 upset. Hunt completed 11 straight passes during one stretch in the first half to dig the Foxes out of a 20-6 hole, spreading the ball well to his receivers.

Check back tomorrow for the Player and Coach of the Week honors. I’d love to hear your guesses until then.

There’s a few of you out there who get on my case for not showing any love to Class C. You’re probably right. It’s the conference I usually see the least number of games in each fall. But honestly, in the last seven years, there’s been very little reason to.

Dobbs Ferry has completely owned the conference for the better part of a decade. There have been a few quality contenders, and I’ve gotten to those games when I could. For the most part, nobody been in the Dobbs Ferry’s league.

This year could be different. I’m not saying Dobbs Ferry is going to be upset. But compared to the last seven, this might be the closest anyone will come to unseating the Eagles as Section 1 champs. Here’s how I see it all going down:

Class C Breakdown
The favorite: Dobbs Ferry. Now don’t misconstrue what I’ve written about the Eagles the last few weeks. My opinion is that not only can this Dobbs team win the section, it has the talent to get to the Dome and play for a state championship. It just seems that this team has never been on the same page because of injuries. Losing Devonte Brailsford for extended time has hurt the growth of this team because they’ve had to continually move key players around.
Top contender: Rye Neck. By all accounts, the Blackhats believe they would have beaten Dobbs Ferry earlier this season had it not been for a few fumbles. They should good resolve in rallying from 20 points down in the fourth quarter to beat Tuckahoe. Although I believe they’re just as confident as Dobbs Ferry entering the playoffs, I do believe the Blackhats have pressure on them.
Be afraid of: Lincoln Hall. The United are 3-4. They lost to Haldane by 2 points and to Westlake by 1. They barely practiced last week because the school was off for a few days and played with Dobbs Ferry for four quarters. Be afraid, be very afraid.
Players in the spotlight:
Rob Alexander, Dobbs Ferry. The senior running back/safety has been extraordinary all season. He’s been a stabilizing force all season and has the ability to put the team on his back.
Will Carter, Westlake: As great as Jesse DeBiase is, he cannot do it alone. Carter must take some of the pressure of DeBiase if Westlake gets a rematch with Rye Neck in the semifinals.
Nick Johnson, Rye Neck: There are so many playmakers on this defense, which has posted three shutouts. Johnson, who has a team-high 52 tackles, is in the middle of it all and will need to play well for the Blackhats to win.
Sir Aaron Taylor, Lincoln Hall: Some people believe he’s the most talented player in the conference. It’s possible. He’ll need to play nearly perfect, however, to guide his team past a deep Rye Neck squad.
Best first-round game: Bronxville at Croton-Harmon. The Broncos are finally getting healthy and are coming off a tough loss to Tuckahoe in a playoff-like atmosphere last week. That might have been the best thing for them.
Upset potential: Albertus Magnus over Westlake. I don’t think it’s going to happen. But based on the last two weeks, Albertus is a very different team after nearly upsetting Dobbs Ferry and pounding Blind Brook to get into the field. The pressure is all on Westlake here.
Semifinals: Rye Neck over Westlake; Dobbs Ferry over Croton-Harmon.
Championship: Dobbs Ferry over Rye Neck.

Schedule
Saturday
No. 4A Hastings (4-3) at No. 1B Dobbs Ferry (7-0), 1:30 p.m.
No. 3A Lincoln Hall (3-4) at No. 2B Rye Neck (6-1), 1:30 p.m.
No. 4B Albertus Magnus (2-5) at No. 1A Westlake (6-1), 1:30 p.m.
No. 3B Bronxville (3-4) at No. 2A Croton-Harmon (6-1), 1:30 p.m.

Semifinals
Hastings-Dobbs Ferry winner vs. Bronxville-Croton-Harmon winner
Lincoln Hall-Rye Neck winner vs. Albertus Magnus-Westlake winner

Finals
at Mahopac High School, Nov. 7-9

Here’s the latest installment of our Game Balls:

7. Trevor Smith and Billy Thomas, Brewster: The Bears needed a victory over Lourdes on Friday to earn a Class A playoff spot, and these two carried the offense. Smith rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries, and Thomas threw for 143 yards and two scores as Brewster won, 28-18, to clinch the League A-North title and a first-round matchup with Yorktown.

6. Eric Mercado, Kennedy: Again, a team with a playoff spot on the line gets a momentous effort from their senior star. Mercado delivered a stellar effort in Friday’s 21-6 win over Putnam Valley, rushing for 171 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries, and making five tackles and blocking a punt. Kennedy, a sleeper all season completely shut down Putnam Valley to earn its first playoff berth in 13 years. The Gaels get to be the ultimate underdog now. They face Rye on Friday night.

5. Bruce Grant, Fordham Prep: You’ve got to have a pretty good night to get a Game Ball in defeat. But Grant definitely qualifies. The running back gained 305 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries as the Rams nearly knocked off St. Francis Prep is a crushing 28-21 defeat. All three of Grant’s touchdowns gave Fordham Prep a lead. But, as has been the case in AAA this season at times, the Rams couldn’t hold on late.

Check back tomorrow for the next three Game Balls. I’ll announce the Player and Coach of the Week on Wednesday’s Varsity Central Live at 7:30 p.m.

