WICCOPEE – Like clockwork, the group instinctively flies to the same spot each time. In almost perfect formation.

Well, technically, they flock.

John Jay’s Jai’von Reynolds tackles Roy C. Ketcham receiver Zaahir Woody on Sept. 23.

Each day, around 5:30 p.m., a band of black birds fly over the John Jay High School football field during practice. It’s become routine, but the players and coaches still take notice and remark.

It’s a similar case for the Patriots defense and its crop of playmakers, actually. They, too, regularly fly to the same spot in synchronized form, most often toward a ballcarrier. But unlike the birds, which often land atop nearby electrical wires, this gaggle aims to knock opposing teams off a perch.

John Jay has won four consecutive games convincingly, including last week’s playoff qualifier to earn a berth in the Section 1 Class AA quarterfinals.

Three local Section 1 teams begin the formal playoffs Friday evening. The fourth-seeded Patriots host No. 5 Scarsdale at 7 p.m. and Arlington, the undefeated top seed in Class AA, takes on eighth-seeded North Rockland at 6 p.m. In Class A, sixth-seeded Our Lady of Lourdes visits No. 3 Somers at 7 p.m.

In preparation for Scarsdale’s formidable option offense, John Jay repeatedly had its scout team run triple-option plays with tricky pitch outs and laterals, giving the defense plenty to digest in practice.

“It’s about getting lots of reps so everybody feels prepared and comfortable going in,” linebacker Derek White said. “The key to defense is you have to understand what you’re doing and do your job. Consistency is important.”

Like clockwork, this program has reached at least the sectional semifinals in each of the last five seasons, including 2014 when it became the first Dutchess County team to win the Section 1 Class AA title. John Jay has become a model of consistency among area teams.

“That’s something we do take pride in,” coach Tom O’Hare said. “Our goal is be in contention every year and have a chance at a title.”

As the idiom goes, “Defense wins championships.” Now, that’s not always so. But a great defense certainly creates the possibility. It’s no different here, as a stout defense and a steady running game have led the Patriots to a 6-1 record.

During its four-game win streak, John Jay has held opponents to 7.7 points per game, including a 19-3 victory over Port Chester last week in the qualifying round. (Overall, in seven games, the Patriots are allowing 11 points on average.)

“We’ve been stopping them at the line,” inside linebacker Calvin Anthony said. “We haven’t given up many big plays, and I think that’s why we’ve been winning.”

Added White: “If you can’t score, you can’t win.”

Mock at your own risk, John Jay football means business

Anthony, a junior, and White, a sophomore, have emerged as forces in the middle of this defense. As well, the two have become close, a kinship that grew from them being likeminded football junkies. Weekends are often spent hanging out together, reviewing game film and comparing notes.

Birds of a feather, right?

“They’ve done an outstanding job,” O’Hare said. “They’re mature beyond their years and they’ve become leaders for us.”

A pair of John Jay High School defenders surround Arlington’s Ricardo Yolas on Sept. 16.

Anthony often is able to dissect an offense based on formation and motion, then relays the information to teammates and directs traffic. White has atypical linebacker size — at 5-foot-8, 170 pounds — but his quick reads, evasion of blocks and speed in pursuit have more than compensated.

“It’s great that we’ve got another year to play together,” White said of teaming with Anthony. “We’re going to keep getting better and really shine.”

Danny Diedrich, utilizing the quickness and vision that made him a star tailback, also is an impactful linebacker. Cornerbacks Dylan Burnett and Jai’von Reynolds have demonstrated the speed and agility to go step-for-step with most receivers, as well as the awareness and instincts to track the ball. Safety Skyler Smith has been solid in coverage and, when needed, near the line of scrimmage.

All of that will be needed against the Raiders (5-2), who enter averaging 27.1 points per game. And that triple-option, with its unusual action in the backfield, is designed to create confusion and dupe defenders.

That offense “preys on teams that are undisciplined,” O’Hare said. All it takes is one defender abandoning his gap assignment to create a crease for a runner to exploit.

Football’s ‘Big guys’ help ‘skinny kids’ take spotlight

Hence the need, O’Hare said, for “a lot of repetitions.” He lauded the play of his scout team offense along with defensive coordinator Jim Cancellari for their work in preparation.

“It’s a little different than what we’re used to,” defensive end Max Maybaum said. “But we’ll adjust to it. Everyone has to be disciplined and smart and we can shut it down.”

Birds of prey, it seems.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Football Friday

Follow the Journal staff on Twitter, Stephen Haynes (@StephenHaynes4), A.J. Martelli (@AJM_PoJoSports), Patrick Oehler (@PoJoPat) and @PJSports for live updates from Friday’s action. Visit http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com for complete coverage, including video interviews and photos.

Schedule

Section 1 Class AA quarterfinal: North Rockland at Arlington, 6 p.m.

Ketcham at Clarkstown North, 6 p.m.

Beacon at Lakeland, 6 p.m.

Section 1 Class AA quarterfinal: Scarsdale at John Jay, 7 p.m.

Section 1 Class A quarterfinal: Lourdes at Somers, 7 p.m.

Section 9 Class B quarterfinal: Spackenkill at Marlboro, 7 p.m.

Goshen at Poughkeepsie, 7 p.m.

Tri-Valley at Millbrook, 7 p.m.

Kingston at Roosevelt, 7 p.m.

Highland at Pine Plains, 7 p.m.

John Jay football head coach Tom O’Hare looks on during a game against Roy C. Ketcham on Sept. 23, 2016.

The Marlboro football team celebrates its win over Spackenkill in the Section 9 Class B quarterfinals.

MARLBORO – They ain’t champs for nothing.

The Marlboro football team erupted in the second half to push ahead and pull away from Spackenkill High School, 28-13, in a Section 9 Class B quarterfinal on Friday.

Before a rollicking home crowd, often implored to “make some noise,” the fourth-seeded Iron Dukes rode running backs Billy Williamson and John Perugino and scored 21 points in a dominant third quarter.

When the smoke settled — literally, too, as the teams played under a steady fog — Marlboro had sent a quick memo to the section and reminded us all of what it is capable, handling No. 5 Spackenkill. Suddenly, that fourth seed doesn’t seem too significant.

The Iron Dukes face top-seeded James I. O’Neill in the semifinals on Saturday, 3 p.m. at Middletown High School. That matchup will be a rematch of the final last season, in which the Iron Dukes prevailed to capture a fifth consecutive section title. Granted, O’Neill did beat Marlboro by 20 points in their meeting earlier this season.

But, by all appearances, this is a different team than it was in September. Heck, in the second half of this contest, the Iron Dukes looked like a different team than it had a half hour prior.

Williamson ran for 176 yards and three touchdowns, and Perugino rushed for 96 yards and a score to lead Marlboro (6-2). Eric Borchert added 73 yards, including a 40-yard burst. Jack Young had an interception and Jovhannie Andrades a sack in the third quarter.

The teams went into halftime tied at 7, but Marlboro responded from the outset of the third quarter, taking the opening second-half possession and marching 80 yards in 2:48 for a go-ahead touchdown. Williamson, whose bruising power runs and pile pushing were the impetus of that drive, scored on a 3-yard scamper. The running back, on a misdirection left, skipped into the end zone untouched to put the Iron Dukes ahead, 14-7.

After Spackenkill pulled within four points on Ryan Espinoza’s short field goal, Marlboro again zipped down the field and replied with a touchdown. This one, John Perugino’s 15-yard burst off the left that made it 21-10 with 4:36 left in the third.

