KINGSTON – It happened quickly, the slaying of a high school football giant. Three shots across the brow in succession staggered the juggernaut and, as it knelt weary, New Paltz delivered the coup de grace.

New Paltz, on the strength of four first-half turnovers and three long, sudden touchdowns, toppled five-time defending champion Marlboro, 33-17, in the Section 9 Class B final. So ended the dynasty on Friday evening at Dietz Stadium.

For both teams, it came full circle. It was New Paltz that defeated Marlboro in the championship in 2010, before the run – reign, really – began the following season. It was New Paltz that trounced Marlboro in a regular-season meeting last month, showing perhaps, there was vulnerability. And it was New Paltz, proving that was no fluke, usurped the powerhouse at long last.

Jimmy Verney threw two touchdowns and ran for another score, leading the second-seeded Huguenots over No. 4 Marlboro.

New Paltz (8-1) advances to the regional final and will host an opponent to be determined on Friday, 7 p.m. at Dietz Stadium,

The Huguenots, earlier this week, insisted on claiming the underdog tag, despite its higher seed. Staying far away from potential bulletin board material, coach Tom Tegeler was quick to remind all that it was Marlboro who had owned half the decade and that his team was “the little brother.”

Then this was the long-awaited growth spurt.

Christian Burda’s 70-yard touchdown run gave the Huguenots a 20-3 lead with 52 seconds left in the first half. The running back shot off right guard, cut outside around the tackle, then slowed up to allow his convoy of blocks to develop before darting up the sideline, cutting back toward the middle to elude one last defender, and skipped into the end zone.

New Paltz fans packed the stadium and made certain their voices were heard, and that run unleashed the roars. And, for many, likely eased some tension.

While Marlboro cruised to a title last season, New Paltz meandered in a mediocre campaign and was booted in the first round of the Class A playoffs. An enrollment dip at the school sent the Huguenots back to Class B. And, for them, it was a welcome home. In the teams’ first meeting since 2010, New Paltz beat Marlboro, 34-7, on the road in October. But teams suggested that result, likely, was an aberration. Even the Huguenots predicted a close score in the rematch.

Sam Mongelli’s 18-yard  touchdown to John Perugino pulled Marlboro within 27-17 with just over seven minutes remaining, but the Iron Dukes would draw no closer.

The first half was pockmarked turnovers – five in total – and missed opportunities. But the Huguenots cashed in on Joe DiMarco’s fumble recovery at the 20 with 1:24 remaining, which preceded that game-breaking touchdown.

Marlboro answered early in the third quarter, pulling within 20-9 on Sam Mongelli’s 14-yard touchdown to Jaydon Mianti. But on its next play from scrimmage, the Huguenots responded resoundingly. Jimmy Verney scooted through a hole up the middle, then zig-zagged, eventually cutting across field to his left to score a 73-yard touchdown. With that, New Paltz pushed its lead to 27-9 with 7:34 left in the third.

Five minutes before that, New Paltz had gone for a 63-yard score. Jimmy Verney threw a slip screen to DiMarco in the slot right, and the receiver weaved behind a block on the edge and sprinted for the end zone.

Jimmy Verney’s 45-yard touchdown to Kumar Singh put New Paltz on the board early in the first quarter. The receiver, on a go route from the split end position, got wide open on a go route and Verney lofted the easy pass to him.

Mongelli’s 20-yard field goal cut the lead to 6-3 with 10:10 left in the second quarter.

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

Marlboro quarterback Sam Mongelli breaks a tackle during the Section 9 Class B final football game against New Paltz at Dietz Stadium in Kingston Nov. 4, 2016.

Joseph DiMarco of New Paltz beats Jaydon Mianti of Marlboro for a touchdown in the second quarter of the Section 9 Class B final football game at Dietz Stadium in Kingston Nov. 4, 2016.

lh logo: football

Jimmy Verney of New Paltz rushes for a touchdown in the during the Section 9 Class B final football game against Marlboro at Dietz Stadium in Kingston Nov. 4, 2016.

KINGSTON – This was the fulfillment of a far-fetched fantasy several of these boys harbored since elementary school.

As third-graders playing Pop Warner football, they told themselves and anyone who would listen that one day they would star for the New Paltz High School team. One day, they would grow big and strong and lead the Huguenots to a championship.

During those periods of reverie, Kumar Singh said, the make-believe scenarios often included New Paltz trumping rival Marlboro in the section final.

Dream on, kid.

Until it comes true.

Jimmy Verney threw two touchdowns, ran for another and snagged an interception, leading the upstart Huguenots over Marlboro, 33-17, in the Section 9 Class B championship on Friday evening.

The Iron Dukes having won the previous five titles served in setting the stage, upping the drama in New Paltz’s triumph. The second-seeded Huguenots controlled the game from its outset and delivered the coup de grace in the fourth quarter against No. 4 Marlboro. So ended the dynasty at Dietz Stadium.

Emotions overflowed afterwards, as would be expected.

“We’ve been together since we were 8 and 9, dreaming of this,” Jimmy Verney said. “Wow. This was how it had to be, and I wouldn’t wanna do this with any other group.”

The Huguenots (8-1) face Westlake or Pleasantville in the regional final on Friday, 7 p.m. at Dietz.

There isn’t much time to bask in this victory, players said. New Paltz planned to attend the Section 1 final on Saturday to scout their potential opponent, then on Monday the practice week begins with a film session.

“One down, more to go,” said Joe DiMarco, who scored twice. “We haven’t gotten this far in a while, but the goal is to win states.”

New Paltz has won four previous section titles, coach Tom Tegeler said, but never have they reached the state tournament.

“Now we have all the pieces and we’re trying to go all the way,” Singh said. “If there was a team to have confidence in, it’s this one.”

And this season, New Paltz has offered little reason to doubt them.

New Paltz prefers ‘little brother’ role facing Marlboro in final

For both teams, it came full circle. It was New Paltz that defeated Marlboro in the 2010 final before the run — reign, really — began the following season. It was New Paltz that trounced Marlboro in a regular-season meeting last month, showing perhaps, there was vulnerability. And it was New Paltz, proving that was no fluke, slaying the giant.

The Huguenots, earlier this week, insisted on claiming the underdog tag. Tegeler was quick to remind all that it was the Dukes who owned this section and his team was “the little brother.”

This was their long-awaited growth spurt.

Christian Burda’s dazzling 70-yard touchdown run gave the Huguenots a 20-3 lead with 52 seconds left in the first half. The running back shot off right guard, cut outside, slowed up to allow his convoy of blocks to develop before darting up the sideline, slashing back toward the middle to elude one last defender, and then skipped into the end zone.

New Paltz fans packed the stadium and made certain their voices were heard. It was at this point the roars reached a crescendo.

“It was electric,” Tegeler said, “and this whole town is rallying behind us.”

DiMarco’s 19-yard scamper off right tackle created the margin for the Huguenots with 2:41 remaining.

Sam Mongelli’s second touchdown pass pulled Marlboro within 27-17 with seven minutes left, but the Iron Dukes (7-3) would draw no closer.

The first half, for both teams, was pockmarked by five turnovers and missed opportunities. But the Huguenots cashed in on DiMarco’s fumble recovery at the 20 with 1:24 remaining in the second, which preceded Burda’s touchdown.

Marlboro’s Billy Williamson is brought down by New Paltz defenders during the Section 9 Class B final football game against New Paltz at Dietz Stadium in Kingston Nov. 4, 2016.

Jimmy Verney’s zig-zagging 73-yard run made it 27-9 midway through the third quarter. His 45-yard touchdown to Singh, a go route off play-action, opened the scoring in the first. He also connected with DiMarco on a slip screen that went 63 yards for a score.

Last year, New Paltz meandered in a mediocre season and was booted in the first round of the Class A playoffs. An enrollment dip at the school sent the Huguenots back to Class B. And, for them, it was a welcome home. In the teams’ first meeting since 2010, they beat Marlboro, 34-7, in October. This result, they said, proved that wasn’t a fluke.

Verney cousins lead New Paltz in upset of Marlboro

“It’s the greatest feeling right now, beating our rival,” DiMarco said. “There’s nothing like it.”

A gaggle of small children took the field, hopping about and cartwheeling as the Huguenots celebrated. Among them was 8-year-old Cayden Verney, cousin of Jimmy and Kenny Verney. Clad in a youth league jersey and clutching a football, he described his own far-fetched fantasy of one day playing quarterback for New Paltz and winning a championship.

That might be a decade away. Dream on, kid.

Until it comes true.

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

On the web

Saturday’s Section 9 Class C football final between Millbrook and Burke finished after the Journal went to press. Visit http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com for complete coverage of the game, as well as video interviews and photos from the Section 9 Class B final between Marlboro and New Paltz.

Marlboro’s Samuel Mongelli kicks a field goal during the Section 9 Class B final football game against New Paltz at Dietz Stadium in Kingston Nov. 4, 2016.

The Arlington girls soccer team celebrates after winning the Class AA regional final against Monroe-Woodbury.

MIDDLETOWN – Molly Feighan! Molly Feighan! Molly Feighan!

Say that three times fast.

Not as a tongue twister, but it would make for a decent impersonation of the public address announcer during the Class AA girls soccer regional on Saturday.

Feighan left all in awe, scoring three goals in succession to lift Arlington over Monroe-Woodbury, 5-2, at Middletown High School.

As they have four times this postseason, the Admirals charged back to erase an early deficit and marched on. Now, the pressing matter at hand is making travel arrangements.

They’re headed to Cortland.

The Admirals (19-3), seeking their first state championship, face Clarence of Section 6 in a state semifinal on Saturday, 12:30 p.m. at Tompkins Cortland CC.

“That ride is going to be crazy,” defender Claire Kirkhus said. “We’re gonna be so loud with the usual cheers.”

Among them is “Bread Toast,” the Admirals’ adopted catchphrase. It began earlier this season when one of the parents attached a piece of burnt bread to a cardboard poster, Allie Coon explained. The suggestion was that Arlington would soon make toast of its opponent.

Grab the butter. The Admirals have singed a whole loaf.

Michaela Fasolino and Kirkhus each added a goal and Becky Gold made eight saves as Arlington dealt Monroe-Woodbury its first defeat this season, and avenged a 2-0 loss in September.

Feighan tallied the go-ahead with a minute left in the first half, capping an intense back-and-forth sequence. On a fast break, the forward drilled a header from 10 yards, giving the Admirals a 3-2 lead.

Teammates lauded Feighan’s performance and said it’s something they’ve grown accustomed to.