The regular season wrapped up last weekend in Section 1 (there’s two weeks left in the CHSFL). So this will be the final rankings until after the championships at Mahopac on Nov. 7-9.

Large school rankings
1. Iona Prep (6-0): Unbeaten heading into St. Anthony’s on Saturday. But not unscathed. The Gaels will learn in the next few days whether junior QB Tyrae Woodson-Samuels (head) will be ready to play in a match up of two of the state’s top 6 ranked teams. Iona took care of Holy Trinity, 27-12, on Sunday behind four touchdowns from Jeff Mack.
2. New Rochelle (6-1): The Huguenots took acre of business in convincing fashion on Saturday, locking up a Top 3 seed and another league title. The two-time champs needed a win like that heading into the playoffs. Many aren’t calling them “the favorite” in Class AA. I’m sure that’s motivating them enough.
3. John Jay-EF (7-0): Saturday’s win over Ketcham secured the Patriots a league championship and the right to be the only undefeated team in Class AA, which is no small feat in League AA-North, which is the best in Section 1. Now John Jay is saddled with the label of being the top seed and favorite to win a sectional title, which it hasn’t had in a long time, if ever.
4. Ossining (7-0): The only relevance Ossining had this week was that the team it expected to play in the opening round switched with Fox Lane’s upset of Eastchester. Instead the O will host Fox Lane, which is a tougher matchup for them than Eastchester or Harrison. Fox Lane threw the ball well last week and will test the Ossining secondary unlike any other team it faced all season.
5. Somers (7-0): The Tuskers faced the toughest schedule in Class A and plowed through it without any problem, even with losing their two best players for a short time. Somers has the tougher road to the final than Ossining, having to face a dangerous Poughkeepsie team and then a Harrison-Nyack winner. But the Tuskers have proven they’re not afraid of anyone on their schedule.
6. Ramapo (6-1): Beating Clarkstown North 25-8 wasn’t the dominant effort I’m sure the Gryphons hoped for heading into the playoffs, especially considering Ramapo was losing 8-7 at the half. But, as Ramapo does, it broke some big plays and found a way to win. Beware: those big plays aren’t necessarily going to be there against the other playoff teams.
7. North Rockland (5-2): Five wins a row, including an emotional comeback win at Carmel, secured the Red Raiders second place in the league and a No. 5 seed. The reward? Going back to Carmel in the first round. A very bad break. Although if North Rockland can beat Carmel twice on the road, I’d really like its chances against John Jay the following week.
8. Carmel (5-2): Two things stunned me about the Rams in Saturday’s win over Mahopac — their 10th over their rival in 11 meetings. First, they ran the ball effortlessly despite injuries to linemen Chris Watkins and Steve Spiridigliozzi. Second, they had no prayer of the stopping the run… which could be attributed to not having Watkins and Spiridigliozzi. They’ll need to tighten up defensively against a North Rockland team that will surely try to take advantage.
9. Nyack (6-1): The Indians beat Sleepy Hollow to get into the playoffs, as expected, but had a curveball when they discovered they’d play Harrison, not Eastchester, in the quarterfinals. That changes things dramatically. Still, the Indians are the better team and should advance. It just makes the game planning a little tougher.
10. Rye (7-0): Stepinac’s loss to Holy Cross allows the Garnets back into the poll. Rye overcame a sluggish start against Ardsley (only ahead 14-6 after three quarters) and made the score look like it was a blowout. But I’ve had a high opinion of Ardsley, so Rye beating them is impressive nonetheless.
On the brink: Stepinac (3-4); Yorktown (6-1); Harrison (3-3); Brewster (5-2); Fordham Prep (3-4).

Small school rankings
1. Rye (7-0): The quest for its sixth straight Section 1 title begins. The last time Rye lost to a Section 1 team, I was in college.
2. Byram Hills (6-1): The Bobcats got a nice little boost into the playoffs with an easy win over Pelham.
3. Pleasantville (6-1): Another team with a tidy victory on the brink of the playoffs. Pleasantville, though, must now get by an underrated Ardsley squad.
4. Dobbs Ferry (7-0): Lincoln Hall had limited practices last week yet were very much in the game on Friday night? The Eagles team has to tighten up with the playoffs just days away.
5. Rye Neck (6-1): The Panthers got through the regular season losing just once, to Dobbs Ferry in a game it really could have won. They might enter the Class C playoffs as the most confident team.
On the brink: Nanuet (5-2); Edgemont (6-1); Sacred Heart (4-1).

Conference rankings
Class AA
1. New Rochelle
2. John Jay-EF
3. Ramapo
4. North Rockland
5. Carmel

Class A
1. Ossining
2. Somers
3. Nyack
4. Yorktown
5. Harrison

Class B
1. Rye
2. Byram Hills
3. Pleasantville
4. Nanuet
5. Edgemont

Class C/D
1. Dobbs Ferry
2. Rye Neck
3. Westlake
4. Tuckahoe
5. Croton-Harmon

Catholic
1. Iona Prep
2. Stepinac
3. Mount St. Michael
4. Fordham Prep
5. Sacred Heart

I ask that you head over to the Gameday Central blog and vote on this week’s GameFace of the Week.

There are a few pictures definitely worth checking out.