First things first: This is the last game in our picks’ contest. The. Last. Just amazing to think the 2012 Section 1 football season has reached its final act. It feels like practice just started.
Having said that, we will have a contest winner on Thursday morning (or Friday, or Saturday, or whenever these storms let Class A play some football again). So if you think this post is missing some of its usual facts and figures, don’t worry. They’re coming.
Now, on to today’s pick…
_
Let’s kick off the scouting report with this:
Somers is a great team. DeMatteo is a legend. I travel on his parkway frequently.
— Sleepy Hollow coach Steve Borys
Borys has given some funny, some inflammatory and some quirky quotes over the years, and this was certainly one of his best. Of course, in a few, succinct words, it probably sums up the consensus on this Class A final perfectly. Borys and his blue-collar team are big underdogs. They weren’t expected to be here and have far exceeded expectations with a serious infusion of young talent. They have never won the section since the dawn of the state playoffs. They’re not only going against a program that has, but also an unbeaten juggernaut coached by a man whose name, yes, graces a parkway.
Be it the statistical or the symbolic, evidence suggests a Somers victory. The Tuskers just beat Harrison 28-14 in win No. 301 for Tony DeMatteo, his team outplaying the same Huskies who handed Sleepy its only loss by a considerable, 31-8 margin.
In this case, there’s no doubt Goliath coaches David.
CLASS A CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 2A Sleepy Hollow (8-1) vs. No. 2B Somers (9-0)
When: Wednesday, 6
Where: Mahopac High School
Key players: Sleepy Hollow — Steve Bencosme (5-10, 170), Sr., RB/DB; Zeke Sierra (6-3, 220), Sr., TE/DE; Frank Curanaj (6-2, 285), Sr., OT/DT. Somers — Stefano Bicknese (5-11, 190), Sr., RB/DB; Joe Lombardo (6-0, 195), Sr., FB/LB; Dylan Owen (6-5, 235), Sr., G/DE.
Key matchup: Somers’ size vs. Sleepy’s speed
Outlook: Neither team has ever played for a Class A championship, but, for Sleepy Hollow, that is an understatement. The former perennial Class B contender had two tough seasons since joining A in 2010, but that changed dramatically this fall. Despite one of Class A’s smallest enrollments, Sleepy’s season included the program’s first win over Rye since 1989 and an upset victory over last year’s sectional finalist, John Jay. The Headless Horsemen then needed divine intervention from the football gods to beat Brewster in the semifinals, including two touchdowns in the final 1:36 to overcome a 21-10 deficit. They’ll certainly need that effort and more to defeat Somers, an annual Class A contender, but a team that hasn’t played for a title since 2001. The Tuskers beat Harrison 28-14 on Saturday, outplaying the same Huskies who handed Sleepy Hollow its only loss, convincingly, 31-8. Somers has superior size, strength and depth, but a healthier Lombardo and halfbacks Matt Morgante and Connor Vlasaty have taken the pressure off Bicknese. The defense will be challenged by the speed and quickness of Sleepy Hollow, particularly dual-threat quarterback Devin Lopez and emerging threats Dominic Onwe, Isaiah Sanjuan and Ronny Munoz. If Somers can contain that speed, it has all the elements to give coach Tony DeMatteo his first title since 2000.
Prediction: Somers 31, Sleepy Hollow 13
122 Comments
Sorry posted by phone just reviewed my mistakes sorry.
Lets go sleepy hollow.
I think class a should keep the playoffs in house. The state playoffs are for section who have no regular season competition. Keeping it in house and having the playoffs at a nice venue would be great. Also we don’t have to worry about scheduling games
Class A is a mess
Section 1 Class A is a scheduling disaster. Cornwall now has to wait until Mon or Tues to play because of this mess. If you want to size up your competition, check out this link.
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121107/SPORTS31/211070304
Pelham beats Riverside
Eastchester beats Hen Hud
ok brewster beats nyack, sleepy handles lakeland and ykt just beats them….and EHS doesnt beat hen hud, not this year…..so whats your point???
And if Poughkeepsie played Rye it would be a laugher.
Town had no one on their schedule as weak as Riverside and you know what I think of Saunders.
As for Chong, she is a great player but best in the nation? Many ranking services and other D1 coaches don’t think so.