On its next possession, the Iron Dukes put the scoreboard to work again in under a minute. Williamson scored from two yards out with 32 seconds left in the third. That score was set up by Perugino’s 33-yard run, which followed a 17-yard burst from Williamson.

Espinoza booted another field goal with 5:25 remaining, cutting the deficit to 28-13 for the Spartans (5-3).

Spackenkill tied it at 7 late in the first half, thanks to two big plays by Kabongo Barry. On and fourth-and-five, Camron Abalos threw deep to his receiver running a go route from the split end spot. Barry adjusted to the ball, slowed his momentum and twisted to make a leaping catch for 34 yards that brought the Spartans to the 6. On the next play, he took the handoff on a zone read and sprinted outside, around the right tackle, diving into the end zone 2:31 before intermission.

Williamson had put Marlboro on the board with 4:53 left in the second quarter, capitalizing on Young’s diving interception. The running back ran a sweep left and broke a tackle on the edge and outran the pursuit 40 yards up the sideline before dragging a defender into the end zone.

The rivals had met in the season opener in September, and Marlboro surged in the second half to erase a halftime deficit and earn a 46-28 home win.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Marlboro’s Billy Williamson carries the ball as Red Hook’s Eric Decker holds on to his leg during Marlboro’s 50-20 win on Sept. 24

MARLBORO – Once upon a time, in a land far away…

(Actually, it was two weeks ago in the same place. But play along.)

… There was a football team that was made to look inept on its home field. Try as it did, Marlboro could do little against mighty New Paltz High School and was dominated in an embarrassing, lopsided loss.

But as that Marlboro squad erupted in the second half to topple Spackenkill, 28-13, on Friday night in the Section 9 Class B quarterfinals, two weeks sure seemed like an eon.

A metamorphosis of the caterpillar into a butterfly? Eh, maybe. But for a program that has won five consecutive section titles, it’s more like the awakening of a drowsy giant.

Marlboro football tops Spackenkill, moves on in playoffs

“We know we got crushed and we didn’t play with heart or passion,” quarterback Sam Mongelli said of that 34-7 loss to New Paltz earlier in October. “So we tried to come out against Highland and show it, and tonight, we showed it there. We came out in the second half and dominated.”

The teams entered intermission tied, but the fourth-seeded Iron Dukes scored 21 points in the third quarter to push ahead and pull away. When the smoke settled — literally, too, as the teams played under a steady fog — Marlboro had sent a quick memo to the section and reminded us all of what it is capable, handling fifth-seeded rival Spackenkill. Suddenly, that fourth seed doesn’t seem too significant for Marlboro (6-2).

The offensive line controlled the point of attack and behind them, Billy Williamson racked up 179 yards and three touchdowns, and John Perugino rushed for 100 yards and a score to lead the Dukes. Eric Borchert added 73 yards, including a 40-yard burst. Jack Young had a second-quarter interception that preceded the first score, and Jovhannie Andrades had a sack in the third quarter to end a drive.

That win set up a semifinal showdown with top-seeded James I. O’Neill on Saturday, 3 p.m. at Middletown High School’s Faller Field. It will be a rematch of last year’s final, in which the Dukes prevailed. However, O’Neill did thrash Marlboro in their meeting early this season.

“It’s a game we’ve been waiting for, for a long time,” Perugino said, regarding their 63-43 loss to O’Neill on Sept. 9. “It comes up (in discussion) every week and we’re blessed to get another shot at them.”

On the other side of the bracket is New Paltz, the second seed, which plays in a semifinal on Saturday. This creates the possibility of a Marlboro versus New Paltz final. The stars — the seeds, at least — have aligned to give the Dukes an opportunity at a redemption tour. To paraphrase Drake, who once crooned, they’re “looking for revenge, all (autumn) ‘16.”

O’Neill didn’t do anything special strategically against Marlboro, the players said. The Raiders have an elusive, game-breaking tailback in Tiquan Scott and Marlboro, then, could do little to stop his cut-back runs. With 12 sophomores starting, the Iron Dukes are rebuilding, still learning, and still adjusting as the season goes.

“We don’t consider it pressure,” Williamson said of defending the five straight championships. “We just don’t wanna be the first team that doesn’t get it.”

But, by all appearances, this is a different team than it was in September. Heck, if Friday was an indication, this is a different team than it was two weeks ago.

And O’Neill isn’t infallible. Spackenkill proved that earlier this month, edging them in a 42-41 thriller. The Raiders defense, it seemed, was susceptible to big plays on the perimeter.

“They’re a senior-laden team, so I think the pressure is on them,” Marlboro coach Rich Ward said. “We’re gonna… see if we can somehow stay in the game with them.”

Of course, Marlboro is embracing the underdog role – one it doesn’t often get the chance to. The “once upon a time story” is more interesting that way.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

The Marlboro football team celebrates its win over Spackenkill in the Section 9 Class B quarterfinals.

Spackenkill’s Viktor Drasny and Marlboro’s Xhavit Papuli battle for the ball during Saturday’s playoff game at Marlboro High School. Spackenkill won 1-0.

MARLBORO – The fans came clad in Spackenkill athletic garb, roaring and chanting, their spirits not at all dampened by the persistent rain.

About 20 of them, classmates and fellow athletes, cheered loudly — and noticeably so — for the Spackenkill boys soccer team.

Talk about a home field advantage.

Never mind that the Spartans were about 15 miles from their actual home on Saturday morning, playing at Marlboro High School… against Marlboro High School in the Section 9 Class B quarterfinals.

“It’s definitely strange,” Spackenkill center back Kenny Brahms said. “We’ve never had that happen before.”

But between the raucous crowd and the second-seeded Spartans earning a 1-0 win over the host, it appeared to be home sweet home.

Viktor Drasny scored in the 19th minute for Spackenkill. He took a cross right from Travis Klipp and fired a liner into the right corner from 16 yards out, and the Spartans defense made it hold as they edged No. 7 Marlboro.

The Spartans (14-1) host third-seeded Rhinebeck in the semifinals at noon Tuesday.

“This wasn’t our best game, and we got away with some silly things,” Spackenkill coach Manny Blanco said, “but it’s the time of the year when you win and advance, and that’s all that matters.”

By virtue of the higher seed, the Spartans were to host this match, but with a downpour that continued from Friday into Saturday morning, Spackenkill’s grass field was waterlogged. The section determined that, with the semifinals beginning Tuesday, a postponement would be inconvenient. Instead, the teams agreed to have the match moved to Marlboro. For a few area teams this weekend, home was where the turf is.

“I’m here supporting my school,” said Nini Sher, a Spackenkill volleyball player who sported a poncho. “They always support us, so we’re here for them. It doesn’t matter the weather.”

She was among a group of Spartans standouts that included girls soccer players Caitlin Speranza and Eileen Fiore, and golf star Erik Stauderman.

“The boys team always comes to our games,” said Speranza, whose team hosts a playoff game on Tuesday. “We’re all really supportive of each other.”

Seldom did Spackenkill allow scoring chances, but the Iron Dukes had a three-on-one breakaway in the final minute. Goalie Quinn McGinnis, however, lunged quickly to his left for his third save, a sliding stop of a low liner ticketed for the corner.

“I thought, ‘I’m an aggressive keeper so I’m gonna go after it,’” McGinnis said. “Whatever happens, happens.”

What happened was a spectacular play, one that his coach admitted he missed while cringing.

Jawad Haidaoui made five saves for Marlboro (3-9). Despite dominating possession, a few mistakes and near misses cost Spackenkill potential goals, players admitted.