But, the junior said, “I’m just glad we scored the five (goals). I don’t care who gets it, as long as we win.”

Just a minute earlier, Monroe-Woodbury had tied it. Off a corner kick, 6-foot-2 Willow Duffell leaped from a crowd and headed the ball in. Duffell is a star power forward who recently committed to play basketball for Marist College.

Five minutes before that, Feighan had given Arlington a 2-1 lead. The forward drifted toward the end line to track a through ball then, from the right wing, hooked a liner into the upper left corner.

Arlington’s Molly Feighan, center, tries to keep the ball away from Monroe-Woodbury’s Kayla MacKenzie, left, during Saturday’s Class AA regional final.

“We’re never worried,” senior Molly Sobolewski said of the comebacks. “No matter what, we go hard and we’re not giving up until we come out on top.”

Arlington’s defense denied the Crusaders several chances. Kirkhus slid for a block tackle to prevent what would have been a close-range shot 8:21 before half. Sobolewski and Anneliese Tucci each forced multiple turnovers to halt runs.

Feighan made it 4-2, launching it into the left corner from 6 yards on a breakaway with 26:55 left. Then Kirkhus tacked on 10 minutes later.

Although Arlington created chances early, forcing Monroe-Woodbury to make seven saves in the first 20 minutes, it was the Crusaders (17-1-1) who struck first on Hannah Geller’s goal in the eighth minute. Fasolino tied it for the Admirals three minutes later, collecting a deflection after a diving save and sending it into the right corner.

Those comebacks, coach Kieran McIlvenny said, are characteristic of his team’s composure and “passion.”

“This is a huge accomplishment for us, but it’s not just about getting (to Cortland),” Feighan said. “Now let’s go win states.”

Two slices of bread remain.

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

On the web

Visit http://www.poughkeepsejournal.com for expanded coverage of Saturday’s state Class AA girls soccer regional final game, including video interviews and photos.

Arlington’s Alexa Peruffo, right, takes the ball down the field as Monroe-Woodbury’s Sydney Harwood, left, defends during Saturday’s Class AA regional final.

Arlington’s Caroline Neville, left, looks for an open teammate during Saturday’s Class AA regional final against Monroe-Woodbury.

The Arlington girls soccer team readies to take the field for the Class AA regional final.

Millbrook football takes the field before its Section 9 Class C final.

MIDDLETOWN – Millbrook probably shouldn’t have had a lead in the fourth quarter. And, after losing it, probably shouldn’t have regained it. Heck, this football team probably shouldn’t have even been involved in the Section 9 Class C final.

But the Blazers were. And when the pain subsides and the memories of this game become a little more bearable, that will be the lasting thought for this group. That Millbrook was on the field at Middletown High School and in the waning minutes still, somehow, had a chance.

Millbrook’s late-season surge made moot a poor start and brought the third-seeded Blazers to the sectional final for a third consecutive season, but the run ended on Saturday night in a 31-12 loss to top-seeded John S. Burke Catholic High School.

“When we get punched in the face,” senior Mike Passarelli said, “we get back up.”

This season, or in this game.

Early-season skepticism? Millbrook passed on that

The Blazers were stifled on offense for three quarters before Jacob Wright threw two long touchdowns and had an interception in the fourth. His 43-yard heave to Drew Jackson — the ball snagged on a post route after being tipped by a defender — gave Millbrook take a 12-10 lead with 10 minutes left.

For as much as Millbrook struggled for most of this contest, and for as much as it struggled in the early portion of the season, this team came that close to a championship.

“It’s a testament to their character,” Blazers coach Sean Keenan said. “We lost to a very good team, but we kept fighting.”

Burke went ahead for good on a gadget play with 7:25 remaining. Wideout Brian McHugh looped into the backfield from flanker on a reverse, took a lateral and threw to an open receiver for a 32-yard touchdown that gave Burke a 17-12 lead. Then the Eagles tacked on.

Garnett Nicolas was bottled for three quarters but erupted in the fourth. He rushed for 146 yards and a touchdown, but the Blazers held the game-breaking West Point commit to 31 in the first half.

Delvin Wood, Millbrook’s star tailback, ran for 99 yards and his 59-yard touchdown catch off a wheel route gave the Blazers a 6-3 lead with 11:32 to play.

Michael Pasquale had two sacks for Millbrook (5-5). Ethan Martell had a sack and recovered an onside kick in the third quarter, and Tom Gjergjaj and Passarelli each made two tackles for loss.

“It (stinks) that we came out on the losing end,” Wright said, “but we played a hell of a game against a great team.”

Burke (7-3) faces Section 1 champ Dobbs Ferry in a regional semifinal on Saturday, 4 p.m. at Mahopac High School.

The Blazers rebound from a 1-3 start and, along the way, edged Burke, 16-14, in October. But the Eagles, previously in Class B, had an advantage in depth and size.

The Millbrook coaches implored the returning players to begin preparing for next season immediately. With a change in enrollment, Millbrook could drop to Class D next season, Keenan said, “but our approach won’t change.”

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

Andres Blanco sat in bed, mulling a difficult decision. Neither solution would be pleasant, but he had to make a choice:

Spackenkill running back Andres Blanco is tackled during a game against Marlboro on Sept. 19, 2015.

To use the bathroom or not to use the bathroom.

This was, at the time, a high school senior and a star athlete at Spackenkill High School.

“But I was afraid to get up and I didn’t want to call for help every time,” the 18-year-old said. “I would hold my (urine) for as long as possible. Showering was a challenge, too, so for the first few weeks, I showered twice a week.”

This was last winter, in the months following Blanco’s operation to repair a complete tear of the meniscus in his left knee, an injury suffered while playing for the football team 13 months ago.

Former Spackenkill football player Andres Blanco was immobile with his knee in a brace following knee surgery.

He described restless nights in which he often awoke in agony. But there also was a psychological effect, one that isn’t uncommon but often goes overlooked in the recuperation process.

For many young athletes in those situations, there are overwhelming feelings of despondence, said Dr. Lonnie Davis, an orthopedic surgeon based in Fairfax, Virginia. No longer is the athlete an active member of a team and the physical restraints can seep into their social lives.

“Day to day, they don’t see much progress in the recuperation,” said Davis, who performed Blanco’s operation. “In six months it’s clear, but initially, it can be tough for a kid to have hope in the face of injury.”

A sports injury often will be the first time a youngster is admitted to a hospital or undergoes surgery. Blanco’s older brother is an Emergency Medical Technician, and the two had discussed before the number of emergency calls he has responded to from schools. “But,” Blanco said, “I never thought it would happen to me.”

That’s a sentiment shared by many scholastic athletes. Until it happens to them.

A partial tear to outer ring of the meniscus can be repaired “in a relatively simple procedure,” and the athlete often can return to normal activities within six weeks, Davis said. But the running back suffered a complete rupture, which Davis described as “one of the worst I’ve seen.” Those tears, most often, require a minimum of six months recovery. As well, Davis said, there is a “70 percent re-rupture rate” after surgery.

Eileen Fiore, Blanco’s friend and schoolmate, tore the ACL in her right knee during a soccer game last fall. Fiore, 17, had a similar account of the rehab process — unable to drive shortly after earning her license, fearful of walking down stairs and having to inform once-interested college coaches of her setback.

For Blanco, sedentary and unable to work out, he gained weight and “watched all my hard work disappear.” As well, he said, four college football programs that initially showed interest in him withdrew offers. Often he was unable — and sometimes unwilling — to make time for friends. The frustration grew, and he seethed.

Spackenkill High School senior Andres Blanco signed a National Letter of Intent to play football at Malone University.

“I was mad at everyone and everything,” he said. “It didn’t make sense, but you feel like everything is falling apart.”

Blanco did eventually sign last spring with Malone University, an Ohio school with a Division II football program. He joined the team but, after knee inflammation during summer training camp, the coaches opted to have him sit out the season as a redshirt freshman. His admittedly “wild dream” is still to become a professional football player. But for now, he is focused on his studies in business administration.

Fiore, now a senior, returned to the soccer field and did well this fall, leading her team to a sectional championship before falling in the state playoffs. Her improvement was gradual, Spackenkill girls soccer coach Mike Corbett said, “but she’s close to 100 percent now.”

Prichard shines as Spackenkill captures sixth straight section crown

As is her mood. Fiore, for a while, was in the doldrums. She missed a number of travel soccer tournaments last spring, crucial in college recruitment. She also had been a standout on the basketball and softball teams but was reduced to a forlorn spectator.

“You’re not watching the game as much as you’re watching your daughter’s reaction,” said her mom, Trish Fiore. “You know it’s killing her to not be out there.”

Alexis Garcia can relate. The New Paltz High School senior tore the ACL in her right knee in August, a year after tearing the ACL in her left knee, and has missed the last two soccer seasons. For as irrational as she understands it be, Garcia still has a hard time shaking the feeling of guilt, believing that in some way, she failed her team. That at difficult junctures in games, “I should’ve been out there helping,” she said. And in joyous moments: “I wish I was a part of this.”

Still, Davis said he recommends young athletes remain with their teams and around friends while recuperating, “as a reminder they’re not alone.”

Alexis Garcia, center, poses with New Paltz High School soccer teammates after a game against Highland on Sept. 7, 2016.

Blanco and Fiore trained at Center for Physical Therapy in Wappingers Falls three times per week last winter. Their workouts weren’t much alike, Fiore said, but “having a friend there with you that can relate to what you’re going through is a big help. It’s easy to get down on yourself, so we were lucky to have that support and pick each other up.”

It’s often during physical therapy, Davis said, when the athlete has regained some mobility, that there is a glimmer of optimism and “they can see light at the end of the tunnel.”

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

More online

Visit www.poughkeepsiejournal.com for a video look at the issue of scholastic athletes’ knee injuries.

Eileen Fiore dribbles a soccer ball while demonstrating her workout routine at Spackenkill High School on Monday. Fiore tore her ACL during a playoff game against Dover High School on October 29, 2015.

Eileen Fiore points out scars from her torn ACL surgery before demonstrating her workout routine at Spackenkill High School on Monday.

Eileen Fiore juggles a soccer ball while demonstrating her workout routine at Spackenkill High School in August. Fiore tore her ACL during a playoff game against Dover High School on October 29, 2015.

Alexis Garcia made a routine move, attempting to pass the soccer ball to a teammate.

Suddenly, her right knee locked. It twisted awkwardly.

She heard a “crunch” as she crumbled to the field.

The pain, she said, was excruciating.

Then the tears came. Not from the physical agony, but a feeling of dejection waft over the New Paltz High School senior. She knew what her injury likely was, and what it meant for her soccer career.