She is however the best female ever to play basketball in section 1.
As for Sleepy, no hater here. Just like to look at things objectively, like my man The Donald, you my friend have a case of Pumpkin Head vision. Best of luck, you will need it just to get this game played. Weather can get quite bizarre around here this time of year.
Hope Chucky and Tony are one the phones trying to find a turf field down county so this game can get played tomorrow.
Remember Yorktown-Lakeland was a rivalry game, Eastchester DOES beat Hen Hud.
Town put 56 on JJCR. Town destroyed Nyack and Brewster took several overtimes to beat them and Sleepy used Flubber after the 4 minute warning to beat Brewster. Town played both Poughkeepsie and Somers. One would and the other will wax Sleepy, if the snow ever stops. The longer this chip game is postponed the longer Somers players have to rest and the more time Tony has to prepare.
Sleepy is very lucky to be in this game.They are probably the fifth best in class A.1.Somers.2.Harrison 3.Pough. 4.York 5. Sleepy.
LAUGHTER,you are correct , however , both teams must be honored and respected for being where they are today…as for STATESMAN …and HOLLOW FAN , i buy bank stocks because they have a license to steal , all my life in business ,i also hoped to screw any bank ... DO YOU KNOW THAT CHASE MADE 84 MILLION IN ONE MONTH COLLECTING PENALTIES AND FEES,,,they are a reverse ROBIN HOOD …THEY TAKE FROM THE POOR AND GIVE TO THE RICH
Laugher,, were here, your not, deal with it. stop the hating and enjoy the winter sports.
Lakeland-YKT is not a rivalry game….lakeland-panas is!, Hen Hud beats EHS, and Ms. Chong is the best HS player in the country, in gino’s opinion, that was his #1 recruit!
@laugher
There is no such thing as luck, its when opportunity meets preperation! And they are the top 2 teams in class A!!!
@big Joe
Greatest quote of the year “i buy bank stocks because they have a license to steal….” Now I know how that field got built….hahahah
Big Joe,
Could not agree with you more on the banks and Chase.. Jamie Diamond is the biggest crook of all of them.. He preaches accountability and fires people on a whim,,, When the Bank gets caught losing billions on a glorified ponsi he says the buck stops with him,,, yet he is still there…. Robin Hood indeed.
HEY GUYS ...GO READ THE CSHFL FIRST ARTICAL … I AM HAVING FUN WITH IONA POWER…I MADE THE FIRST AND ONLY POST TO THE ARTICLE , BECAUSE IT WAS THERE FOR 3 DAYS WITH OUT A COMMENT AND THE BATTLE GOES ON
@Dragon Fever – Nice article on White, and i cannot believe he is only a Junior. So that means he will be back next Season. UGH!!
@Chief – - pumpkin head vison LOL
Is Sleepy-Somers being played today and when and where?
Big Joe,
Must be nice. Thank for the stock tip. I’m going to start calling you Big Joe Morgan.
Old,
Good point my friend. touche, lol.
Chief,
The Pok maxpreps stats page isn’t cranking like it did last season so I only see a few games. Smith had a beast season, what Oliver did with that schedule is unparraled. Great to see him get a few carries as a FY for Ithaca too. Tyre Coleman at Hobart has 22.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, still one regular season game and they have a first round NCAA game on tap. Won the automatic bid de facto. Nice to see them doing well.
To My Man Hollow Fan: You want to see Haters come out in amazing numbers? Just go on the girls bball blog snd claim Chong is the best player in the country.
The O’Town/ Ricci haters on there will hunt you and your family down for a comment like that.
Best of luck today against the Tuskers.
@Hollow Fan: nice retort “There is no such thing as luck, its when opportunity meets preperation! And they are the top 2 teams in class A!!!”
That first part about preparation, is that some axiom you Sleepy guys get in gym class or what, the only times I have ever heard that old saw is from former Sleepy guys who are now coaches, yourself excluded.
The second part is total HYPE again as usual. It should say they are the 2 teams that made it to the final. If we learned nothing tonight, we learned Sleepy was far from one of the top 2 teams in class A.
As for the best player of a certain position in section one…..I will respectfully decline further comment.
Hollow Fan
I guess you never been to a LAKELAND-YORKTOWN lacrosse game its a rivalry come watch