“But we’re moving on,” midfielder Jake Kaufman said. “Just keep advancing. We’ve got a chance at a championship.”

They’d love to bring it home.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Marlboro’s Yazeed Haidaoui headers the ball over Spackenkill’s, from left, Viktor Drasny and Evan Habert during Saturday’s playoff game at Marlboro High School.

Spackenkill’s Kenny Brahms reaches to console Marlboro’s Dominick Pendino after Spackenkill won Saturday’s playoff game at Marlboro High School.

From left, Marlboro’s Dominick Pendino and Spackenkill’s Jake Kaufman race for the ball during Saturday’s playoff game at Marlboro High School.

The Spackenkill boys soccer team before its playoff game against Marlboro.

Our Lady of Lourdes High School’s Joe Scaglione carries the ball through the South Park defense during the Class A New York State championship in Syracuse on Nov. 27, 2015.

The Our Lady of Lourdes High School football team is without a game this week, and coach Brian Walsh believes his program was blitzed by Section 1 in an “unethical” move.

However, Lourdes, Section 1 Executive Director Jennifer Simmons said, “isn’t being singled out.”

“They’re not the only team that won’t be playing this weekend,” Simmons said. “It’s a section-wide issue.”

Lourdes, which lost in the Section 1 Class A quarterfinals last week, was initially set to face Hendrick Hudson in a consolation game this Friday, but Walsh said he learned on Sunday that the game was off. Instead, Hendrick Hudson is scheduled to host John Jay-Cross River, and Lourdes has no opponent.

“We’ve been cheated out of a game,” said Walsh, whose team won the sectional Class A title en route to reaching the state final last year. “Section 1 shut us out. It’s completely unethical and (Simmons) allowed it to happen.”

Football: Lourdes football falls to Somers in quarterfinal

Lourdes athletic director Matt Pascale said it was agreed before the season that the four losing teams in the quarterfinals would form a loser’s bracket and face each other in Week 9 of the season. As it turned out, those teams would have been Hendrick Hudson, John Jay-Cross River, Sleepy Hollow and Lourdes. The matchup was to have been Lourdes versus Hendrick Hudson. But Sleepy Hollow opted instead to play Ossining in its “rivalry game,” which typically would have occurred in Week 10, and Hendrick Hudson agreed to face Cross River, leaving Lourdes as the odd team out.

Simmons said the possibility of Sleepy Hollow facing Ossining this week was known all along. Both teams lost in their respective playoffs, making possible a meeting this week and, Simmons said, “There isn’t a rule that the rivalry game has wait until Week 10.”

There are 19 Class A football teams in Section 1 and the odd number complicates matters in terms of pairings. And some teams, including Beacon, declined consolation games, citing injury-shortened rosters, so there already was a shortage of potential opponents.

Lourdes scrambled to find a replacement opponent, Walsh said. Simmons said Section 1 also sought for them an opponent, “but nothing panned out.” But it’s Walsh’s belief that the section should have done more to preserve the bracket or disallowed the late changes.

“In terms of laying blame at one school district, I’m not willing to do that,” Pascale said. “But the system they’ve put in place needs to be fixed. It’s on us as administrators not to fail our kids. A lot of the seniors won’t play football beyond this, and they’ve been robbed of a game.”

Walsh said he expects his team to play next week, but the Warriors have yet to find a Week 10 opponent.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Teammates looked on with bated breath, nervousness stifling their elation. It wasn’t over yet.

Jake Kaufman dived to his right and extended his arm, reaching out just in time to deflect the final penalty kick and send the Spackenkill High School boys soccer team to the Section 9 Class B final.

He sprang to his feet and rushed toward his giddy teammates, who formed a celebratory dogpile on their home field.

The second-seeded Spartans had just edged No. 3 Rhinebeck in a 4-3 round of penalty kicks to break a 1-1 tie Tuesday, and Kaufman was a hero.

Dramatic! But, wait a minute. Isn’t Kaufman a midfielder?

He is. But Spackenkill has been experimenting with him at goalkeeper in practice in recent weeks. And Kaufman’s “knack for reading shots” convinced them he was capable of being their penalty-kick goalie, coach Manny Blanco said. Even if it meant making his debut in a playoff game.

“We thought he’d have a chance at blocking a shot,” Blanco said. “He got two.”

And scored one. Kaufman, Andrew Moreira, Travis Klipp and Joey Guerriero each scored a penalty kick. Guerriero’s was the winner, buried in the left corner.

Quinn McGinnis had four saves for Spackenkill (15-2), which faces No.1 Fallsburg in the final on Thursday, 4 p.m. at Middletown High School.

Rhinebeck’s Quinn Graziano, left, fights for possession of the ball with Spackenkill’s Mike Spero, right, during Tuesday’s game.

Kelvin Nunez scored the winner in double overtime as Fallsburg edged No. 4 Dover, 2-1, in the other semifinal. Jamal Williams’ goal, off a pass from Wyatt McIntyre, gave Dover a lead in the 14th minute, but Nunez tied it eight minutes later. Dover played a man down most of the second half after a red card.

“These guys left everything on the field,” Dragons coach Bob Esposito said. “I couldn’t ask for more.”

Rhinebeck and Spackenkill had split two regular-season games, with each scoring 1-0 wins over the other.

In this contest, Nick Genco put the Spartans on the board in the 27th minute. But Joe Boland tied it for the Hawks two minutes before halftime. Ethan Viator had six saves for Rhinebeck (13-3-1).

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Rhinebeck’s Gage Stickle, right, heads the ball during Tuesday’s game against Spackenkill.

Spackenkill’s Nick Genco, center, goes for the ball as Rhinebeck’s Finn Ashworth, right, follows close behind during Tuesday’s game.

The Millbrook boys soccer team huddles during its Section 9 Class C final against S.S. Seward.

MIDDLETOWN – The Blazers jumped ahead.

The Blazers came from behind.

But, when their top-seeded opponent pulled ahead with under four minutes left, the Blazers ran out of time.

The Millbrook High School boys soccer team fell a goal short of its goal on Wednesday, losing the Section 9 Class C final to S.S. Seward, 3-2, at Middletown High School’s Faller Field.

“It (stinks) and it’s hard to deal with,” Millbrook’s Zeke Kopilak said. “But I know we played really well. We did a great job, especially in that first half, and we should be proud of ourselves.”

His coach, Kyle Shoemaker, smiled while walking off the field, and reminded his team of its feat.

“We overachieved just getting here,” Shoemaker said.

The second-seeded Blazers entered as underdogs, and had lost to Seward in the regular season, but it didn’t appear that way as they dominated for stretches. But the Spartans cashed in on their chance in the waning minutes.

Millbrook lost to Webutuck in the final last season, and last won the section title in 2007. But the Blazers rode a late-season surge and came within minutes capturing the championship.

Seward (13-2-2) faces the Section 11 champion in a regional semifinal on Tuesday.

Kopilak tied the score at 2 in the 44th minute. The midfielder, whom his coach described as having “great touch,” drilled a high liner from just inside the box that sailed over the head of the leaping goalie.

Seward went ahead, 2-1, briefly on Liam Fritsch’s goal two minutes into the second half. Fritsch collected a deflection off the keeper and set it back in from close range. Joe Villani had tied the score at 1 for Seward with 5:21 left in the first half.

Andrew Graham had put Millbrook on the board with 16:41 left in the first half, tracking a free kick near the left post and lining it in.

The Blazers (7-9) controlled possession and created a number of scoring opportunities early, but narrowly missed a number of shots. As well, midfielder Carson DeMan turned away three quality passes in the box, and defender Jack Malles made a defensive save of a potential empty-net goal.

