I arrived at Carmel just in time for the tug-of-war finale to the Lineman Challenge. The event had set up perfect for some closing drama. Arlington’s top team and FDR-Hyde Park’s top team were tied 50-50 after 10 events. Arlington had won three events and placed second in another while FDR had won two and placed second in three others.
The teams were placed on opposite sides of the draw in the tug-of-war tournament. They both kept advancing until the final, but it was all Arlington. The Admirals pulled there way to victory in seconds, leaving little doubt about the winner.
“I could not be more proud of our boys for all of their hard work since December in our offseason workouts, and of our staff for volunteering their time and all their effort all year long,” Arlington coach Dominick DeMatteo said.
Arlington earned 10 points for winning the event and finished with 60. FDR ended with 58, and was followed by Our Lady of Lourdes, which was a distant third. Brewster finished just two points behind in fourth.
It’s a great event because it shines a light on players who compete in the shadows. So here’s a look at Arlington’s five-man team:
Rob Barbieri, Senior: He’s a three-year starter and an emerging leader for the 2012 team
Devin Tasciotti, Senior: The 6-foot-5, 235-pounder started at offensive tackle opposite big Erik Kuklinski, who committed to Columbia
Dan Pelish, Senior: He’s going into his second year as a starter
Pat Guerra, Senior: He’s developed rapidly in just his second year as a football player and will likely play on defense
Jeff Cohen, Junior: He’s coming up from the JV and has emerged in the competition this offseason
Here’s the complete final standings for this year’s Lineman Challenge:
2012 Lineman Challenge at Carmel
1. Arlington 1 – 60
2. FDR-Hyde Park 1 – 58
3. Our Lady of Lourdes – 34
4. Brewster – 32
5. Putnam Valley – 22
6. Newburgh 1 – 20
7. Wallkill 1 – 16
8. Cornwall 1 – 14
T9. Poughkeepsie 1 – 12
T9. Dover 1 – 12
11. Red Hook 2 – 10
T12. Red Hook 1 – 4
T12. Cornwall 2 – 4
14. Carmel 2 – 2
These teams participated, but did not compile any points: Carmel 1, Arlington 2, Nanuet 2, Wallkill 2, Panas, John Jay-East Fishkill, Nanuet 1, Pleasantville 1, Poughkeepsie 2, Arlington 3, FDR-Hyde Park 2, Newburgh 2, Pleasantville 2, Dover 2, Pleasantville 3
A few other tidbits I picked up Saturday:
– Arlington RB Parker Howard has officially been ruled ineligible for his senior season. Despite attending just three years of high school at Arlington, Howard has been a high-school eligible student for four years. He is not eligible to play this fall. It’s obviously a crushing blow for the Admirals. Howard emerged as one of the section’s top players as a junior. He rushed for 1,460 yards and 12 touchdowns. – North Rockland seniors John Dapolito and Nick Connell have garnered Division I and II interest. Dapolito did not attend yesterday’s 7 on 7 because he was away visiting a school. The all-county FB/LB has received interest as a LB from Stony Brook, Wagner, Albany and UMass.Connell, an all-county RB/LB, will be used as the featured back this season, according to coach Tom Lynch. He is not as big as Dapolito, however, and has been recruited primarily as a defensive back by Wagner and Southern Connecticut.
– Eric Favors, who was a dominant nose tackle as a freshman for North Rockland, participated with the team at yesterday’s event. However, he has considered transferring to St. Joe’s of Montvale, which would obviously be a major loss for the Red Raiders (and Section 1 football). Favors would likely start on defense and play offensive guard. Despite boasting perhaps the section’s most returning talent after last year’s Class AA championship, North Rockland’s offensive line if its most depleted unit with only Joey Scheffold returning as a starter. It could sure use a player like Favors. – Somers has an interesting option at QB in John Decker. The senior is a star guard on the Tuskers’ basketball team, who, as you can see from my last post, is among those in competition for the final roster of Hudson Valley’s team at the BCANY Summer Hoops Festival.Decker played football through his sophomore year, but did not play as a junior. That talented passer has returned and inserted himself in competition to earn time at QB for Somers.
– North Rockland will host Clarkstown North, Suffern, Tappan Zee and Spring Valley at its camp from Wednesday to Saturday from 3-8 p.m.
119 Comments
knight time, you have no idea what goes on in practices and behind closed doors , best kids play , and you should be embarrassed by throwing INSULTS at kids AND SUPERIOR on this blog , GROW UP , GO TO WORK !!!!!!!!
Wow, didn’t think this story would have over a hundred comments… Guess we’re all really starved for football…
Nice to see all the familiar faces, LOL…
Anyway, kudos to R D I for his on-point analysis of Dutchess teams. Kinda wished Arlington vs. John Jay-EF was later in the year (or at least at night), though. I guess we’ll find out sooner rather than later whether Arlington’s advantages in enrollment and facilities finally translates into increased football success. Really can’t wait for September 14th – the day Poughkeepsie and Eastchester meet on Kalloch Field version 2.0 …
knight time June 20th, 2012 at 9:25 pm
7 on 7
junior not only plays but he starts,get real coaches kids and friends kids always play even if there not the best.