Garcia, 17, had suffered a torn ACL in her right knee. In fact, she had joined a growing number of athletes who have sustained that injury in both knees.

That “crunch” or “pop” many athletes describe hearing has become a familiar sound on athletic fields. Often accompanying the sharp pain is a jarring diagnosis and season-ending surgery soon after. That also signals a grueling, months-long rehab process without assurance of ever returning to form.

Physical injury, emotional toll: Athletes can struggle after surgery

The rate of knee injuries among adolescents has steadily increased by about 2.3 percent each year in the last decade, according to a study presented in 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

And Garcia is far from the only athlete locally, or nationally, who has been a part of that statistic.

About 1.35 million youngsters, ages 6 to 19, are rushed to emergency rooms each year with sports-related injuries, according to a 2013 study done by Safe Kids Worldwide, an international advocacy group for the prevention of childhood injuries. Close to 200,000 of those injuries are to the knee. In a 2008 study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, knee injuries accounted for 60 percent of all high school sport-related surgeries observed.

Andres Blanco, a former running back for the Spackenkill High School football team, tore the meniscus in his left knee last October. Weeks later, his friend and schoolmate, Eileen Fiore, tore her right ACL during a soccer game. She said that several teammates on her East Fishkill Power travel soccer team also suffered knee injuries in recent years, including Arlington High School senior Stephanie Seefeldt.

Theories and reasons for this trend vary. Some coaches attribute the spike to an increase in physicality among athletes. A number of medical experts believe the modern prevalence of sports specialization has contributed to the rise in joint injuries among teens, and suggested that proper physical conditioning can help reduce risks.

Along with the physical strain of recovering from an injury that requires surgery, young athletes often struggle mentally and emotionally to deal with being cut off from their teams, and feeling vulnerable.

“I was a healthy and active person,” said Garcia, who had surgery on Sept. 16. “As a teenager, you kind of feel invincible. Then you get hurt, and suddenly that’s gone.”

The anterior cruciate is one of four ligaments in the knee that stabilize the joint, holding the knee in place and restricting excessive movement. The meniscus is a piece of cartilage in the knee that cushions the joint and provides shock absorption between the thigh bone and shin.

New Paltz High School soccer player Alexis Garcia runs on defense against Red Hook on Aug. 31. She suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament later in the game.

Garcia suffered her latest injury on Aug. 31, during the first game of the season for the New Paltz girls soccer team. She had missed the previous season after suffering a torn ACL in her left knee as a junior, then spent a year rehabilitating in hopes of a triumphant return.

But within minutes, it was gone. All the progress of the past year, undone in one move.

Close to 30 percent of athletes who have had ACL surgery suffered a similar injury that required an operation within two years, with 20.5 percent of them sustaining an injury to the other knee, according to a study conducted by the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine in 2013.

“When I tore my left ACL last year, my doctor (David Yasgur at Caremount Medical in Katonah) told me it’s common to tear the other one,” Garcia said. “During recovery, you get so used to putting all the pressure on the good knee and overcompensate. Your mechanics are thrown off and it puts extra strain on the healthy leg.”

As it becomes more common for athletes to compete rigorously all year, putting additional strain on their joints, the chances of injury increase exponentially, medical experts said.

“Many of us (in the medical field) think the rash of injuries is caused by the increased exposure to repetitive stress,” said Dr. Lonnie Davis, an orthopedic surgeon based in Fairfax, Virginia, who performed the operation to repair Blanco’s meniscus. “A lot of athletes are playing one sport year-round and it puts repetitive stress on the same joints. They tend to outperform their age-match peers of years past, but it’s coming at a cost.”

Spackenkill running back Andres Blanco is tackled during a game against Marlboro on Sept. 19, 2015.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the most common major knee injuries among teens are tears in the medial collateral ligament, followed by the ACL and the meniscus. Female athletes, particularly soccer players, are up to eight times more likely than boys to suffer these injuries, according to a 2008 study done by the National Institutes of Health Medicine Plus.

Rehabilitation varies by injury, sport

The rehabilitation process for major knee operations typically requires months of physical therapy and it often takes an emotional toll, even more so among youngsters, Davis said.

Once the patient has recuperated enough to put pressure on the knee and regained some mobility, the objective shifts to strengthening the joint and the muscles around it for a return to normal activity.

Two months after their respective surgeries, Blanco and Fiore began going to physical therapy three times per week. Blanco’s routine included body squats, lunges, leg presses and elliptical training. Fiore worked extensively on a StairMaster and stationary bike, then ran a mile each day.

Eileen Fiore points out scars from her torn ACL surgery before demonstrating her workout routine at Spackenkill High School on Monday.

As the patient progresses, the workouts intensify. And, eventually, the sessions become geared toward a return to their sport. The goal for Blanco, in addition to recovering from the torn meniscus, was conditioning his legs for the rigors of football and the sudden, short-distance bursts the sport requires.

Fiore’s two-hour sessions keyed more on cardio, in preparation for soccer. There was a focus on lateral quickness and, later, workouts with a soccer ball — dribbling around cones in zig-zagging patterns, and redeveloping footwork and regaining kicking power.

The recovery process for a torn ACL typically requires 6-12 months, depending on the severity of the tear. And perhaps longer before an athlete is totally able to regain their form.

“I think it’s as much of a mental comeback as it is physical,” Garcia said. “It’s a year before you’re back on the field, but probably another year after that before you truly feel OK and not hesitant and worried about it.”

And, Garcia’s fears that two knee operations would dissuade college suitors were eased last month. She received an offer from the SUNY Plattsburgh women’s soccer team and made a verbal commitment to play there next fall.

“I always hoped for a happy ending,” she said.

Searching for answers

The obvious question is, can anything be done to slow the epidemic?

Some coaches suggest that the evolution of the athlete and increased physicality in sports contribute to the rise in injuries.

“When I played, soccer wasn’t this physical,” said Joanne Metzger, the New Paltz High School girls soccer coach, who also played at Siena College. “With technology, the footwear and balls being better designed, the pace of the game is much faster. The skill level is higher and it’s more competitive than it was 20 years ago. To contend with speed, you have to get physical.”

There are a number of theories on the cause of this uptick in knee injuries as well as preventative measures. Many experts believe the root is overuse of the joint without adequate conditioning. Attrition can wear on the ligaments.

“Kids are being pushed so hard in the number of practices and games, and then they’ve got other commitments,” said Michael Mejia, a sports science specialist who runs B.A.S.E. Sports Conditioning in Nassau County. “You’ve got athletes running all over the field for an hour, using their quads, hip flexors and hamstrings like crazy and making them contract. Then they stop, and soon after, they’re sitting in a car to head home for homework.”

Over time, Mejia said, that routine can cause a diminished range of motion in the youngster’s muscles and joints. The cumulative effect can make them more susceptible to serious injury.

Sports specialization — the demands of travel teams, showcases and children playing one sport all year — contribute to that, Davis said, adding that he has a 9-year-old daughter who plays travel soccer. For the athlete, there is incentive in skills development and in hopes of the additional exposure helping to garner college interest.

“There are pressures from the parents, coaches, other kids,” said Davis, who played football and ran track at Cornell University. “If other kids are playing all year and it’s getting them an edge in skills, you don’t want to fall behind.”

Mejia and Davis suggest athletes would benefit from proper rest — the recommended eight hours of sleep each night — and not focusing on one sport. Granted, Fiore is a three-sport athlete, Garcia also plays lacrosse and Blanco used to run track in the spring.

Stretching modernized to combat injuries

The harsh reality is that no surefire method exists to prevent awkward twists during physical activity.

But Mejia pointed to a 2009 study done in Sweden that tracked 2,500 soccer players, ages 12 to 17, for seven months. Introduced to the athletes was a 15-minute neuromuscular warmup. The study found that the pre-game exercises helped decrease the ACL injury rate by 64 percent.

Those routines generally feature extensive stretching, one-legged squats, lateral shuffling, balance training and plyometric jumping exercises to strengthen the legs. Mejia also recommended a post-game regimen of at-home stretching, including the use of a foam roller.

Garcia said Metzger incorporates some of those principles during New Paltz’s 25-minute warmup. This year, Metzger said, she added yoga to the routine.

Davis agreed that a “post-activity stretch” can be helpful. Early neuromuscular training can also be beneficial, he said.

“Especially in the scholastic athlete, we’ll find that technique issues are a big factor,” Davis said. “We can decrease the rate of ligament injuries by teaching them proper techniques for jumping and landing, cutting, turning.”

Unfortunately, Mejia said, it’s after a serious injury has been sustained that people become most receptive to preventative measures. He recommends a proactive approach for parents and coaches, teaching kids as young as 10 about the importance of conditioning.

“Knee injuries in sports will never be completely alleviated,” Davis said. “Every time an athlete steps on the field, that’s an understood risk, especially in contact sports. But as there are advancements in medicine, we can better diagnose and treat the injuries, and going forward, we can try to reduce the risk. That’s the best we can do.”

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

Eileen Fiore poses for a photo at Spackenkill High School on Monday. Fiore tore her ACL in October, 2015 and has been recovering since her surgery in November.

Eileen Fiore dribbles a soccer ball while demonstrating her workout routine at Spackenkill High School on Monday. Fiore tore her ACL during a playoff game against Dover High School on October 29, 2015.

As part of her workout routine, Eileen Fiore practices shooting the ball at Spackenkill High School on Monday. Fiore tore her ACL during a playoff game against Dover High School on October 29, 2015.

As part of her workout routine, Eileen Fiore practices shooting the ball at Spackenkill High School on Monday.

Andres Blanco sat in bed, mulling a difficult decision. Neither solution would be pleasant, but he had to make a choice:

To use the bathroom or not to use the bathroom.

This was, at the time, a high school senior and a star athlete at Spackenkill (N.Y.) High School.

“But I was afraid to get up and I didn’t want to call for help every time,” the 18-year-old said. “I would hold my (urine) for as long as possible. Showering was a challenge, too, so for the first few weeks, I showered twice a week.”

This was last winter, in the months following Blanco’s operation to repair a complete tear of the meniscus in his left knee, an injury suffered while playing for the football team 13 months ago.

He described restless nights in which he often awoke in agony. But there also was a psychological effect, one that isn’t uncommon but often goes overlooked in the recuperation process.

For many young athletes in those situations, there are overwhelming feelings of despondence, said Dr. Lonnie Davis, an orthopedic surgeon based in Fairfax, Virginia. No longer is the athlete an active member of a team and the physical restraints can seep into their social lives.