“I just think we got a little tired in the second half,” said Shoemaker, whose team utilized a 4-3-1 formation in the playoffs that helped it reach the final. “But we have no reason to hang our heads.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Webutuck girls soccer teams jogs off the field before its Section 9 Class C final against Sullivan West.

MIDDLETOWN – How could Webutuck reflect on this season and not harbor positive memories?

The girls soccer team had its season cut short, eliminated in a 2-0 loss to Sullivan West High School on Wednesday. But that defeat came in the Section 9 Class C final.

The Warriors weren’t supposed to be there at Middletown High School. For a team that hadn’t sniffed the postseason in four years, that hadn’t made the final in a decade, and that had just 13 overworked players on its short roster, getting this far would seem a fantasy.

Indeed, it was. But it was realized.

“I wasn’t sure we could get here, so I’m extremely proud of them,” Webutuck coach Mark Moren said. “Especially since we hadn’t even been in sectionals since my seniors were in eighth grade. Just getting here is big for us.”

And consider that those seniors he mentioned, are only three members of the young squad that features nine underclassmen.

Josephine Martinez scored twice in the first half to lift No. 3 Sullivan West over the fourth-seeded Warriors (6-10-1). Laura Mendez made nine saves in defeat. The Bulldogs face the Section 1 champion on Tuesday, 5 p.m. at Yorktown High School.

What gave some reason to consider it a possibility the Warriors could have pulled this upset was because Webutuck had shaken the bracket on Monday. They stunned top seed and defending champion S.S. Seward, 1-0, in the semifinals.

“The girls weren’t sure what to expect because most of them had never been in the playoffs before,” Moren said. “So beating Seward gives us a lot of confidence going forward.”

And, at the very least, reason to look back fondly on this season.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Spackenkill High School’s Nini Sher.

It was rare that Nini Sher would actually succeed. Each time, her opponents would have a decided advantage in height, strength, skill and experience. The losses mounted, as did her frustration.

“I’d get so upset,” the Spackenkill High School volleyball standout said. “I probably got cheated sometimes. In fact, I’m still bitter about it.”

The rules never were clearly defined, and they seemed to change on whims.

The only certainty was that the lamps and picture frames were out of bounds. Out of bounds — meaning damaging those items crossed the line that got their mother upset.

These were the ultra-serious living room volleyball matches staged in the Sher home, with couch pillows and cushions stacked to represent the net. It’s where Nini first began to develop her technique, and the competitive embers first were sparked that later would allow her to become a star on the varsity team.

Wednesday, she had 19 kills and three aces in leading Spackenkill to a 25-27, 25-19, 25-17 win over Rondout Valley in the Mid-Hudson Athletic League final.

The Spartans (15-1) captured their first MHAL title since 2014 and, as the third seed in the Section 9 Class B playoffs, will host No. 6 James I. O’Neill in the quarterfinals at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

“After winning (MHAL), we realized we can go really far,” said Sher, a junior. “This was a steppingstone.”

As were those maddening living-room losses to her dad and older sister growing up.

Sher’s family migrated from Israel to Poughkeepsie when Nini was two years old. Sports helped the family assimilate.

Her father, Oren Sher, received a job offer in New York, so the family moved to the United States. Nini was too young to have noticed, but for her parents and three older sisters, there was a big adjustment in culture.

Hebrew still is often spoken in their house and Nini said her mom, Liat Rusek-Sher, enjoys preparing Middle Eastern cuisine. As well, several kids had difficulty pronouncing her given name, Anilee (“Ah-nee-li”), often calling her “Anna Lee.” Nini was a nickname later given to her by her grandmother.

Volleyball eased the transition. Oren Sher had played volleyball in America while attending UCLA in the late 1980s, before returning to Israel. Athletics became a way for him to connect with his daughters and another way for them to bridge the gap between themselves and classmates.

Gai Sher, 24, played volleyball in high school and on travel teams; Yuni Sher, 22, went on to play basketball at Pace University; Nur Sher, 19, now plays volleyball at Towson University and was the Journal’s 2014 High School Volleyball Player of the Year.

“But I didn’t want to be like them,” Nini, 15, said. “I wanted to beat them.”

So the little sister would try with all our might to contend, though she admits to losing “at least 90 percent” of those matches. But forged there was a sibling rivalry with Nur, which would carry onto the high school courts.

The Spackenkill volleyball team poses after winning the Mid-Hudson Athletic League title on Wednesday.

Nini, who began playing organized volleyball at age 8, was promoted to Spackenkill’s varsity team as an eighth-grader, during Nur’s junior year. Both alternated between setter and outside hitter, so they competed constantly, and practice sessions sometimes became personal battles. Nini, Spartans coach Cassi Diamond said, “is super competitive and felt like she had to prove herself to her sister.”

“It got intense,” Nini said. “I’d go hours without talking to her because I hated losing so much.”

But there were positives to be gained in defeat. Those losses, as much as actual scholastic matches, drove them both to improve. And their father was all for the competition. Even after winning the MHAL title, Nini said her dad immediately texted her a reminder that the focus now shifts to pursuing a section championship.

Spackenkill, Diamond said, has the talent to do so. Along with Sher, the team features a number of standouts including Julieanne McKee, a setter and outside hitter, outside hitters Samantha Wile and Bailee Abalos, and middle hitters Amaya Anderson and Maya-K Johnson.

Collision course: Pawling, Millbrook brace for volleyball rematch

Nini and Nur now are best friends. But during those sibling skirmishes, Nini took notice of Nur’s “mental approach” and subtle nuances, eventually incorporating that into her game.

“She sees things that other players might not,” Diamond said of the younger Sher. “She’s a reliable setter and, more than her talent, she reads the court so well and finds holes while hitting.”

With that, the Spartans have aspirations — expectations, even — of reaching the state tournament for the first time since 2014. “The whole team has done well,” Diamond said. “If everyone’s game is on, I think we can get back to that stage.”

Rehearsals in the living room, perhaps.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4 

Lourdes volleyball building ‘something that’s amazing’

The Rhinebeck girls soccer team got its wish.

Sisters Michelle and Marissa Giamportone each scored as the third-seeded Hawks scored a 2-0 win over No. 2 James I. O’Neill in the Section 9 Class B semifinals on Friday.

But that was within their control. The wish, actually, was granted a few minutes after Rhinebeck did its part, when rival Spackenkill wrapped up a victory in the other semifinal.

Now, the showdown is set — a rematch of last year’s final. Spackenkill, the five-time defending champion, will square off with Rhinebeck on Monday, 4 p.m. at Middletown High School.

“It’s not about revenge,” Hawks coach Matt Grande said, “but facing them makes us better. Our goal was to make it back to the final and have another chance at them.”

Mission accomplished. Michelle Giamportone, a senior, put the Hawks on the board with 18:28 left in the second half. Marissa Giamportone, a junior, scored with 12:53 remaining. Dani Amidon made eight saves for Rhinebeck (16-2).

Meanwhile in Poughkeepsie…

Eileen Fiore had two assists and Caitlin Speranza, Gabrielle Prichard and Maddie Cutler each scored as the top-seeded Spartans beat No. 4 Ellenville, 3-1, in the other semifinal. Kait Kilpert added an assist and Maddie McCall made three saves for Spackenkill (16-1).

“Our only defeat this year was to (Rhinebeck), so we’re looking forward to seeing them again,” Spartans coach Mike Corbett said. “When we lost to them, we might’ve been a little overconfident. That won’t be the case now.”