I HAVE TO AGREE WITH YOU 100%%
lourdes alumni you using the word “clearly” is quite a stretch…
knight time – ur a hv pop warner dad who kid isn’t the stud he was in peewee, grow up walsh hasn’t won all these years by playing favorites. I know who u are,stop the personal attacks or be exposed.
Loudmouth is right, I know Walsh from his JJEF days.
Best kids play….. period.
To say anything else is an uneducated opinion.
Jeff P thanks, Will Pok new field be ready for season? Heard it is going to be great facility.
Lourdes is clear heavy favorite for section this year and have a very good coach who is one of best in section and no disrespect to Lourdes but it is wrong to say they play in a jv league. First, it is an insult to all the kids in section who put their time in to be Varsity players, they work hard and deserve respect, especially from adults. Second, of course due to school sizes there will be more depth and talent in AA and A but many kids go on to play at different level of college, according to section 1 besides Croton kids, more graduating Irvington and Put Valley kids will be playing in college than Lourdes kids, look at all the Croton kids who are playing at d1 level and Westlake has a UConn commit coming back and sure many other kids will get chance to play at some level in college. Third, if JV league, Lourdes not Croton would be the returning back to back champions. Bottom line, you can easily lift up your team without knocking the other eleven teams.
bclass,
If I am reading the above correct, it wasn’t anyone from lourdes saying they play in a “JV” league.
It was a guy name knight time, obviously an Arlington guy.
Apologies to anyone from lourdes then as not directed at program but rather the person posting.
hear is a great idea , hopefully both arlington and lourdes make it to the dome , if they dont why dont they schedule a meaningless bowl game and play , after the game they can have a tug of war , lol. just adding some light , have fun its high school football
I wonder how many swat teams Dematteo will have this year playing POK.
Pok will always be in the chat because they are a very good football team. If POK was no good then no one would talk about them 
RDI,
I jog by the field every evening. It is moving very slowly. The district just closed down a second elementary school in the last 3 years so a grand facility being built is absurd to me. I’m all about the kids and I love my program but it’s like living in a parallel universe up here.
States,
I hear you. At least there is support on some level.
Here is Wappingers, there is no support at all. Both hs fields/stands are a horrible.
School board members spent more district money on lawyers for themselves than on both football programs have in their budget. You can’t make it up.
Good Luck to Pok this year.
RDI,
Good point. Playing at RCK and JJEF I was surprised that district’s support was low. If one man can turn things around over there, it’s Matt Cameron. He’s a good man and I think he can do great things for athletics in Wappingers.
Statesman,
I believe that funding for redoing Kalloch Field was part of some type of state capital improvement project designed to upgrade academic facilities in the Poughkeepsie School District. If I’m not mistaken, the funding wasn’t tied to the school budget. I do see your point, though; as much we love HS athletics, we can’t allow our priorities to become skewed. Education always has to come first, and the closing of schools due to budgetary concerns is an alarming trend which has to be addressed (Hyde Park became the latest district to close a school)...
I’m glad to hear that Matt Cameron got the the AD job for the Wappingers School District. While John Jay’s sports programs have been solid, Ketcham’s have seen better days (to put it mildly). Hopefully the Mr. Cameron will receive the support he needs to improve Wappingers athletics; as RDI mentioned, the WCSD School Board has its own issues it is dealing with…
@Statesman/R D I – - I hear you both aboujt the school boards doinmg nothing to provide the best facilities for the kids. The Harrison School board did nothing or no effort to build this field and IMO they were trying to take the money and use it elsewhere, but the money was privately funded for the football field none other. To make you laugh now the field is done for 2 years now, you will see a plaque with all the board members names on it taking the credit for the new field. Honestly, it was all of Big Joe’s deep pocket friends who funded the field, thats it! The HHS might of put up 300,00
Tomato,
I hear you on that. Can’t stand it when folks that have nothing to do with things hop in the limelight. I’ve seen folks that make life miserable for athletes, try to not let them go to team camps to develop their skills at games when things turned well with Poughkeepsie Football shirts on. Now the same folks are wearing the Section 1 Champion shirts, what a joke!
Props to Big Joe and his team. I remember the controversy spilling out on the blog. Def gained a lot of respect for him and am glad to see good philanthropy still exists.
Jeff,
That changes it all and softens my tone since it came some private money. Most districts are in a pinch right now. Not much taxes being paid in the area so you know the drill. Just hope good can come out of it for kids sake. Makes me count my blessings to be in the PCSD in its better days.
Tomato, LOL!!! Talk about stories getting swept under the rug. Someone called in a favor.