“Day to day, they don’t see much progress in the recuperation,” said Davis, who performed Blanco’s operation. “In six months it’s clear, but initially, it can be tough for a kid to have hope in the face of injury.”

A sports injury often will be the first time a youngster is admitted to a hospital or undergoes surgery. Blanco’s older brother is an Emergency Medical Technician, and the two had discussed before the number of emergency calls he has responded to from schools. “But,” Blanco said, “I never thought it would happen to me.”

That’s a sentiment shared by many scholastic athletes. Until it happens to them.

A partial tear to outer ring of the meniscus can be repaired “in a relatively simple procedure,” and the athlete often can return to normal activities within six weeks, Davis said. But the running back suffered a complete rupture, which Davis described as “one of the worst I’ve seen.” Those tears, most often, require a minimum of six months recovery. As well, Davis said, there is a “70 percent re-rupture rate” after surgery.

Eileen Fiore, Blanco’s friend and schoolmate, tore the ACL in her right knee during a soccer game last fall. Fiore, 17, had a similar account of the rehab process — unable to drive shortly after earning her license, fearful of walking down stairs and having to inform once-interested college coaches of her setback.

For Blanco, sedentary and unable to work out, he gained weight and “watched all my hard work disappear.” As well, he said, four college football programs that initially showed interest in him withdrew offers. Often he was unable — and sometimes unwilling — to make time for friends. The frustration grew, and he seethed.

“I was mad at everyone and everything,” he said. “It didn’t make sense, but you feel like everything is falling apart.”

Blanco did eventually sign last spring with Malone University, an Ohio school with a Division II football program. He joined the team but, after knee inflammation during summer training camp, the coaches opted to have him sit out the season as a redshirt freshman. His admittedly “wild dream” is still to become a professional football player. But for now, he is focused on his studies in business administration.

Fiore, now a senior, returned to the soccer field and did well this fall, leading her team to a sectional championship before falling in the state playoffs. Her improvement was gradual, Spackenkill girls soccer coach Mike Corbett said, “but she’s close to 100 percent now.”

As is her mood. Fiore, for a while, was in the doldrums. She missed a number of travel soccer tournaments last spring, crucial in college recruitment. She also had been a standout on the basketball and softball teams but was reduced to a forlorn spectator.

“You’re not watching the game as much as you’re watching your daughter’s reaction,” said her mom, Trish Fiore. “You know it’s killing her to not be out there.”

Alexis Garcia can relate. The New Paltz (N.Y.) High School senior tore the ACL in her right knee in August, a year after tearing the ACL in her left knee, and has missed the last two soccer seasons. For as irrational as she understands it be, Garcia still has a hard time shaking the feeling of guilt, believing that in some way, she failed her team. That at difficult junctures in games, “I should’ve been out there helping,” she said. And in joyous moments: “I wish I was a part of this.”

Still, Davis said he recommends young athletes remain with their teams and around friends while recuperating, “as a reminder they’re not alone.”

Blanco and Fiore trained at Center for Physical Therapy in Wappingers Falls three times per week last winter. Their workouts weren’t much alike, Fiore said, but “having a friend there with you that can relate to what you’re going through is a big help. It’s easy to get down on yourself, so we were lucky to have that support and pick each other up.”

It’s often during physical therapy, Davis said, when the athlete has regained some mobility, that there is a glimmer of optimism and “they can see light at the end of the tunnel.”

For more, visit the Poughkeepsie-Journal

Tangibly, not a great deal carries over from one race to the next, and certainly not from one season to another. But confidence is another matter.

Caroline Timm of Our Lady of Lourdes takes first in the girls Class B race at the Section 1 Cross Country Championship at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, November 5, 2016.

For a runner, with each success comes a greater belief that they can improve, that races can be run more efficiently. That times they never imagined themselves capable are within reach.

So Caroline Timm winning a bronze medal in the state track and field tournament in June doesn’t really translate to the fall, and the Our Lady of Lourdes High School junior claiming the Section 1 Class B title last week doesn’t mean a whole lot for Saturday’s cross country state championship in Chenango Forks — to her at least.

But, she said, “I feel pretty confident going into states due to the strong effort I put into training this season.”

That has manifested in results. Among her triumphs this autumn, Timm won the Northern Counties Championships, the Section 1 Coaches Invitational and the Bowdoin Park Classic. Last week, she completed the 3.1-mile course at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls in 18:44, nearly 30 seconds ahead of second place, to capture a Section 1 crown and earn a berth to the state tournament.

Timm will be among 34 local runners competing on Saturday at Chenango Valley State Park. The girls races begin at 9 a.m. and the boys at 11 a.m.

The Arlington High School boys cross country team poses together after winning the Section 1 Class A title at Bowdoin Park on Saturday.

Runners from teams that took first overall in each class in their respective sectional championships qualified for the state meet, as did the top five runners in each class of each section. Runners that took part in winning teams did not count toward the top five individual qualifiers.

“I want to do a lot better at the state meet than I previously have,” said Timm, who last year took 16th in the girls Class B race. “I’m aiming to come in top three this year … It’s been a good season so far.”

Lourdes’ Timm overcame heart ailment to return to states

John Jay’s Sean Murray won the boys Section 1 Class A  title, running the Bowdoin Park course in 16:28. Arlington won the team championship in that circuit, so it’s team of seven qualified for the state championships: Matthew Dillon, Brendan Foley, Colin Waters, Joe Morrison, Michael Asselmeyer, Max Glazowski and Andrew Pfeifer.

Haldane won the boys Class D race and had the top four finishers in the race: Nicholas Farrell, Adam Silhavy, Ellis Osterfeld and Matthew Mikalsen. Jonas Petkus, Andrew Silhavy and Kyle Kisslinger also qualified for the Blue Devils.

Haldane won the Section 1 girls D title as well, and will send Shannon Ferri, Taylor Farrell, Heather Winne, Meghan Ferri and Ruby McEwen.

The male qualifiers from Section 9 were Jack Hobson (Red Hook) in Class B and Chris Estremera (Millbrook) in Class D.

Sarah Trainor will represent Franklin D. Roosevelt High School in the girls Class A race.

Pawling senior Katelyn Huggard took seventh in states last year and qualified again for the girls Class C. Beth Jenkins of Spackenkill, and Dover’s Lindsay Demers and Heaven Swan also will compete.

Taylor Edmundson took first in the Section 9 girls Class D race last week at Bear Mountain State Park, leading Webutuck to victory. Edmundson took eighth in states last year as a sophomore. She will be joined by teammates Abby Thomas, Sarah Meili, Abby Hoke and Julia Butts. Millbrook’s Kaitlyn Daly also qualified for the race.

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

State cross country meet

When: Saturday, with races beginning at 9 a.m.

Where: Chenango Valley State Park, Chenango Forks

Spackenkill High School’s Nini Sher.

There obviously was disappointment at their season ending before they would have preferred. Still, the pervading emotion for the Spackenkill volleyball team, coach Cassi Diamond said, was pride.

Surely, an autumn season that carries into November must include fond memories. The Spartans’ was no different as they captured league and Section 9 championships in the same season for the first time.

But Spackenkill’s run was halted on Wednesday in a 25-19, 17-25, 25-13, 25-16 loss to Section 1’s Westlake High School in a Class B state regional semifinal at SUNY Ulster. 

“It was a great season,” said Diamond, whose team won its first sectional title since 2014. “I’m really proud of what we accomplished, and of the team they are. This group was special.”

Nini Sher had 21 kills and two aces, and Julieanne McKee had 31 assists and five aces for Spackenkill (17-2). Samantha Wile added five kills and an ace, and Amaya Anderson had three kills and three blocks.

“We talked about our trip to Disney World (for a tournament) at the start of the season and how we bonded,” Diamond said. “There were days, especially in the postseason, I thought it would be beneficial to rest, but they wanted to practice and be together.”

The Spartans graduate three seniors — all starters — but return a strong core of juniors and sophomores.

“They want to get back out there,” Diamond said of the returning players. “They’re looking forward to our open gym in spring.”

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

FREEDOM PLAINS – There was complete silence and the players appeared petrified.

Arlington High School’s Claire Kirkhus dribbles the ball during a Class AA regional final against Monroe-Woodbury on Nov. 5.

Everything, it seemed, came to a standstill on the pitch and the Arlington High School girls soccer team simply froze.

That could have been the collective reaction in any of the four postseason games in which the Admirals have trailed in recent weeks, staring down the precipice of elimination.

Instead, that scene occurred after a practice session this week, as Arlington prepped for Saturday’s Class AA state semifinals.

Feighan hat trick sends Arlington to girls soccer state semis

The team decided to perform the Mannequin Challenge on its field.

(For those unfamiliar: It’s an internet craze that has gone viral this week in which groups of people stand motionless, frozen for several seconds, in the midst of a routine activity, resembling mannequins.)

Kelly Coster and Claire Kirkhus pitched the idea on Tuesday, and the crew jumped — well, stood still — at the chance. In handstands, stretching positions and some even hoisted in the arms of teammates, the Admirals held it for almost a minute.

And once more, their execution under pressure was near flawless. But, seemingly, this bunch is lively at all other times.

Such levity and camaraderie have served this group well during its improbable run through the state tournament. Arlington (19-3), in its first state semifinal appearance since 2011, faces Clarence High School of Section 6 on Saturday, 12:30 p.m. at Tompkins Cortland CC in Cortland.

The Admirals repeatedly have shown resolve and the team is spurred, forward Abby Carlin said, by a “we can’t lose” attitude.

“All of us are really close,” sophomore Bryn Thompson said. “Coming this far is creating a lot of great memories.”

Coach Kieran McIlvenny couldn’t pinpoint what is so different about this team compared to last year when, he said, they were just as talented but fell early in the playoffs.

The players, perhaps, have matured a bit. Some said they’ve become more tenacious. Others said they entered this season in better shape. Or, maybe, a confluence of factors have gone in their favor and the “team of destiny” label might be apt.

But it’s been said that luck is the residue of design. And what’s undeniable is the talent of this group, which lacks a glaring weakness and boasts an abundance of depth. Call it whatever, but the Admirals are two victories away from their goal.

“Nobody expected us to get this far, so this is a lot of fun,” midfielder Michaela Fasolino said.

Clarence (18-1) was a finalist last season, and the Admirals two weeks ago claimed their first Section 1 title since 2012. So, underdog status?

“Absolutely,” goalie Becky Gold said. “But we’ve gotten used to being the underdog and we still have things to prove.”

They proved a great deal against Monroe-Woodbury in the regional final last week, rallying from an early deficit and pulling away for a 5-2 win. Molly Feighan scored three goals as Arlington avenged a regular-season defeat and dealt the Crusaders their first loss.

“We have faced a lot of challenges and come through them,” McIlvenny said. “We’re prepared mentally.”

The Admirals also prepared strategically for Clarence’s star striker Ana Davies, a prolific scorer. The focus, they said, will be denying the service passes that allow Davies space and prime scoring chances.

Arlington High School’s Emily Allen, right, pressures the ball against Monroe-Woodbury in a Class AA regional girls soccer final on Nov. 5.

The onus will be on Arlington’s defense. That unit — which includes Emily Allen, Anneliese Tucci, Molly Sobolewski and Emma Sbrollini — has excelled this season.

There also have been the understated contributions of many, among them Kiana Jedlicka, Meggie Buttinger, Sofia Germano, Sydney Van Fleet, Caroline Neville, Kendall Feighan and Alexa Peruffo.

“We’ve shown that we belong,” forward Allie Coon said. “We deserve to be where we are.”

On a team so boisterous and playful, this ride has been soundtracked by a number of catchphrases. One such is “Stay Woke!”

A spectator once yelled, “Don’t sleep on Arlington,” to which midfielder Melanie Sarnicola replied, “Stay woke!” The team put that one in rotation, and it’s become a social media hashtag of choice.

As is “We cooking!” which Coster made popular. It’s said in exclamation in reaction to an impressive feat, and Coster will pantomime a pot being stirred. (For those unfamiliar: Google “cooking dance” or refer to the video accompanying this article online.)

Arlington High School’s Alexa Peruffo, right, takes the ball down the field as Monroe-Woodbury’s Sydney Harwood, left, defends during a Class AA regional final on Nov. 5.

“I don’t think she can actually cook food,” Fasolino joked, “but (Coster) really cooks on the field.”

There also was the time they played dress-up during a pasta party at captain Stephanie Seefeldt’s home. Teammates found a bag with her old Halloween get-ups — and so began the fashion show. Allen turned heads with an ensemble that featured a Tinker Bell costume, a Harry Potter robe and a blue wig.

“There’s a time to be serious and a time we can be goofy,” Seefeldt said. “We always try to keep things steady and find a good balance.”

Steady. Good balance. Kind of like a mannequin, huh?

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

Class AA girls soccer state semifinals

Who: Arlington (Section 1) vs. Clarence (Section 6)

When: Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

Where: Tomkins Cortland Community College in Cortland

Should they advance: The winner heads to the final against Massapequa or Niskayuna at 12:15 p.m. Sunday.

Live updates

Journal reporter Stephen Haynes will provide live updates Saturday on Twitter (@StephenHaynes4) and check back on http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com after the game for complete coverage.

The Arlington girls soccer team celebrates after winning the Class AA regional final against Monroe-Woodbury.

Arlington girls soccer huddles before its state Class AA semifinal against Clarence High School on Nov. 12, 2016.

DRYDEN – There were problems abound for the Arlington girls soccer team. They arose before the group even arrived for its game and continued afterward on Saturday.

Players were left perplexed and disappointed.

“How could they not have pancakes?” senior Molly Sobolewski said, exasperated. “Just waffles? The hotel must not have known we were coming to town.”

This team is very particular about its breakfast.

Alas, it’s an issue the Admirals will have to deal with once more, having earned themselves another night in Cortland.

Molly Feighan scored twice and Becky Gold made eight saves, leading Arlington to a 2-1 win over Section 6’s Clarence High School in the Class AA state semifinal at Tompkins Cortland CC.

Arlington, seeking its first state title, faces Massapequa (Section 8) in the final on Sunday, 12:15 p.m. at SUNY Cortland. Massapequa is the three-time defending champion.

Quite a birthday present for @mfasolino4, another night in Cortland and a chance at state championship.… twitter.com/i/web/status/7…

—
Stephen Haynes (@StephenHaynes4) November 12, 2016

“Coaches have been telling us we can go all the way,” Stephanie Seefeldt said, “now it’s actually happening.”

The Admirals argued over what pose they should hold during the post-game team photo. Understandable. Given its run through the postseason, the team is running short on ideas for celebrations.

Soccer girl problems. Rather, #StateFinalistProblems

“This is the best gift I’ve ever gotten,” said junior Michaela Fasolino, to whom teammates sang “Happy Birthday” afterwards. “My wish was for a state title and now we’re close to it coming true.”

Girls soccer: Arlington anxious for state semifinals, despite mannequin act

Feighan put Arlington on the board in the seventh minute, scoring off a feed from Sobolewski on a fast break. The forward zipped by a defender on the right flank, then fired a bullet that dinged off the left post and into the corner.

Her insurance goal with 7:59 remaining proved to be the winner. Sydney Van Fleet corralled a ball deep into the right corner then played it to Feighan about 5 yards in front of the goal. She jumped and used her knee to one-time it into the right corner.

Clarence cut the lead to 2-1 with three minutes left, then had a free kick in the final seconds, seeking to force overtime. But a hard shot from just outside the box was intercepted as time expired.

“Sydney made a great pass and I was just trying to get a touch on it,” said Feighan, who scored three goals in the regional final, sending Arlington to Cortland for the first time since 2011. “We didn’t expect to get many opportunities, so we had to capitalize on the handful.”

The same could be said of this program. It’s not often they’ve had chances to secure the brass ring. But it’s now within reach.

The Arlington girls soccer team poses after winning the Class AA state semifinal on Nov. 12.

“I couldn’t be happier for the girls,” Admirals coach Kieran McIlvenny said. “This is the result of all their hard work.”

Certainly so on defense. The Admirals (19-3) utilize an extra forward, leaving only three backs on defense. That strategy bolsters the offense but adds pressure to the defense, giving starters Emma Sbrollini, Anneliese Tucci and Sobolewski extra ground to cover.

“It’s risky and more is demanded of us,” Tucci said, “but we cover each other and make it work.”

McIlvenney said he thought twice about it for this game, considering Clarence has a lethal scorer in Ana Davies. But, he said, “The girls were confident they could contain her and I trusted them.”

They’ve given no reason to doubt them. Possession was about even, but Clarence (18-2) seldom was allowed quality chances. Tucci, Fasolino, Sobolewski and Sbrollini each forced multiple turnovers to stop runs. Allie Coon cleared a ball from near the end line in the 28th minute after Gold’s leaping deflection.

Clarence is a regular at the state tournament and Arlington will again be an underdog against Massapequa, which beat Niskayuna, 3-1, in the other semifinal.

“But we’re used to not being the better team on paper,” Gold said. “It doesn’t matter anymore. We’re about to be the best team in the state.”

They’re not waffling on that, either.

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

Admirals are headed to Class AA girls soccer state final

Who: Arlington (Section 1) vs. Massapequa (Section 8)

When and where: Sunday, 12:15 p.m. at SUNY Cortland

What about it: Arlington is seeking its first state title and they will contend with the Chiefs, who have won the previous three state championships. 

Arlington girls soccer readies for its state final against Massapequa on Nov. 13, 2016.

CORTLAND – History!

“This is the most incredible feeling I’ve ever had,” senior Emily Allen said.

“This gives me an amazing sense of accomplishment,” junior Kiana Jedlicka said.

“This was absolutely perfect,” sophomore Kendall Feighan said.

This was history.

The Arlington girls soccer team made program history on Sunday, capturing its first state title. To do so, the Admirals pulled off a dramatic double-overtime comeback that made history of Massapequa’s three-year reign as Class AA state champion.

As for the present… The Admirals can’t stop smiling. And that might continue for the foreseeable future.

Kendall Feighan tied the score late in regulation and her sister, Molly Feighan, notched the winner in this epic as upstart Arlington edged mighty Massapequa High School, 2-1, in the state final at SUNY Cortland.

The Arlington girls soccer team is presented its state championship plaque.

Molly Feighan delivered the biggest goal of her career with 7:18 left in the second overtime. The junior took a long outlet pass from Michaela Fasolino, drove by two defenders inside the box and, from five yards out, lifted a ball into the left corner to put her team ahead and put Arlington into state tournament lore.

Molly Sobolewski said she might wear the championship T-Shirt to school on Monday. Grandkids, someday, will be regaled by this tale.

“It was in the back of our minds and now it’s real,” said Feighan, typically reserved but struggling now to stifle her excitement. “We just did something no Arlington (girls soccer) team has ever done!”

It was her little sister who, perhaps, saved the season. Two minutes after Massapequa took the lead, Kendall Feighan answered with 11 minutes left. She took a cross from Molly Feighan and settled the ball in front of the goal before drilling it into the upper left corner.

“She’s literally my best friend,” Kendall said of her sister. “So to have her get the assist on that is really cool. That’s something we’ll share forever.”

Molly, who scored six times in the Admirals’ final three games, described her sibling’s shot as “perfect.”

Arlington soccer players Ashley Cross and Abby Carlin kiss the state championship plaque.

The teams appeared evenly matched. Both several chances to score but close calls, missed opportunities, and exceptional defensive plays kept them in a stalemate. That is, until Julia Hannon scored with 13:31 left for Massapequa. With a step of separation, she dribbled down the ring wing and fired into the right corner.

“At that point, you’re feeling it,” senior Melanie Sarnicola said. “It’s tense. But I’ve never lost confidence in this team.”

Arlington (20-3) took control in the final minutes and, after tying it, had chances to win in regulation. The Admirals had the would-be winner waved off with 30 seconds left on an offsides call.

But that, of course, became moot.

“Everything we’ve wanted and worked for came together,” said goalie Becky Gold, who made five of her 13 saves in overtime.

Gold had a number of spectacular stops, but perhaps none more important that her leaping grab of a line drive from the right flank with 2:39 left in overtime. She also withstood the Chiefs’ 10-minute barrage late in the first half.

In celebration of its state title, Arlington released colorful balloons over the field.

“She was incredible,” Sobolewski said. As was Hayley Poltorak, who thwarted a number of chances to lead Massapequa (17-2-2).

The Admirals defense — anchored by Sobolewski, Anneliese Tucci and Emily Allen — successfully contained Massapequa star Hope Breslin, a prolific scorer whom for four years had made the state tournament her playground.

Stephanie Seefeldt said after Arlington’s state semifinal win that her team wouldn’t pay any mind to history, insisting that Massapequa’s past success didn’t much matter now, and this was “our year.”

Prophetic words.

And necessary ones for a program that hadn’t come this far since 2011, that never had reached the summit, that was booted quickly from the playoffs just last season. This wasn’t supposed to be Arlington’s year. Then again, the Admirals also weren’t supposed to have five comeback victories in the playoffs.

But another one? In the state final? In double overtime? Against the juggernaut?

It’s one for the history books.

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

Arlington seniors Stephanie Seefeldt and Allie Coon.

CORTLAND – Fittingly, it was Stephanie Seefeldt who was handed the championship plaque on Sunday. As is custom in ceremonies following a state final, that keepsake is presented to the captains of winning teams.

In this case, it created a storybook scene. The senior, seconds later, was mobbed by her Arlington girls soccer teammates as she held the plaque high. All of them screaming and jumping in absolute glee, including Allie Coon.

“I never thought I’d get to this point,” the defender admitted. “There were times I thought about giving up.”

Arlington wins state championship in double overtime

After tearing the ACL in her left knee last year, just 13 months after having surgery to repair a similar injury in her right knee, it all seemed bleak for Seefeldt. In place of athletics during her sophomore and junior years was grueling rehabilitation, accompanied by feelings of despondence. Back then, a return to soccer seemed far-fetched.

Being part of a team that would edge three-time defending champion Massapequa, 2-1, in double overtime to earn the Admirals’ first state title? “Not in my wildest dreams,” she said. “But here I am.”

Coon was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a child and for years has refused to allow it to keep her from soccer. There are frequent checks of her blood sugar, but never has the senior been dissuaded despite coping with bouts of listlessness while playing a sport that requires almost constant motion.

“For all that they’ve been through,” teammate Molly Sobolewski said, “to now be here as state champions is incredible.”

For those two, helping the Admirals win an improbable championship was an accomplishment within their greater triumph. That plaque serves as a capstone.

“Allie is really good about taking care of herself,” Arlington trainer Brooke Delia said. For Seefeldt, “It’s been a long two years, recovering and then rebuilding her confidence to play at a high level. We reminded her that she’s worked so hard and she has the strength to do this.”

Seefeldt, a vocal leader, commanded the halftime huddle in the final and detailed strategy. Coon, in the state semifinal, cleared a ball hovering the end line to preserve the Admirals’ lead. She also scored the tying goal during their comeback in a regional semifinal two weeks ago.

“Despite what we’ve gone through in life,” Coon said, “we’ve come this far and achieved our goals.”

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

Heidi Simpfenderfer of Roy C. Ketcham High School is returning to the state swimming championships.

A year ago, New Paltz High School girls swimming coach Don Bartlett said that, entering the state championships, competitors seeing familiar faces is a comforting sight. Be it teammates or local rivals, he said, running into people they know offer a calming influence.

Well, that certainly will benefit his team as four of the nine area athletes competing this weekend in the girls swimming and diving state championship meet come from New Paltz.

The swimming preliminaries begin at 10:30 a.m. Friday, and the diving competition starts at 2 p.m. All of the diving will conclude on Friday, but the swimming finals and consolations take place on Saturday.

New Paltz’s relay team of Bella Santos, Morgane Kuyl, Kaela Santos and Abigail Santos will compete in the 200-yard medley relay. That quartet will also race in the 200 freestyle relay.

That group, sans Bella Santos, was part of the 200 medley relay that placed seventh in the state tournament last year, helping the Huguenots take 18th overall in team score.

Abigail and Kaela Santos each also qualified for the 100 butterfly, as did Brenna Hayes of Arlington. Hayes will be joined by Admiral teammate Rebecca Baione, who qualified for the 200 individual medley. Baione, last year, was part of the 200 medley relay team that took fifth in the state meet.

Kuyl and Our Lady of Lourdes sophomore Clare Bosse will compete in the 100 freestyle, and Bosse also will race the 100 backstroke. Bosse, a sophomore, took ninth in the 100 freestyle at states last year, and enters the meet with the 11th-fastest time in the state this year, 52.60 seconds.

Heidi Simpfenderfer of Roy C. Ketcham will compete in the 200 freestyle. She took 23rd in that event in states as a junior last year.

Hayes and Amber Diehl of Franklin D. Roosevelt will race in the 100 breaststroke. Diehl, a junior, has the ninth-fastest time in the state this year, 1:05.95.

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

Swimming & Diving state championships

When: Friday preliminaries, 10:30 a.m.; Saturday finals and consolation finals, 10 a.m.

Where: Ithaca College

Monroe-Woodbury High School girls basketball standout Willow Duffell commited to Marist College.

The Marist College women’s basketball team officially announced Thursday three additions who signed National Letters of Intent this week.

The Red Foxes will add next season Allie Best, a guard from New Jersey, Willow Duffell, a power forward from Harriman, and center Gabi Redden from New Jersey.

The signings were a silver lining in what could be a troubling week for the Red Foxes. Guard Allie Clement suffered a right knee injury in Marist’s home opener on Tuesday. The junior underwent an MRI on Thursday and the athletic department said it planned to issue a release on Friday, once the results have been reviewed.

READ: Marist awaits Clement’s status after sloppy loss

READ: Five questions facing Marist women’s basketball

GALLERY: Marist falls to Seton Hall in home opener

The Clement injury, if severe, would be another difficult blow to a rebuilding team that already is short on experience and has lost its first three games. In addition to being one of two juniors on a roster with no active seniors, the starting shooting guard leads the team with 12.3 points per game this season. 

All the more reason the signings of these high school seniors was welcomed. 

“All three of them bring something that we need in the program,” Red Foxes head coach Brian Giorgis said in a statement.

Giorgis called Best a “pass-first point guard.” As a junior, she averaged 11.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists, helping lead Voorhees High School to a Hunterdon Warren Sussex county championship.

Duffell, a 6-foot-2 forward, led Monroe-Woodbury High School to a Section 9 title last season. She averaged 10 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.

“She could switch onto guards and stay in front of guards,” Giorgis said of watching Duffell play AAU. “She gives us some really good athleticism up front.”

Duffell also led the Monroe-Woodbury soccer team to a sectional title. The Crusaders eventually lost, 5-2, to Arlington in a Class AA regional final two weeks ago, but Duffell scored a goal.

Redden, a 6-foot-1 center, led Rutgers Prep School to a 29-2 record last season. She averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds.

“Gabi Redden is a very powerful post player whose potential is unlimited,” Giorgis said. “Her game just keeps getting better and better.”

Marist awaits Clement’s status after sloppy loss

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

Clare Bosse, Our Lady of Lourdes swimming

Franklin D. Roosevelt junior Amber Diehl, as well as Our Lady of Lourdes sophomore Clare Bosse and Roy C. Ketcham senior Heidi Simpfenderfer each will compete in the finals of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association girls swimming and diving championships on Saturday at Ithaca College.

Bosse qualified for two events. She took 11th in the 100-yard freestyle preliminaries on Friday, finishing the race in 52.48 seconds, and placed 16th in the 100 backstroke (57.94).

Diehl, a junior, took eighth in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.40).

Simpfenderfer placed 25th (1:56.95) in the 200 freestyle.

The top 30 finishers in each race advanced to the finals, which begin 10 a.m. Saturday.

“(Bosse’s) results are indicative of the work she puts in all year,” Lourdes coach Bill MacElveen said of the sophomore, who competed in both events at the state meet last year. “There’s no summer off. She’s swimming and training constantly.”

The New Paltz quartet of Bella Santos, Morgane Kuyl, Kaela Santos and Abigail Santos took 36th in the 200-yard medley relay, finishing in 1:53.45. That group also placed 45th in the 200 freestyle relay (1:43.30).

Kuyl, a senior, also took 55th in the 100 freestyle (55.25).

Arlington’s Brenna Hayes placed 40th in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.35) and 52nd  in the 100 butterfly (1:00.40). Teammate Rebecca Baione finished 43rd in the 100 butterfly (1:00.06). Abigail Santos, a sophomore, took 55th (1:00.66) and senior Kaela Santos was 57th (1:00.77) in the 100 butterfly.

”Clare is humble and doesn’t look at herself like, ‘I’m the bomb,’” MacElveen said. “But I know she’s excited and looking forward to this … As a sophomore, if she keeps going the way she has, the sky’s the limit.”

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

Coryne DeMattio, 15, is sophomore at Millbrook High School and plays defensive line for the football team.

Coryne DeMattio has heard her opponents’ whispers.

The 11 boys on the other side of the field can see the long locks of brunette hair, twisted in pigtails and hanging out of her blue and black Millbrook High School football team helmet, as she takes her place on the defensive line.

Rosalind Bendell has received similar reactions. Lining up on the field as a New Paltz High School wide receiver, she recalls the exclamation coming from the opposing sideline, almost in chorus:

“It’s a girl!”

It’s a rare sight, but not unheard of.

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Across the country, the number of girls participating on high school football teams is slowly growing. In 2015, more than 1,900 girls played the varsity sport, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations, which receives data from most, but not all states. That’s over 500 more than in 2010. According to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, 71 girls played football in New York last year.

Girls who choose to play the sport must overcome challenges, from passing physical tests to ensure safety, to committing to weight training and conditioning, to winning the respect of teammates of the opposite sex. For DeMattio and Bendell, their reasons for facing and overcoming these challenges, and their love of the sport, began with family relationships.

In many cases, girls have joined football teams as placekickers or punters — positions that don’t often require physical contact. But this past season, DeMattio and Bendell helped to break that mold in reserve roles for their teams.

Rosalinda Bendell, 16, a New Paltz High School football player, poses at New Paltz High School on Friday.

At defensive tackle, DeMattio, a 5-foot-8, 180-pound sophomore, plays one of the most physically demanding positions on the field, wrestling for leverage on every play with offensive linemen who can be 100 pounds heavier.

And at receiver, Bendell, a 5-foot-7, 140-pound junior, must contend with tacklers, just like any other offensive player. She also is a blocker on kick returns and has had hard collisions.

“I think that’s a good thing,” New Paltz coach Tom Tegeler said. “If you love football, you want the sport to grow and interest to increase among all demographics.”

Both players were required to pass a physical examination to ensure they wouldn’t be putting themselves in danger, or have an adverse effect on others. DeMattio and Bendell have use of the girls locker rooms or a private restroom for games on the road. Opposing coaches are informed of their presence before games.

Because it is harder for female athletes to build and maintain muscle mass, trainers say they must stress weight training. And because there is typically a weight disparity between male and female football players, the chance of injury increases.

And, yes, there’s a degree of fear.

“I always get a little intimated when I go out there,” DeMattio said, “but you get over it quickly. On the field, your only thought is, ‘What do I have to do to make this play?’ You’re too focused to be scared.”

Teammates have embraced DeMattio and Bendell, and opposing teams, though sometimes surprised, have not treated either player differently.

However, Millbrook coach Sean Keenan said if an opponent “got out of line and went after (DeMattio), I’d trust that our players would look out for her.”

Getting on the field

DeMattio took the field in three games this fall, getting a few snaps when the scores were lopsided and collecting one tackle against Tri-Valley. She missed the last two games of the season with a lower back strain suffered in practice.

Bendell appeared in five games this season, mostly as a blocker on kick returns, and didn’t catch a pass. Next season, she said, she hopes to add placekicking duties and get more playing time at receiver. Catching a touchdown, she said, “would be the highlight of my career.”

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s mixed-competition rules allow girls and boys to compete in any sport for which there isn’t a gender-equivalent sport. Since girls football isn’t a recognized scholastic sport, females aren’t restricted from playing it with boys. Likewise for wrestling.

But, that doesn’t make it easy for a girl to compete physically in the boys’ world.

“Because of the difference in hormones, it’s more difficult for girls to gain muscle mass than it is for an average high school boy,” said Brooke Delia, an athletic trainer at Arlington High School. “It’s very important to spend time in the weight room. A focus on neuromuscular control and flexibility could also decrease the risk of injury.”

Coryne DeMattio, 15, is sophomore at Millbrook High School and plays defensive line for the football team.

Neuromuscular control, essentially, is the relationship between the brain and muscles, which allows athletes to maintain good posture, balance and flexibility to execute moves.

Delia added that for any girl playing football, in addition to a steady weight training regimen, she would recommend consulting a nutritionist to determine an ideal diet for the endeavor.

DeMattio, 15, passed the mixed-competition test last summer. The exam included running a mile, doing exercises and completing shuttle drills to gauge fitness and agility.

“We consulted her doctor for their opinion, got clearance from our school doctor and physical education teacher (Shawn Stoliker),” Millbrook Athletic Director Bill Blayney said. “She showed up to (organized team activities) over the summer and hit the ground running. She did everything she needed to in order to make this happen.”

That included participating in a 10-week strength and conditioning program last spring at NorthStar Sports in Poughkeepsie.

Still, defensive tackle? Teammates, initially, were just as stunned as opponents.

“The line is one of the toughest and most physically demanding positions in the game,” said fellow Millbrook lineman Conner Latimer, who is 6-foot-2, 280 pounds. “To my surprise, she did fairly well and stuck with it the entire season. She got pushed around a good amount in drills and (practice) and still came back for more. I give her a ton of credit.”

DeMattio has played defensive tackle since joining the modified football team in seventh grade. Despite her size, it’s the position that best suited her skills and “tenacity,” Keenan said. For what she lacks in raw power, which can hinder her attempts to shed blocks, DeMattio is able to compensate somewhat with quickness and technique in evading the blocks.

“Because of her size, I would be concerned about her being at the bottom of a pile,” Delia warned. “She would be predisposed to more injuries.”

As well, defensive linemen are often susceptible to knee injuries, contusions and concussions, Delia said. Still, she said, “I’m excited for her and looking forward to seeing how she progresses.”

DeMattio said she has been under a pile. While attempting a tackle in a crowd, a running back fell on top of her and an offensive lineman landed atop him, smushing her beneath a few hundred pounds. “It is a little scary and you definitely feel it,” she said, “but I came out of it OK.”

Rosalinda Bendell, 16, a New Paltz High School football player photographed at New Paltz High School on Friday, November 18, 2016.

Tegeler said Bendell will work extensively on kicking this offseason and he plans to get her on the field more. “She might not be a starter,” he said, “but we want her out there more.”

Choosing to play

An obvious question is, why would these girls chose to put themselves at risk in a sport so violent? After all, DeMattio also plays basketball and softball, and she is a former cheerleader.

Bendell, who is a member of the track and field team, specializing in sprints and high jumps, gave football a try on a whim and fell in love with it. Her older brother, Chris, is a lineman for New Paltz and she followed in his footsteps. Her younger sister, Rebecca, followed in hers and now plays junior varsity football.

For DeMattio, the decision to play football was made in large part to honor her father, Richard, who died in December 2007.

Coryne DeMattio and her dad would hover around the TV on Sundays, rooting hard for the New York Giants, her mother Anna DeMattio said. It was their father-daughter bonding activity, along with playing catch in the backyard of their Union Vale home.

Richard DeMattio died of a heart attack at age 43, six days after Coryne’s 7th birthday. It was she who found him unresponsive in bed.

“It was horrible and I remember it vividly,” Coryne DeMattio said. “It’s still difficult when I think about it.”

The idea to play football first came to her in fourth grade, but that was quickly dismissed and she became a Pop Warner cheerleader. She gave that up in seventh grade and joined the modified football team.

The experience early on wasn’t pleasant, Coryne DeMattio said. She felt ostracized and “none of the boys thought I was serious or thought I could make it through the season.”

She didn’t. A concussion cut short her season and, in eighth grade, she rejoined the cheerleading team — this time at the varsity level.

“I didn’t enjoy it that much,” she said. “At that point, cheerleading was more a way for me to get to watch all the football games. I was cheering for the guys I now play with.”

Coryne DeMattio, 15, is sophomore at Millbrook High School and plays defensive line for the football team. She is pictured here with her coach, Sean Keenan.

She returned to football the following year, by then having befriended some of the players and having garnered respect for her refusal to give up.

“We all knew Coryne, but we weren’t sure how it would go because none of us had been on a team with a girl before,” Blazers quarterback Jacob Wright said. “To be honest, we didn’t think she would make it through the practices, but she proved us wrong. We’re really proud of her for that as a teammate. And as friend, we’ve all gotten closer.”

Anna DeMattio feared for her daughter’s safety and worried about how she would be received. She understood her reasons — “I knew Richard would be proud” — but was apprehensive.

“My fear has subsided,” said Anna DeMattio, who admitted she doesn’t know much about the intricacies of football. “I thought if given a chance, they would see how hard she works and respect her effort. That’s happened. Now I feel excitement when I see her out there. I know she’s doing what makes her happy.”

Bendell’s parents, Dan and Laura, have been supportive and her dad especially, she said, “was all for it.” It helped, too, that her big brother was a key member of the team. She was promoted to varsity before this season and helped the Huguenots win the Section 9 Class B championship.

“She’s been part of the program since modified in eighth grade and came up through (junior varsity) with a lot the other players,” Coach Tegeler said. “They knew her so it wasn’t a big revelation when she made varsity.”

Shared experience

Coryne DeMattio and Bendell met when Millbrook hosted New Paltz on Sept. 16 and the two spoke at length after the game, sharing stories and experiences.

“It’s great meeting someone who understands your perspective,” Bendell said. “It’s cool to see another girl playing football, especially as a lineman.”

Both girls said there have been a few awkward moments with the boys.

Once she is allowed to enter the locker room when everyone is changed into uniform prior to games, Bendell said teammates mostly act like themselves, so the language and subject matter doesn’t change much in her presence.

“They just think of me as another teammate, so they don’t bother filtering much,” she said with a chuckle. “I overhear a lot of gossip, and sometimes I’ll chime in with a joke.”

Coryne DeMattio, 15, is sophomore at Millbrook High School and plays defensive line for the football team.

Coryne DeMattio said a few opponents winked at her between plays.

“But I wasn’t even annoyed by it,” she said. “Boys are so bad at flirting, when it happens, I just laugh.”

Coryne DeMattio said she doesn’t intend to play beyond high school. Her goal is to attend the University of Georgia — her favorite college football team — and major in neuroscience.

“I’m extremely proud of her,” Anna DeMattio said. “If you tell her she can’t do something, she tries to prove you wrong. She’s proof that if you put your mind to something and work hard enough, you can achieve.”

After her first game, a loss to Liberty on Sept. 2, Coryne DeMattio attended a friend’s Sweet 16 party immediately after.

Hanging in her locker was an evening gown. Off came the uniform and cumbersome pads — exchanged for a dark blue dress, with shades of gray and light blue patterning. Cleats were replaced by a pair of four-inch sparkling silver heels.

The big, bad defensive lineman.

“It was girly,” she said laughing. “But, hey, the dress was still in team colors.”

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

Rosalinda Bendell, 16, a New Paltz High School football player photographed at New Paltz High School on Friday, November 18, 2016.

Rosalinda Bendell, 16, a New Paltz High School football player photographed at New Paltz High School on Friday, November 18, 2016.

Rosalinda Bendell, 16, a New Paltz High School football player photographed at New Paltz High School on Friday, November 18, 2016.

Rosalinda Bendell, 16, a New Paltz High School football player photographed at New Paltz High School on Friday, November 18, 2016.

Coryne DeMattio, 15, is sophomore at Millbrook High School and plays defensive line for the football team. She is pictured here with her coach, Sean Keenan, at Millbrook High School.

Coryne DeMattio, 15, is sophomore at Millbrook High School and plays defensive line for the football team.

Coryne DeMattio, 15, is sophomore at Millbrook High School and plays defensive line for the football team.

Coryne DeMattio, 15, is sophomore at Millbrook High School and plays defensive line for the football team.

Franklin D. Roosevelt swimmer Amber Diehl at the Section 9 swimming championships.

When Amber Diehl completed the 100-yard breaststroke on Saturday, learning she had finished ninth, there was a brief moment of disappointment for the Franklin D. Roosevelt High School junior.

She had accomplished her goal of placing top-10 in the final of the state swimming and diving championships at Ithaca College. Diehl also had set a Section 9 record with her time in the preliminaries of that event.

But, Roosevelt coach Sean Ryan said, “She’s always looking for ways to improve and constantly pushing herself to get better.”

In addition to being 6-foot-1 and naturally talented, Diehl’s drive is what has enabled her success. She completed the 100 breaststroke in 1:05.76.

Clare Bosse, an Our Lady of Lourdes sophomore, took 11th in the 100 freestyle (52.73 seconds) and 17th in the 100 backstroke (58.02).

Heidi Simpfenderfer, a Roy C. Ketcham senior, placed 29th in the 200 freestyle (1:56.98).

“I have some goals in mind for next year and I know I can lower my times,” Diehl said. “If I push hard enough in the spring and summer, I’ll be able to get them.”

Diehl took eighth in the 100 breaststroke preliminary on Friday, finishing in 1:05.40 to set a Section 9 record. She surpassed the mark of 1:05.84, set by Washingtonville’s Morganne Klein in 2009.

“She took away a lot of positives from this weekend,” Ryan said of Diehl. “She dropped eight seconds from her time in the breaststroke from last year and she’ll continue to improve. Going into her senior year, she’ll only benefit from the experience gained here.”

Diehl had avoided sweets all season, but after returning home on Saturday, a friend treated her to a large bag of candy. She’ll relax and enjoy that. For now.

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

It was an unusual sight, to say the least.

Our Lady of Lourdes High School’s James Anozie is covered by Marlboro’s, from left, Jack Rusk and Xavier Oliver during the 2015 Duane Davis Memorial Holiday Tournament final in Poughkeepsie.

Teammates hooted and cheered as James Anozie, with the court to himself, took off for a dunk attempt.

And then another. And another.

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He missed the first three. With each clang off the front rim, tension built and concern raised.

Here was an athletic 6-foot-5 standout, the centerpiece of the Our Lady of Lourdes High School boys basketball team, and a senior widely recognized as the most dominant player in this area.

Teammates playfully ribbed him about the botched dunk attempts after Wednesday’s practice. After all, they’ve grown accustomed to seeing him hammer down tomahawks with ease.

So, what gives?

“After all that running, I didn’t have much left in my legs,” Anozie conceded. “I wanted to throw it down, but I couldn’t elevate that well.”

All that running left him drained late in the practice session. It was a byproduct of the broken ankle he suffered in June.

Anozie, who was named the Journal’s Player of the Year as a junior, spent three months this summer recuperating from the injury and it came at the expense of his conditioning.

James Anozie

During AAU basketball competition, Anozie said, he leaped and landed awkwardly, fracturing the right ankle. He spent two months in a walking boot, unable to do much physical activity.

“The injury set him back a good few months,” Lourdes coach Jim Santoro said. “We didn’t get him back until a week before tryouts.”

While out, Anozie said he often sat in a chair, shooting free throws to practice his form. Occasionally, he attempted to shoot while standing, but couldn’t for long.

He’s healthy now but did gain 10 pounds during the time off — he now weighs about 240 — and conditioning, for now, is the priority. Now as in “right now,” he said. “I’ve got about two weeks to cram and get ready.”

The Warriors open the season on Dec. 6, visiting Yorktown.

By then, Santoro said, the rust will be shaken and “he won’t be huffing and puffing anymore.”

Anozie last season averaged 25 points and 11 rebounds and shot 64 percent from the field, proving at times an unstoppable force. The center led Lourdes to the Section 1 Class A semifinals. En route, he scored a career-high 40 points against Marlboro and notched his 1,000th point on Feb. 5.

Anozie reaches 1,000 in Lourdes win over Magnus

“Not to sound arrogant,” Anozie said, “but I don’t think teams can defend me in the post.”

That was despite operating against constant double teams and being the focus of opposing defenses.

“When he gets down low it’s almost automatic,” teammate John Arceri said. “He’s an all-around great athlete and he makes power moves.”

Nifty ones, too.

With an “unpredictable” first step, the strength and frame to muscle inside for position, and an uncanny ability to finish around the basket, Santoro said Anozie was “the best offensive player in the county.”

The Dutchess County Basketball Coaches Association named him the county’s best player, period, presenting him its Bob Stauderman Award.

Lofty expectations

The team has set big goals for itself. A number of players, and the coach, believe the Warriors can get as far as the state tournament.

Kevin Townes, an athletic wing with good range, is poised for a breakout season, Santoro said. Arceri, a shooting guard, insists his on-the-ball pressure defense has improved.

Corey Mullaly, a star on the football and lacrosse teams, will make his debut on the varsity basketball team this season. At 6-foot-2 with good athleticism and physicality, Anozie said, Mullaly will “surprise a lot of teams with how good he is.” The Warriors also return forward Avery Liu, an international student from China.

Of himself, Anozie said, his individual goals include averages of 30 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks. Quite lofty.

“He was a monster last year,” Santoro said. “For him to top that would be difficult, but I think he can maintain it.”

Anozie disagreed, insisting he has the potential to do more. As well, he said, he will focus on becoming a smarter passer out of double teams and “make teams realize that all our guys are threats to score.”

Where he should benefit, Santoro said, is having greater knowledge of how teams will look to guard him and, with that, a better understanding of how to counter.

“He’s amazing,” Mullaly said of Anozie, a friend whom he described as jovial. “He’s strong, quick and can finish with either hand at the basket. That’s hard to deal with. In fact, he can even shoot threes.”

Anozie has hit a few deep shots before but, he said, for the sake of his coach’s blood pressure, those will be taken only on occasion.

Unlike his chicken parmigiana dinners. Those, teammates said, are a constant for Anozie. He called the meal “the best thing ever.” Arceri said it’s “the key” to the big fella’s success and part of his pre-game routine.

For as much acclaim as he has garnered, Anozie still is uncertain if he wants to play basketball beyond high school. The decision, he said, will likely be made by season’s end.

“There are a ton of (college) coaches who would love to have him,” Santoro said. “It’s just a matter of what he wants to do.”

Anozie said that he has considered, for some time, simply attending college as a student and focusing on science. He aspires to become a pharmacist, following in the footsteps of his mother, Patricia Anozie.

“It’s a good profession that allows you to help people,” he said. “Plus I’m really, really good at science.”

But about those dunks…

“In two weeks,” he promised. “When my legs are fresh, they’ll get as many dunks from me as they want.”

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

Red Hook’s Jessica Wilkinson dribbles past Arlington’s Casey Schweitzer during the Lisa Moray Memorial Basketball Tournament on Dec. 5, 2015.

Jessica Wilkinson was 6 years old when her aunt put a basketball in her hand. She didn’t know much yet about the game’s nuances or even have a grasp of its fundamentals.

She just knew that her aunt was awesome.

Lisa Moray would spend hours working with Jessica, teaching her niece how to properly hold the ball, where to place her fingers, how to shoot it with good form.

Her aunt became one of the greatest three-point shooters in the history of Sacred Heart University women’s basketball. So who better to learn from?

“She was an amazing teacher,” said Wilkinson, who now stars for the Red Hook girls basketball team. “It took me a while to get it right, but that’s where it started.”

Those shooting skills were on display last season as the guard averaged 25.9 points per game, leading the Raiders to the Section 9 Class A semifinals.

But never was it more significant, perhaps, than in Red Hook’s first two games. That’s when the team competed in the Lisa Moray Memorial Tournament at Roy C. Ketcham High School. Facing Ketcham in the opener, Wilkinson scored 34 points in a victory. The following day, in the tournament final against Arlington, she went for 30.

Jessica Wilkinson, Red Hook Girls Basketball

“I looked up to her so it was big for me to be able to honor her that way,” Wilkinson said. “I think about her sometimes when I’m playing. Her memory crosses my mind.”

Moray died in a car accident in 2008 at age 22, weeks after graduating from Sacred Heart. Ketcham, the high school she attended, hosts the annual basketball tournament in her name.

“My family went through a tough time and it’s still difficult for us,” Wilkinson said, “but I just try to make (my aunt) proud.”

Red Hook again will begin its season there on Dec. 2, facing Ketcham. And Wilkinson will again look to put on a show. 

The senior said she isn’t certain she can surpass the gaudy numbers she posted last season, but insisted she is more determined than ever to lead her team far.

“This is her fifth year on varsity,” Raiders coach Andrew Makebish said. “Her experience, leadership and strong will are huge for us.”

As is her ball-handling ability, court vision, composure, a willingness to scrap for loose balls and, oh yes, those refined shooting skills.

With her signature crossover and spin moves, the 5-foot-6 Wilkinson frequently beats defenders off the dribble and is able to penetrate the lane, finishing around the basket or pulling in the defense to create open shots for teammates. She scored a career-high 42 points against Rondout Valley last season, and notched her 1,000th career point in January.

Wilkinson alternates between the point and shooting guard spots but her aim, ideally, is to be a facilitator.

“When you do all those things well and work hard,” Makebish said, “good things happen.”

In addition to the prolific scoring, she averaged 6.1 rebounds, 4.1 steals and 3.1 assists last season.

“She’s always calm in games, no matter what,” teammate Megan Jankowiak said. “Jess always having composure is huge, especially when things are going fast or people are panicking.”

The Raiders believe they are poised for a big year, returning with their core mostly intact. As well, Wilkinson said, losing by a point to Cornwall in the semifinals added an ember to the competitive fire.

“That definitely pushes us,” she said. “Coming that close, we want to get back there and make up for it.”

Red Hook, on paper at least, has the talent to pull it off. Their aggressive defense — which includes a swarming full-court press — has given teams fits, as can its uptempo offense with the quick ball movement.

Sadler leads list of 2016 Journal Girls Basketball All-Stars

Jankowiak, a 5-foot-9 forward, has an array of moves and fakes in the post. She also brings a high-energy attitude to defense. Alexa Franceschi, a 5-foot-11 forward, is a solid rebounder and shot-blocker.

“We have a lot of young players,” Wilkinson said, “but there’s a lot of talent.”

Sophomore Kristine Miller is a newcomer, but at 6-foot-2 with mobility, teammates already foresee her becoming a major contributor. Kalie Harrison, Chrissy Gildersleeve and Syr Esposito are among a strong cast.

Arlington’s Rachael Moran dribbles the ball as Red Hook’s Kalie Harrison covers her during the Lisa Moray Memorial Basketball Tournament.

There is also a solid chemistry in this group, and levity, which is immediately recognized.

Franceschi and Jankowiak are the known jokesters and Wilkinson, in her own words is “kind of quiet,” but she certainly has provided them fodder.

After practice on Saturday, teammates joked about her pre-game dining habits. Wilkinson, Franceschi said, once ate chicken fingers and fries on a bus ride. And the box of doughnuts. And the generic, off-brand version of Swedish Fish.

“One day, before practice, she was drinking a milkshake,” Jankowiak said. “I asked about it and she said, ‘I just really wanted one.’ She ended up with a stomach ache in practice.”

During all this, Wilkinson sat back, smiling and shaking her head. She’s used to the ribbing.

There was also Jankowiak’s airball of a free throw in a game last season, Franceschi said, when the senior cringed as the ball left her hand and yelled, “Oh, no!”

“Nothing but net!” Jankowiak interjected. “The ball did touch the bottom of the netting.”

And during practice last Wednesday, Franceschi was called out for traveling. That’s when Makebish quipped, “It’s OK. Lots of people travel the day before Thanksgiving.”

Even missed layups during drills turn into roasts. For this team, the idiom “it’s no laughing matter” would itself become a laughing matter.

That is, until it’s showtime.

“Our expectations are high, and they should be,” Franceschi said. “We know we can do really well.”

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