Spackenkill and Rhinebeck split two earlier meetings. The Spartans won, 3-1, in the regular season and the Hawks edged them, 1-0, in the Mid-Hudson Athletic League semifinals two weeks ago.

“I think we’re all anxious for this,” Rhinebeck defender Libby Mensch said. “Beating them in MHAL was definitely a confidence boost and I think we have all the components.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4 

Soccerball

Sofia Germano scored two goals, including the winner with seven minutes left, as the second-seeded Arlington girls soccer team rallied from behind and topped No. 3 Yorktown High School, 3-2, in a Section 1 Class AA semifinal on Friday.

The Admirals advance to the final for the first time since 2012 and will face fourth-seeded Suffern at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Yorktown High School.

Arlington erased an early 2-0 deficit and applied heavy pressure in the second half. The Admirals, coach Kieran McIlvenny said, had two goals waved off in the five minutes preceding Germano’s. But that one sure counted.

From a scrum inside the box, Kendall Feighan sent a quick one-touch pass to Germano, and the freshman tapped it in from 2 yards out.

Alyssa Francese scored twice early for Yorktown before “our defense tightened up” in the second half, McIlvenny said. Germano got Arlington on the board in the 31st minute and Feighan tied it two minutes into the second half, scoring off a pass from Michaela Fasolino.

Becky Gold made two saves, including a spectacular stop of Francese on a breakaway in the second half for the Admirals (16-3).

“We’ve come back in the second half of the last couple games we’ve played,” McIlvenny said. “It shows tenacity and we’re excited to be in the final.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Soccerball

Our Lady of Lourdes cross county runner Caroline Timm won the Northern Counties Championship on Oct. 28, 2016.

The Arlington boys and girls cross country teams won their respective meets in the Northern Counties Championship at Bowdoin Park on Friday.

Colin Waters took second, completing the 3.1-mile course in 17:08 to lead the Admirals, who had 29 points and finished ahead of Carmel (69). Our Lady of Lourdes took fourth (135).

John Jay’s Sean Murray won the race, finishing in 16:59 to pace the Patriots, who placed sixth overall. Lourdes junior Caroline Timm won the girls race, finishing in 19:04, though the Warriors took ninth place.

“On the guy’s side, we were defending champs and the favorite, so we wanted to make a statement and we did,” Arlington coach Steve Arnett said. “But the girls came in as underdogs. This was a bit unexpected, so it’s exciting. I’m very proud of the kids.”

For Arlington, Joe Morrison took fifth (17:20), Matt Dillon took sixth (17:22), Brendan Foley placed seventh (17:29), Michael Asselmeyer was ninth (17:38), Andrew Pfeifer 13th (17:50) and Max Glabowski 19th (17:56).

Luke Della Pietra of Lourdes took 11th (17:45), John Jay’s Jack Ninos took 18th and Richard Cintron of Roy C. Ketcham was 20th.

On the girls side, Riley Loughlin placed fifth (20:18) and Madeline Garrett was seventh (21:14) to lead Arlington, which edged Brewster, 46-49. John Jay finished third.

Pawling’s Katelyn Huggard took fourth (20:17) and John Jay’s Rachel Williams was eighth (21:14), John Jay Janet Geary took 19th.

For Arlington, Mikayla Anderson was 10th (21:19), Emily Pinheiro took 11th (21:28), Anna Mae Nellis was 13th, Courtney Cunningham 20th and Julia Sclafani 25th.

It would have been easy to dismiss the Millbrook football team a month ago. Heck, the schedule almost did. The Blazers had lost three of their first four games and were ravaged by injuries.

So it’s only fair, with this team now headed to the Section 9 Class C final, that we allow them to strut a little.

“People forgot about us,” Millbrook coach Sean Keenan said. “Some people said it was an embarrassment. But now we’re gonna be playing for a section title for the third straight year.”

Jacob Wright completed 6 of 9 passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns to lead the third-seeded Blazers in a 36-22 win over No. 2 Chester in a sectional semifinal on Saturday.

Millbrook faces top-seeded John S. Burke Catholic at 7 p.m. Saturday, at Middletown High School’s Faller Field.

Delvin Wood rushed for 150 yards and a touchdown and also had a receiving touchdown, while Cody Homa ran for 96 yards and a score for Millbrook (5-4), which had been blown out by Chester earlier this month. Linebacker Tom Gjergji made eight tackles and defensive end Mike Passarelli had seven stops, helping contain the Hambletonians’ power running game.

John S. Burke, previously a Class B team, has a big roster — in terms of quantity and the actual size of the players — along with a star tailback.

“But we’re gonna prepare and play our style,” Keenan said. “We’ve been knocked around pretty good, but our kids have persevered.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

lh logo: football

The Arlington football team preps for its Section 1 Class AA semifinal against Scarsdale. Oct. 29, 2016.

FREEDOM PLAINS – The adopted motto for the Arlington football team was “Keep swinging.” After each of its victories in the first two months of the season, the players and their coach would echo that mantra. The Admirals, in essence, were comparing their season, a potential rebuilding campaign, to a boxing match and the schedule an opponent.

In their success — enjoying the best start in program history — it was a reminder that the opponent was only staggered, but hadn’t yet fallen. The combinations flew steadily and landed.

But that remarkable run ended on Saturday night as the top-seeded Admirals were upset at home by No. 5 Scarsdale High School, 41-7, in the Section 1 Class AA semifinals.

Scarsdale, which beat John Jay the previous week, dealt Arlington (8-1) its first loss. The Raiders face defending champ New Rochelle in the final on Saturday at Mahopac High School.

The Raiders stuck an uppercut early and didn’t look back. Barry Klein threw two touchdowns and ran for an 82-yard score on the second play of the game, leading Scarsdale (7-2).

But the Admirals didn’t relent. Ricardo Yolas’ 10-yard touchdown got them on the board 1:30 before half — his score preceded by Zac Dingee’s 54-yard pass to Elijah Greene. Andrew Biasotti had an interception in the second quarter, and EJ Escoto recovered a fumble in the fourth.

Three weeks ago, when it was Arlington that absorbed the haymaker, that battle cry again applied. A season-ending injury to its starting quarterback seemed to signal the Admirals’ magic carpet ride was perhaps coming to an end. But the Arlington kept swinging, slugging its way through two more rounds.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

YORKTOWN HEIGHTS – How well can Molly Feighan dance?

Arlington High School girls soccer players celebrate with the Section 1 plaque after defeating Suffern 2-0 to win the Class AA championship at Yorktown High School on Sunday.

It wasn’t a rhetorical question when broached after the Section 1 Class AA championship game on Sunday. We asked only because the Arlington soccer standout sure seemed capable of cutting a rug — or turf, as it were — and made defenders appear to have two left feet.

As the Admirals celebrated their Section 1 title, the players and their coach formed a circle and performed a line dance of sorts. And minutes later, in response to the query, Feighan broke into what she described as her “signature” shuffle.

But, really, the forward had boogied all afternoon.

Feighan flashed fancy footwork, scoring a spectacular goal and dishing a slick assist to lead second-seeded Arlington High School over No. 5 Suffern, 2-0, in the final at Yorktown High School.

From left, Arlington’s Molly Feighan and Suffern’s Jackie Santangelo battle for the ball during the Section 1 Class AA championship game at Yorktown High School on Sunday.

“This means a whole lot,” she said. “At the beginning of the year we discussed our goals and the whole team said, ‘Let’s win sectionals.’”

The Admirals, who last won the title in 2012, face Section 4 champ Vestal in a regional semifinal on Wednesday, 6 p.m. at Corning High School.

“It’s a (culmination) of all their work,” Admirals coach Kieran McIlvenny said. “This was absolutely brilliant.”

Arlington controlled possession from the outset and had a number of runs at the box, forcing Suffern to make two early saves. It seemed only a matter of time before the Admirals would break through.

About 14 minutes, to be exact.

Arlington boys soccer ready for next year after section final loss

That’s when Meggie Buttinger struck, putting Arlington on the board in the first half. Feighan maneuvered around two defenders on the left wing and sent a quick cross to the forward about 5 yards out, and Buttinger drilled a low liner behind the goalie

“Whoever scores first gets to control the game,” Buttinger said. Her team needed second-half comebacks to win the previous two rounds. “It’s much easier when you’re playing with a lead.”

Not that it ever seemed the Admirals were in danger of skipping a beat. The defense and midfield dominated, dictating the action and seldom allowed Suffern legitimate scoring chances. The Mounties almost had a breakaway in the 23rd minute, but defender Annaliese Tucci chased the ball carrier and drove her toward the left sideline before forcing a turnover.

Caroline Neville made a similar play six minutes later, using her body to deflect a shot from the left post, then coming away with the ball. Becky Gold had three saves for Arlington (17-3).

Arlington’s Meggie Buttinger is flanked by teammates celebrating her first-half goal against Suffern during the Section 1 Class AA championship game at Yorktown High School on Sunday.

“I knew we needed to shut down everything,” Tucci said of the defense, which has been a staple of this team during its campaign. “That’s our job and we take pride in that.” 

The Admirals utilized spacing and delivered long — but precise — passes to breach the box. Again. And again. Granted, Feighan didn’t seem to need much help on her goal that gave Arlington a 2-0 lead with 32:19 remaining. The junior dribbled toward the center of the field, spun and reversed pivot against a double team, then fired from 20 yards into the upper left corner. The play elicited chants of her name from the crowd.

“It was awesome,” Buttinger said. “She couldn’t have done it any better.”

So, can she dance?

“She can do the Irish jig!” McIlvenny said, laughing. “She’s a dancer on and off the field.”

And for Arlington, right now, they all have reason to get down.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4 

Arlington High School’s Meggie Buttinger, right, takes control of the ball with a Suffern defender behind her during the Section 1 Class AA championship game at Yorktown High School on Sunday. Arlington won the game 2-0.

The Spackenkill girls soccer team celebrates after winning the Section 9 Class B final on Monday against Rhinebeck.

MIDDLETOWN – It sounded almost like a rant. Eileen Fiore implored her teammates in earnest to put forth their best effort on Monday. No game, she reminded them, should ever be taken for granted.

For a Spackenkill girls soccer program accustomed to success, it’s not without reason to believe complacency was possible — even entering a sectional championship rematch against an archrival.

“Don’t give yourself any reason to have regrets!” the forward screamed.

No regrets.

Gabrielle Prichard and Caitlin Speranza each scored as the top-seeded Spartans beat No. 3 Rhinebeck High School, 2-0, and captured a sixth consecutive Section 9 Class B title at Middletown High School.

“I’ve been on the team for all six and I remember the seniors always saying, ‘Don’t hold back anything because you’ll regret it,’” Fiore said. “Now, as a senior, I fully understand that.”

Speranza put Spackenkill on the board with 26:19 left in the first half. Prichard tracked the ball deep in the right corner and sent a long lateral pass to Speranza, who settled it against a defender five yards in front of the goal. The forward spun, quickly centered the ball, then sent a bullet into the upper left corner.

Spackenkill’s Alyssa Barahona, right, winds up for a kick as Rhinebeck’s Stephanie Cassens, left, defends during Monday’s Section 9 Class B girls soccer final.

“It’s really satisfying,” midfielder Maria Barefoot said. “A lot of us have been on the team for a long time, so it meant a lot to win one more time with this group.”

Spackenkill (17-1) faces Section 1’s Bronxville or Section 4’s Chenango Forks in a state regional final 2 p.m. Friday, at Middletown High School.

Fiore had suffered a torn ACL in the section final last year. After undergoing surgery last winter and enduring a grueling rehab process in the spring, she returned to form this season. But with that she knows, perhaps better than most, to cherish each moment on the field.

“This meant a lot to me personally,” she said. “To come back in the same (round) and against the same opponent, also on Halloween, and get it done. This is special.”

Spackenkill held possession for the majority of the contest and, after the opening five minutes, steadily applied pressure. Barefoot anchored the midfield and, four times, redirected passes in the box for defensive stops.

Prichard made it 2-0 with 8:40 remaining, sailing a liner into the far corner from 10 yards right. Maddie McCall had four saves for the Spartans.

“It was a job well done,” Prichard said of her team’s performance. “Honestly, winning it six straight times is amazing.”

Rhinebeck (16-3) had chances in the second half but was stymied. Prichard disrupted what, for a second, appeared to be a breakaway. She chased down two offensive players and forced an errant pass that went wide. With 21:12 remaining, defender Alyssa Barahona slid in front of the goal to deflect a shot from close range.

Spackenkill’s Caitlin Speranza, right, takes the ball down the field during Monday’s Section 9 Class B girls soccer final against Rhinebeck.

After winning their respective semifinals, both teams were gleeful of the news that the other advanced. This was the ballyhooed rematch the rivals wanted. The Spartans denied Rhinebeck a championship last season, eking out a 1-0 overtime victory.

But Spackenkill, too, believed there was something to prove against this opponent because it was Rhinebeck that blemished its record two weeks ago with a 1-0 win in a Mid-Hudson Athletic League semifinal.

“It felt like unfinished business,” Speranza said. “Now we finished it.”

Still, after this game there was another important matter to tend to: Halloween.

Several Spartans planned to go trick-or-treating, but with the long bus ride home, they worried it might be late to get changed and sort out costumes.

“We might just wear the uniforms and go as ourselves,” Speranza said, shrugging. “Go as champions.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

On the web

Visit http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com to see photos and video interviews from Monday’s Section 9 Class B girls soccer final.

Soccerball

Spackenkill football player Camron Abalos and his sister, Bailee Abalos, a Spackenkill volleyball player, pose together.

Faster than a speeding running back, more powerful than a linebacker, and able to leap tall defenders in a single bound.

For years, observers of Spackenkill High School football watched in awe as Camron Abalos set records and made routine the spectacular.

The quarterback even saved his best for last, scoring a career-high eight touchdowns to lead the Spartans to victory in his final varsity game last Saturday.

Abalos’ most astonishing feat, perhaps, came off the field. For goofs, he caught a football with one hand… while upside down… during a backflip.

The footage of that went viral last year and friends still marvel. And with good reason.

But here’s a little secret:

“I deserve some credit,” said Bailee Abalos, a Spackenkill sophomore whose volleyball team begins the Section 9 Class B playoffs on Wednesday. “I taught Cam everything he knows.”

She meant that facetiously, but some truth was revealed in jest. After all, it was Camron’s little sister who taught him how to somersault, among other things.

Section 9 football crossovers: Abalos puts on a show in Spackenkill finale

“Every time she teaches me something,” he joked, “I end up being better at it than her.”

That’s debatable. What can’t be questioned is the bond the two share — one that wasn’t at all frayed by 200 miles of separation. And the siblings’ connection has strengthened since they reunited last fall, though unfortunate circumstances provided the impetus.

Their parents, Alvin Abalos and Kristina Mennig, are divorced and moved apart six years ago. At the time, Alvin Abalos said, the kids were given a choice of which parent they preferred to live with. The decision wasn’t easy, but Camron chose his father and the two remained in Poughkeepsie. Bailee, then in fourth grade, picked her mom.

Mennig moved with Bailee upstate to Tully, a small town about 20 miles south of Syracuse.

“It was really difficult and, at that age, I didn’t fully understand what was going on,” Bailee Abalos said. “But being a girl, I was closer to my mom.”

Camron Abalos was in middle school and reluctant to leave his friends. As well, he was heavily involved in athletics and idolized his dad, a former three-sport athlete at Roy C. Ketcham High School.

“I never realized how much I’d miss them and how different things would be,” Camron said. “I would call my mom every night and talk to Bailee a lot, but it’s not the same as having them around.”

On holidays, Camron and his father would travel upstate to visit Bailee. And on weekends, when possible, their mother brought Bailee to the Hudson Valley and attended Camron’s games.

Spackenkill’s Camron Abalos jumps over O’Neill’s James Matautia during a game on Oct. 1, 2016.

The siblings frequently kept each other posted on whatever they had learned. When Bailee taught herself how to play pop songs on the piano by watching YouTube tutorials — Katy Perry’s “Firework” was the first — Camron emulated it. His mom had him enrolled in piano classes as a small child, until he gave it up. But Bailee playing contemporary hits? His interest was piqued, so he followed her lead.

Spackenkill football rallies back to stun O’Neill

It was during a summer visit that he asked her to teach him how to do a backflip. “She’s a pretty good teacher,” he said. “I got it the first day.”

But no matter how often they visited, Bailee said, sadness would set in when it was time to leave.

When their aunt was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor last year, Mennig wanted to be near her sister in LaGrange, so she moved with Bailee to Pleasant Valley last November. Bailee now splits time there and at her father’s home.

“Kristina and I are (amicable) and the main thing for us is making sure the kids are happy,” Alvin Abalos said. “We’re just glad to see how happy they are back together.”

The siblings are close with their aunt and both became emotional when detailing her battle with cancer.

“She’s always smiling and tries to make everyone feel good, no matter how she feels,” Camron said. “We wanted to be closer to her while she’s going through this.”

In addition, Bailee said, with Camron soon headed off to college, she wanted to spend a year with her brother and “catch up on lost time.”

She enrolled at Spackenkill High School and spent the spring semester getting acquainted with the school and reacquainted with the area. This fall, she joined the volleyball team and with her “great athleticism and work ethic,” coach Cassi Diamond said, became an asset as an outside hitter.

In the years spent apart, Bailee Abalos had taken up cheerleading and gymnastics, and played volleyball at Tully High School. Camron Abalos, meanwhile, starred for the Spartans basketball team and “became the greatest quarterback in Spackenkill history,” his football coach, Clinton DeSouza, said.

He was named a Journal All-Star in both sports as a junior. Camron’s football career concluded on Saturday, when the Spartans beat Rondout Valley, 57-21, in a crossover consolation game. There to cheer him on was Bailee.

Now, it’s the little sister’s turn to take center stage as the volleyball team hosts James I. O’Neill at 5 p.m. Wednesday in the sectional quarterfinals. Last week, the Spartans captured their first Mid-Hudson Athletic League title since 2014. Camron now looks on as a fan.

Sharpened by family rivalry, Nini Sher has Spackenkill thinking championships

“It’s crazy seeing her name in the newspaper,” he said. “I get so proud, like, ‘Look! That’s my little sister!’”

Despite a mutual admiration, the two do compete and exchange mild trash talk. “She always wants to beat Cam, in anything,” Alvin Abalos said, chuckling. “But as a parent, they both make me so proud.”

Bailee conceded that Camron is a better athlete, though Camron admitted to being jealous of her acrobatic prowess. He also said that she has the edge in grades with a 96 average. But, Bailee submitted, “His average is in the low 90s, but his classes are harder.”

The tiebreaker, perhaps, goes to lil’ sis. In junior high, she penned and recorded two songs and Camron owns a copy of the CD. For as much as he teases her about it…

“I’ve got it in my car and I’ve listened to it a lot,” he said. “I know all the words.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Spackenkill volleyball player Baliee Abalos.

Nanuet’s Laura Zazyczny, center, tries to get the keep the ball over the net as Lourdes’ Jessica D’Auria, left, and Anna Kolosky, right, block during Tuesday’s game.

In the week preceding its postseason debut on Tuesday, the Our Lady of Lourdes High School volleyball team played in five gymnasiums. Not by choice.

With its own court recently closed for repairs, the Warriors have adopted Arlington High School’s gym as their own. But between scheduling conflicts there and planned scrimmages elsewhere, Lourdes went Hudson Valley hopping to find venues for practice.

To think, doesn’t a No. 1 seed usually come with home-court advantage?

“It’s a challenge,” Warriors coach Emily Krieger said. “But a court is a court.”

And a dominant team is a dominant team. Jessica D’Auria had 17 kills and 11 digs to lead Lourdes in a 25-7, 25-18, 25-14 victory over No. 8 Nanuet in the Section 1 Class B quarterfinal at Arlington.

The Warriors “host” the winner of the other quarterfinal between Putnam Valley and Valhalla at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

“Compared to the adversity we dealt with last year,” Krieger said, referring to their two-win season, “this is something the girls aren’t worried about. They come to play, no matter where.”

Lourdes’ Grace Rappleyea hits the ball over the net during Tuesday’s game against Nanuet.

Vanessa Jacobs added 10 digs and Ceara Giametta had 23 assists for Lourdes (17-1). Grace Rappleyea had seven kills and five aces and Anna Kolosky five kills.

Krieger had the players jumping rope this season as part of their conditioning and joked that by season’s end, they would be able to Double Dutch. Last week, several of them actually did and video made its way online.

So, yeah, home or “home,” the Warriors seem to be skipping along.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Lourdes’ Rebecca Townes, center left, goes to tap the ball over the net during Tuesday’s game against Nanuet.

NEW PALTZ – Well, this was unusual.

The talking from either side leading up to Friday’s high school football showdown between Marlboro and New Paltz sounded less like football rivals headed for a championship game collision, and more like gentlemen speaking of business associates at a banquet.

Marlboro High School’s John Perugino is tackled by New Paltz’s, from left, Mike Pisciota and Brian Kenney during an Oct. 7 game.

Absent was the typical bluster, or even an iota of the pregame preening one would expect from teams making somewhat surprising appearances in the final against an opponent it had faced just a month prior.

“They’re the five-time defending champs and we’re not,” New Paltz coach Tom Tegeler said of facing Marlboro on Friday. “They’re the dynasty. We’re the little brother.”

That, despite the Huguenots thrashing Marlboro in their regular-season meeting, dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides, and embarrassing the Iron Dukes on their home field.

“We know we got crushed,” Marlboro quarterback Sam Mongelli said of that 34-7 loss in October.

But the Iron Dukes, by virtue of a semifinal upset, have found their way back to the final — a familiar place. So it matters little to New Paltz that, technically, they are favored to topple the dynasty. Both teams, it seemed, would prefer the underdog role.

Fourth-seeded Marlboro (7-2) takes on No. 2 New Paltz (7-1) in the Section 9 Class B final 7 p.m. Friday at Dietz Stadium in Kingston.

It was the Huguenots who last won the title in 2010, before Marlboro began its run. New Paltz then moved up to Class A and the teams hadn’t faced each other in years, before rekindling the rivalry earlier this season.

Marlboro, New Paltz on football collision course

That loss a month ago, tangibly, cost the Iron Dukes a higher seed and forced them into a difficult semifinal matchup against top-seeded James I. O’Neill, the feared juggernaut that had beaten Marlboro, 63-43, back in September. Those losses seemingly exposed weaknesses in Marlboro that could be exploited or, at the very least, dented the armor and built confidence in their opponents.

But since the New Paltz debacle, the Dukes did some “soul-searching,” coach Rich Ward said, and have won three straight convincingly. That includes smothering O’Neill, 17-6, last Saturday. The Huguenots, meanwhile, throttled No. 3 Liberty, 35-13, in the other semifinal last week.

New Paltz’s Phil Dorman grabs a hold of Marlboro’s Billy Williamson during an Oct. 7 game.

“My hat’s off to New Paltz, but I don’t think we brought our ‘A’ game,” Ward said of the previous meeting. “We talked about passion and commitment and seeing if we can start another run.”

The run has led them on a path of possible redemption, with a chance in successive weeks to avenge the losses.

That, of course, won’t be easy against a Huguenots team that has a good blend of power and speed behind stout lines on offense and defense.

New Paltz’s offensive line — going from left to right — features Isaac Savelson, Tanner Johnson, Phil Dorman, Max Lunati and Guy Soumah. Big fellas who, for the most part, have owned the trenches. Dorman, Soumah and Christian Burda also have been dominant on the defensive line for a unit allowing 11.2 points per game.

New Paltz football: stirring victories and the sauce

Quarterback Jimmy Verney is a dual threat with a solid arm and quickness to scramble. His cousin, Kenny Verney, is a bruising tailback. Outside, receiver Kumar Singh has game-breaking ability.

Joe DiMarco, as Tegeler described, is “the enforcer,” a hard-hitting free safety; Brian Kenney has good range at outside linebacker and Singh and Jimmy Verney are cover corners.

But, Dorman warned, “This isn’t the same Marlboro as a month ago. Look at them versus O’Neill. This time, it’s gonna be a battle.” (A “bloodbath,” Ward said.)

New Paltz’s Jimmy Verney carries the ball as Marlboro’s Tim Cocozza closes in on him during an Oct. 7 game.

Several New Paltz players said they didn’t expect much carryover from the previous game — neither the lopsided score or the Xs and Os. Tegeler, in anticipation of Marlboro’s adjustments, said the Huguenots have reviewed film of all of the Dukes’ games this season and will tinker a bit with their blocking schemes.

“I know they’re coming out way harder than last time,” Burda said. “But so will we.”

Marlboro, even in what would be considered a rebuilding year for most, still has a wealth of talent and, by all accounts, is well-coached.

Mongelli, in his first season, has emerged as a reliable quarterback whose agility makes him a constant threat to run. As well, the Dukes have a stable of talented backs in Billy Williamson, John Perugino, Eric Borchert and Myles Barrington.

Perugino also has been a dynamic pass-catcher, able to flex outside or turn short dump-off throws into big yardage. Quarterback Paul Evans also is a dual threat, which creates for them the possibility of trick plays with him on the field.

Marlboro football still the big fish in an expanding pond

Chase Sweester and Tristan Ceriello help anchor their offensive line, an athletic group capable of pulling and making second-level blocks. Jovhannie Andrades is a pass-rusher at defensive end and safety Jack Young has emerged in recent weeks as a potential ballhawk.

“We don’t look at it as pressure,” Perugino said of preserving the dynasty. “It’s more about pride in our program. It wouldn’t be fair to the guys (who came) before us if we stopped the streak now.”

For the Huguenots, a victory would send New Paltz into a tizzy, Singh said. Not just the team; he meant the whole town.

“Going back to (youth football), this is what we envisioned when we got to high school: New Paltz versus Marlboro for a championship,” the senior said. “It’s going to be a classic.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

On the web

Follow Journal reporter Stephen Haynes on Twitter, @StephenHaynes4, for live updates from Friday’s football showdown, and visit http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com for complete coverage of both Marlboro and New Paltz football teams through the season.

MILLBROOK – What an amazing revelation it was for Millbrook High School football this season.

Few would have seen this coming. Some would have doubted its possibility. After all, there hadn’t been much tangible evidence to support the notion.

Oh, we’re not talking about the Blazers rebounding from a porous start to reach the Section 9 Class C final. Noteworthy as that late-season surge is, Millbrook has made the championship game three straight years. More astounding is this offense.

The Millbrook High School football team lines up during practice on Nov. 2, 2016.

The Blazers have been passing the ball. Yes, throwing forward the oblong object.

And it’s been successful!

Millbrook!

In fact, that new wrinkle will likely be a key as No. 3 Millbrook (5-4) faces top-seeded John S. Burke Catholic (6-3) in the final at 7 p.m. Saturday at Middletown High School’s Faller Field.

For a program that has long been known for its old-school Wing T and an insistence on pounding the run, it has been a bit surprising to see the Blazers using shotgun formations and threatening the intermediate range with digs and post routes.

Quarterback Jacob Wright has 13 touchdowns. Passing. This season.

“He’s been unbelievable,” Millbrook coach Sean Keenan said. “It’s the first time we’ve had a returning starting quarterback in some time, so the experience last year was huge for him. He’s got a great arm and his passing has definitely opened things up for us.”

Millbrook running back Delvin Wood breaks a run against Sullivan West on Sept. 11, 2015.

The Blazers still lean heavily on star tailback Delvin Wood and run “about 80 percent of the time,” Keenan said. But the emergence of Cody Homa and tight ends Tom Gjergjaj and Drew Jackson as pass-catching weapons, and Wright as a reliable trigger man, has given defenses a lot to digest.

(For those curious: Gjergjaj is of Albanian descent, hence the unique name.)

“The line has given me a good pocket and given the receivers time to get down field,” said Wright, a senior. “A lot of big plays have been available.”

And it’s a big reason Millbrook has averaged 33 points during its three-game win streak.

That run — which allowed the Blazers to overcome a 1-3 start — includes a win over Burke. Millbrook edged them, 16-14, on Oct. 14. That certainly is reason to be confident entering the final but, Gjergjaj said, “We can’t be cocky.”

The Blazers know all too well about losing to a team in the regular season then handling them in the playoffs. That’s precisely what they did last week to Chester, 36-22, in the semifinals – four weeks after losing to them by 22.

Burke, previously a Class B team, has a deeper roster than Millbrook and a clear size advantage. That includes Garnett Nicolas, Burke’s 6-foot-1, 225-pound running back who recently committed to West Point.

Nicolas is powerful and has game-breaking speed, so it’s imperative the Blazers corral him, “within the first three yards, before he can build up speed, and take him down by the legs,” said defensive tackle Conner Latimer.

The Millbrook football team huddles with head coach Sean Keenan during practice on Nov. 2, 2016.

The Blazers have clicked defensively and now, “we’re flying to the ball and not having to take a second to think,” said Gjergjaj, the middle linebacker. “We can just read and react.”

Millbrook won the sectional title in 2014 and lost in last year’s final. A month ago, it seemed like this might be a lost season as the Blazers suffered blowout losses to larger schools and were beset by injuries. But the return of left tackle Jacob Lehmkuhl (back) and Wood, who missed three games with a sprained ankle, helped usher the turnaround.

“Some people counted us out,” Wood said, “but we knew what we’re capable of.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

On the web

Follow Journal reporter Stephen Haynes on Twitter, @StephenHaynes4, for live updates from Saturday’s football showdown.