SHARE

Sleepy Hollow Football Falls In Section Championship Game

SOMERS, N.Y. – The Somers High School football team captured its first section title in 12 years with a 42-13 win over Sleepy Hollow the Section 1 Class A championship Thursday night at Somers.

The Somers High School football team celebrates its Section 1 Class A Championship.

The Somers High School football team celebrates its Section 1 Class A Championship.

Photo Credit: Andrew Meola
Some of the Somers football players jump into the piles of snow near the end zone to celebrate the win.

Some of the Somers football players jump into the piles of snow near the end zone to celebrate the win.

Photo Credit: Andrew Meola

Somers head coach Tony Dematteo won his 300th game earlier this season and won his ninth section title Thursday. The Tuskers will face Section 9 champion Cornwall at Mahopac High School on Monday at 1 p.m.

“This is a great milestone for me,” Dematteo said. “To win 300 and the section in the same year is kind of special.”

The Tuskers and Horsemen played after numerous delays caused by Hurricane Sandy and the nor’easter that hit Westchester. The game was originally scheduled for Mahopac High School, but the field was not ready Thursday after the snowstorm Wednesday.

Somers took advantage of Sleepy Hollow’s mistakes and converted them into 36 points. Quarterback Devin Lopez threw an interception on the first play of the game, and Joe Lombardo eventually ran four yards for a touchdown with 6:47 remaining in the first quarter.

Sleepy Hollow was driving down 13-7 late in the first half. But another interception led to a 21-7 Somers lead instead of a 14-13 Horsemen lead heading into halftime.

“I think it just took away their momentum right away,” said running back Lombardo, the defensive MVP. “They were coming back, but that just took it right away from them so it was good for us.”

After Lopez’s third interception midway through the third quarter, Lombardo rumbled into the end zone to make it 28-7.

Stefano Bicknese rushed for his second touchdown after Lopez’s fourth interception to increase the lead to 35-7.

Sleepy Hollow gained momentum Dionel Infante returned a kickoff for a touchdown late in the third quarter to make it 35-13. The Horsemen then recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff to Somers and started a drive at the Somers’ 22-yard line.

But Lopez threw his fifth interception with 1:23 left in the third quarter on a fourth-and-goal from the 10-yard line. Bicknese found the end zone for the third time on a 36-yard run with 10:03 left in the fourth to put the game away.

Lopez threw his sixth and final interception with less than two minutes remaining in the game.

Bicknese earned offensive MVP honors and said the win was the culmination of a year of work.

“We wanted it more than anything from the beginning of the season,” he said. “Since the end of last season, we all worked really hard for this and we wanted it for Coach D and for ourselves, and we worked hard for this. We deserved it.”

to follow Daily Voice Tarrytown-SleepyHollow and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE